Fabweld Steel Products (FSP), a leading manufacturer of access covers and steel products for the construction, water, energy and security sectors, has made a significant capital investment as it bids to almost double turnover in the next five years.

Shropshire-based Fabweld Steel Products has brought a 15kW Accurl Fibre Laser to increase its production capacity and scope to boost growth.

The new machinery replaces the firm’s 3KW fibre laser, which handled 95 per cent of products at the Telford factory.

Managing director Wayne Carter said: “It’s my aim that we will grow our business from £4 million annual turnover to £7 million within the next five years.

“The Accurl laser is the latest investment to help us achieve that, and follows previous work to extend our welding capability and nitrogen gas generation. All three investments will ensure we have the right infrastructure for the growth we want.

“After more than 10 years of hard work, we had outgrown our 3kW fibre laser. This new machine will provide us with far greater cutting speeds and scope, ultimately removing a major barrier to growth and creating many new opportunities for FSP.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those staff who worked additional hours to get us ahead of our cutting schedule so we could get the new laser installed and commissioned with as little disruption as possible.

“Going forward, the increased speed, capability and capacity will quickly put us onto an upward trajectory to achieve our full potential.”

The process to decommission the 3kW, remove it, install and commission the Accurl, train staff and get up to full production capability was due to take almost three weeks and was completed at the end of October.

Wayne added: “With 95 per cent of our products going through our laser, this upgrade has taken a considerable amount of planning. Ultimately, we had reached a point where we were unable to grow the business or expand our scope. Upgrading our laser will enable us to do both.”

For more than 30 years, customers from various industries have been relying on the specialist for conveyor systems technology: MFP – Maschinen-Förder-Produkte GmbH+Co. KG. A broad product portfolio and the use of state-of-the-art production equipment characterize the family-owned company from North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. MFP relies on different technologies for cutting. The latest investment is a smart 2D laser system of the MasterLINE series, which is sold in German-speaking countries under the product name “MSE Smart^FL”.

The family-owned company MFP (Maschinen-Förder-Produkte), which is certified in the field of "development, manufacture and sales of machine conveyor systems", was founded in 1989 by Andreas Melchers with the support of his wife. More than 30 years later, MFP has grown to around 50 employees and is now jointly managed by the founder and his daughter Janina. At the company's headquarters in Finnentrop, North Rhine-Westphalia, everything is provided from a single source on more than 5,000 square meters, including: design, production and assembly. In addition, interested parties can gain a first impression of conveyor systems technology products in the in-house showroom, which are individually tailored to customer requirements for various industries.

Three cutting systems for more flexibility and capacity

In 2014, the family-owned company moved to the production facility in Finnentrop, which was expanded in 2019 and equipped with state-of-the-art production machinery. These include bending systems, an own powder coating and three CNC cutting systems. In just three years, the specialist for conveyor systems technology invested in the three cutting machines, thus making itself independent of contract cutters and securing more flexibility and capacity.

Variety of technologies for even faster processing

Until 2022, the family-owned company used two plasma technology cutting systems. One system was used for processing thicker sheet metal up to 35 mm and the second system was used mainly for thin sheets in the 2 to 3 mm range. Due to changing requirements for the accuracy of the parts to be processed, MFP decided to replace one plasma cutting system with a laser cutting system and thus position itself even wider and also significantly faster in cutting. "We know that we can rely on MicroStep Europa for the installation of the system as well as for training and service. Therefore, it quickly became clear to us that it would be a machine from MicroStep Europa," says Janina Melchers, Managing Director at MFP. The decision was made in favour of a laser cutting machine from the MasterLINE series, which is sold in German-speaking countries under the product name “MSE Smart^FL” with an automatic shuttle table. The powerful 2D laser has been in use since the beginning of 2023 and cuts around 70 percent steel and 30 percent stainless steel with a maximum thickness of 3 mm. As a result, the company is even faster in processing thin materials and can optimally serve the different and individual requirements of customers with the setting of laser, plasma and water steel cutting system. "The advantages are clearly the high level of vertical integration and the clean cuts as well as the speed of the fiber laser," emphasizes Janina Melchers.

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Once again, everything at the TUBE revolved around tubes. At the world's largest trade fair for tube processing taking place in Düsseldorf, ACCURL Europe presented for the first time a new type of tube laser with a high degree of automation.

