Ruhrtaler Stahlgesellschaft mbH, headquartered in Schwerte, has invested in an XXL laser system from the SMART Giant X series from MicroStep Europa. "We can now cut very precise individual parts over a length of 15 meters – and thus open up new markets," says Peter Bierkandt, owner and managing director of the company.

For decades, the Ruhrtaler Stahlgesellschaft has stood for fast, flexible and reliable steel processing. Cutting forms the core of the company: On the basis of customer-specific drawings, components are created in a wide variety of materials, dimensions and batch sizes. With oxy-fuel and plasma technology, the company has already been able to cover a wide spectrum. However, the customers' requirements for accuracy, contour quality and ready-to-install parts have continued to increase. "Cutting is the core of our company. We have oxy-fuel cutting systems, plasma cutting systems and now also a laser cutting system, so that we can react directly to our customers in a specific way," explains owner and managing director Peter Bierkandt.

Less rework, more value for the customer