Successful premiere at TUBE 2024 in Düsseldorf. As one of more than 1000 exhibitors, ACCURL Europe focused in particular on the presentation of the new, innovative tube laser TubeLINE and draws a positive balance.

The premiere of the new TubeLINE series at the trade fair was met with great interest by the visitors. The tube laser impressed with its precision, speed and versatility. "TUBE 2024 was exactly the right stage for us. The fair gave us a great opportunity to connect with customers and showcase our diverse portfolio. We are very pleased that we have reached concrete deals at the trade fair and would like to thank these customers for their trust in our solutions and our team," said Johannes Ried, Managing Director of ACCURL Europe GmbH.

The TubeLINE was in continuous demonstration mode during the five days of the trade fair and made it clear what it is capable of. With high-quality components and automated loading and unloading, the fiber laser enables reliable and extremely efficient processing of round tubes, profiles and beams. The series is available as both a 2D and 3D solution and can be designed for diameters from 12 to 580 mm and lengths up to 12,2 meters. With laser sources up to 15 kW of power, the TubeLINE offers all the options to be a high-performance production pacesetter for customers in the plant and mechanical engineering, energy and air conditioning technology, automotive and agricultural sectors, for example.

About the TUBE fair

TUBE, the world's largest trade fair for the tube industry and tube processing technologies, takes place every two years in Düsseldorf. The event will be held in conjunction with the Wire, the trade fair for wires and cables. More than 1,200 exhibitors were spread across the 50,000 square meter exhibition area at TUBE 2024. On display: a wide range of machines for tube production and processing, innovative tube materials as well as highlights of OCTG technology (tubes for oil and gas production). In addition to raw materials and accessories, tools for process engineering and complementary tools were also presented.

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The Asian family-owned company ACCURL has now set another milestone: In the presence of politicians and business leaders, the foundation stone was laid for the construction of a new, highly efficient, intelligent and green factory at the company's headquarters in Anhui, eastern China. Around 38 million euros will be invested, with completion already scheduled for the end of 2024.

Founded in 1988, the family-owned company ACCURL has always been committed to the production of innovative and high-quality products thanks to an extremely strong research and development base, and thanks to this strategy, it has been a sustainable positive development and enormous growth over the years.

„An enormous contribution to long-term sustainable, resource-saving and efficient production“

Building on this, the technology company will position itself even better in the future – a new era is beginning. In the presence of representatives from politics and business the construction of a mega project has now begun as part of a groundbreaking ceremony. This immense investment in ACCURLs infrastructure makes an enormous contribution to long-term sustainable, resource-saving and efficient production.

The new factory will have a production area of 61,300 square meters as well as outdoor areas and administrative rooms of around 3,200 square meters each. The design and intelligent layout of the new factory were developed by the Technical University of Berlin with the renowned design institute TIANYI ARCHIITECTURE. ACCURL will invest a total of 41.5 million dollars in the construction of the new factory, which corresponds to around 38 million euros. The production capacity of the new plant, which is scheduled for completion at the end of 2024, comprises a total of around 1000 systems per year, including laser cutting systems and CNC press brakes. "The new factory combines digital manufacturing, smart technology and green energy, setting new standards for the sheet metal machinery industry. This modern, eco-friendly smart factory will play a central role in the production processes of ACCCURL's core products, leading the engineering industry towards a more efficient, greener and more innovative future," said ACCURL Managing Director Cameron Lee.

Smart factory for energy-saving and low-emission production

Thanks to energy-saving and low-emission production methods, combined with the creation of green energy, the new factory will save around 825 tons of carbon dioxide, 271 tons of standard coal and 225 tons of smoke and dust annually compared to conventional industrial manufacturing. The new plant is not only environmentally friendly and has temperature-controlled, dust-free production – thanks to intelligent welding robot capacities and fully digitally networked production facilities including a high-performance MES manufacturing system, ACCURL achieves maximum flexibility in order to be able to implement series orders efficiently as well as special requests quickly and precisely.

"This reaffirms our pioneering role in the future of smart manufacturing and opens a new chapter in the age of green technology," said Cameron Lee.

Smego is a large manufacturer of various metal and forged parts, which are made to measure in the company's own workshop for more than 35 years. The Belgian family business has state-of-the-art milling, drilling and sheet metal working machines for cutting and bending sheets up to 4 meters. At the end of 2022, managing director Bart van Gool decided on a new fiber laser cutting system. The MasterLINE, which is sold in German-speaking countries under the product name “MSE Smart^FL”, enables accurate 2D processing of thinner metal sheets. Speed and burr-free processing are important criteria for Smego to achieve the right result in the end.

From a forge to a versatile metal processing company. This development is already reflected in the name of the Belgian family business Smego Metaalwerken. Smego is the abbreviation for Smederij van Gool – the van Gool forge – named after the founding couple Jan and Bertha van Gool. In 1986, the company got off the ground, and since 1991, their son Bart has also been at the forefront of the business as a trained blacksmith. Today, Smego is a large manufacturer of various metal and forged parts, from metal and aluminum gates to stairs, railings and restoration work. From measuring and cutting to painting, galvanizing or blasting, the company offers a wide range of services with its 20 employees. The quality of the machines, combined with craftsmanship, is elementary for the individual orders.

Smego owes its growth and success to its employees. "They are very closely involved in all developments and improvements," emphasizes managing director Bart van Gool. "Our employees have developed bit by bit into real experts in their area of the business. We are very close to our employees, so most of them spend their whole working life with us.”

When it came to cutting, Smego decided to rely on plasma cutting technology at the end of the 2000s. A used machine from a low-cost supplier was to handle the external, as well as the internal production orders. "We had bought a used machine at the time, but there were a lot of problems with it," Van Gool recalls. "The supplier of that machine didn't want to help us. In my search for solutions, I ended up at Wouters Cutting & Welding (dealer in Benelux). Nic Wouters then came here personally to repair the machine." When the machine finally needed to be replaced, Smego decided to purchase a compact plasma cutting machine from Wouters Cutting & Welding. With its installation in 2013, the cutting tasks were solved perfectly for years, while the requirements for cutting grew. More and more precision and an ever better, burr-free result was required. That's how Bart van Gool came across fiber laser cutting technology.

"In addition to better quality, we were also interested in processing larger sheet formats."

"In addition to better quality, we also wanted to be able to process larger sheet formats," the managing director lists his wishes. "As every year, we visited the Metavak machine show in Gorinchem (Netherlands, editor's note). There we visited the various manufacturers and compared the technologies. When we came to the Wouters Cutting & Welding booth, the gut feeling was immediately right. So we decided to order a fiber laser cutting machine from them. We haven't regretted that decision for a moment."

Additional asset in machinery

Smego ordered an MasterLINE laser cutter, which is sold in German-speaking countries under the product name “MSE Smart^FL”. According to Smego, it's an asset to the workshop, which houses machines for milling, drilling and cutting, bending and plasma cutting.

"The fiber laser cutting machine moves mountains of sheet metal here," Van Gool says. "It allows us to cut very small holes in sheets from 4 to 10 mm thick. With this machine, we are taking a big step forward. I think we can continue with this machine for another 10 to 15 years for sure."

With the new fiber laser cutting system and the plasma cutting solution still in operation, Smego has everything under one roof and is well equipped for all cutting tasks of the future. Van Gool adds "We like to keep our finger on the pulse. Our cooperation simply runs smoothly. I can therefore recommend anyone to buy a machine."

This article was created with the contribution of Metallerie magazine: https://metallerie.pmg.be/nl/dossier/EMTbe2317S07_00/fiberlasersnijmachine-voor-braamloze-afwerkin

When architects, urban planners, companies or municipalities want to make streets and squares more livable with trees, then products from Humberg GmbH come into play all over Germany. This is because the family-owned company from North Rhine-Westphalia is the market leader in the field of urban systems for tree protection and square design. Individual systems are necessary to meet the needs of different tree species and to adapt the protection to the environmental variables for long-lasting life. For this reason, flexibility and speed are also elementary in the right cutting technology. The specialist company chose the MasterLINE laser series from ACCURL, which is sold in German-speaking countries under the product name “MSE Smart^FL”. "I am very satisfied with the solution," says Franz Humberg.

At hundreds of locations in Germany and neighboring countries, the innovative products of Humberg GmbH provide long-lasting greenery in the midst of urban areas. No matter whether it's Mercedes Square or Humboldt University in Berlin, Hafen-City in Hamburg or numerous other squares, avenues, shopping centers or schools in large cities and small communities. Because the family-owned company based in North Rhine-Westphalia is an expert in tree protection and square design and offers complex solutions for all aspects of urban tree planting.

With the tree knowledge to green results for decades

When it comes to planning and design, Humberg GmbH benefits from three decades of intensive collaboration with luminaries in the field of root systems and tree growth "Our strength is our know-how about trees. We know what a tree needs to be able to grow for 30 years at this location with the respective subsoil and environmental conditions," explains managing director Franz Humberg. The family-owned company develops and sells its own systems and is now the market leader in the field of urban products for tree protection. The task of creating solutions that meet the individual situation is a constant challenge. "Everywhere, correctly, more and more trees are being planted. Everywhere where a tree actually cannot grow because we want to use the space as a traffic area," Franz Humberg describes the situation. Roots receive enclosures and water storage systems, trees are protected from several sides. There are many questions to be answered: Which tree species with which root system will be placed? What is the subsoil like? How is the irrigation and drainage? What forces are affecting the area from above? Is it a busy park area with tons of traffic or a quiet pedestrian zone?

Individual production necessary, therefore speed and flexibility elementary

These and more questions are answered by the specialist staff in terms of the longevity of the trees. Although Humberg GmbH relies on proven basic concepts, these must be individually adapted to the respective situation. "For this reason, pre-production and warehousing do not make sense for us. We rely on cutting quickly in-house," says Franz Humberg.

From purchasing to plasma technology and to the desired laser solution

In the early years, the cutting parts were still purchased. After a larger location became necessary due to the good development of the company, the management decided to invest in an own cutting system. More flexibility, more speed was the order of the day. At first, a used laser cutting system was considered, but after intensive consultation, the decision was made in favor of a 2D plasma cutting system. The products were adapted to the strengths of this technology. The installed plasma power source was upgraded to a SilentCut noise-reduced system. "Our employees really liked that. That was good," says Franz Humberg.

As of April 2017, the plasma cutting system was running, but the demand for laser parts grew steadily despite the in-house cutting system and production adjustments. "Every year we increased in sales and realized we were purchasing more and more after all. We couldn't handle a third of the cutting orders." So the idea of investing in our own laser cutting system grew again. But the constellation of performance, size, price and manufacturer we were looking for was not to be found. It was not until MicroStep Europa (ACCURL partner in Germany) presented its new laser series to the market in 2020 that all the desired parameters came together. "Everything fits here. A 2D laser with shuttle table at good conditions. Plus the physical proximity to MicroStep Europa. I am very satisfied with the solution," says Franz Humberg. MicroStep Europa took care of selling the still young plasma cutting system and installed the new fiber laser system in August 2021.

Spittelmeister GmbH is based in Pforzheim, between Stuttgart and Karlsruhe. The company, founded about 75 years ago as a locksmithery, is now a specialist in the construction and design of balcony systems. The search for the right solution took a while. For many years, parts were bought in, and later the company cut parts itself using plasma technology. Now, the laser cutting system of the MasterLINE series, which is sold in German-speaking countries under the product name “MSE Smart^FL” performs a wide range of cutting tasks. A solution that perfectly fits the company's needs.

Spittelmeister GmbH, based in Pforzheim, and its 80 employees primarily take care of balcony systems for housing estates. The orders are usually quite large: around 300 to 400 balconies per residential construction project. The second mainstay is the installation of elevators. Whether in new buildings or as part of energy-efficient renovations in old buildings, the balcony elevator systems can be planned accordingly or installed later or attached to the building in a separate shaft. An in-house engineering office is also an essential part of Spittelmeister GmbH.

Bringing cutting into the company

For many years, the company relied on external service providers for cutting. Over time, this became an increasingly unsatisfactory situation for Frank Herrmann. He planned to bring cutting into the company in order to be able to respond to customer requests faster and more flexibly – and so he decided on a 2D plasma cutting system. The company developed positively: the quantities became larger and larger, the orders more demanding; as a result, the previous hall became too small, logistics costs grew and parts handling became increasingly uneconomical. Frank Herrmann and his team came to the conclusion in 2019: a new building was needed. At the end of 2021, the company moved into a new production facility not far from its previous headquarters, consisting of two halls, each measuring 20,000 square feet, and 11,000 square feet of office space.

From plasma to laser technology

Frank Herrmann had been thinking about switching to a laser cutting system for a long time in order to be able to cut even faster, more precisely and with higher quality. However, the necessary space was lacking. With the new building in 2021, this was finally possible. Herrmann looked around intensively on the market of laser manufacturers. In the end, he decided again on a system from MicroStep Europa (ACCURL partner in Germany). “After our previous good experiences with the plasma system, it quickly became clear to us that we wanted to buy the laser cutting system from MicroStep Europa again. Above all, cost-effectiveness was important to us when purchasing the system,” says Herrmann. Since the beginning of 2022, the company's new hall has been home to the MasterLINE laser series from ACCURL, which is sold in German-speaking countries under the product name “MSE Smart^FL”. The high-quality 2D fiber laser cutting system is equipped with a 4 kW laser and an interchangeable table for loading and unloading sheets. “Switching from plasma to laser was completely hassle-free with MicroStep Europa. Thanks to the existing shuttle table, we also have a much higher capacity. We are absolutely satisfied with the laser – this is the right technology for us!”

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The fiber laser series MasterLINE, which is sold in German-speaking countries under the product name “MSE SmartFL”, has a wide range of applications. After all, a wide variety of metalworking companies need precise 2D cuts – from mechanical engineering to facade construction to automotive or vehicle construction. Over the course of the year, the laser cutting system is also used for science and research. With the AI production network Augsburg, a renowned alliance of the University of Augsburg, the University of Applied Sciences, the Fraunhofer Institute, the DLR and innovative companies is investing in the high-performance 2D laser system, which was prepared for the production of the future.

The plans of the AI production network are clearly defined: to develop artificial intelligence hand in hand with science and manufacturing companies, mostly medium-sized companies, and to quickly transfer the potential into the real world of production. To this end, a network of high-level research partners has been brought together since its launch in 2021: including the University of Augsburg, the Augsburg University of Applied Sciences, the Fraunhofer IGCV and the German Aerospace Center. The ultimate goal is to permanently improve the quality of components and to come as close as possible to “zero-error” production in the sense of sustainability without rejects. With the support of the Free State of Bavaria, a great deal of investment has been made in this area and a showroom has also been set up for research and demonstration purposes. A laser series, MasterLINE, will be available in the exclusively equipped demonstration center in the course of the year.

The KI production network invested in the innovative 2D laser In addition, the laser series is ready for Industry 4.0. The laser and other components are optimized for use with IndustryFusion, a cross-manufacturer, open-source networking solution for smart factories and smart products.

Perfect conditions for research and demonstration

“The MasterLINE series, its peripherals and the open-source IIoT networking solution IndustryFusion are perfectly aligned. This provides the AI production network with optimal conditions for achieving its goals under real-world production conditions using highly innovative systems. We are proud to be able to contribute to this joint project, which aims to maintain and strengthen the competitiveness of medium-sized companies for the future,” says Igor Mikulina, President of the IndustryFusion Foundation.

The IndustryFusion Foundation, established in 2020, is developing the open-source networking solution IndustryFusion with partners such as Intel and SUSE. It is based on many years of close cooperation between machine and plant manufacturers, component manufacturers, software developers, and representatives from science and politics in the Industry Business Network 4.0 e.V. association. IT giants such as Intel and SUSE are also involved in the association's efforts to provide users with an efficient cutting solution with future-oriented added value.

The AI Production Network chose a CNC system with a 2D laser cutting head from Thermacut's EX-TRABEAM® series and an IPG YLR-3000 fiber laser source. The net processing area available is 3,000 x 1,500 mm.

More about the AI production network

The Augsburg AI production network was launched at the beginning of 2021 with the aim of using artificial intelligence (AI) methods to keep the production and automation of companies throughout Bavaria competitive and future-proof. The Free State of Bavaria is supporting the Augsburg AI production network as part of the High-Tech Agenda Plus funding initiative launched in 2019. The network's research partners include the University of Augsburg, the Augsburg University of Applied Sciences, the Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology (IGCV), the German Aerospace Center (DLR) with its Augsburg Center for Lightweight Production Technology (ZLP), as well as the Swabian Chamber of Crafts and the Swabian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

More about the laser series
‍MasterLINE

Find out more about the IndustryFusion Foundation and the open-source networking solution here:
www.industry-fusion.org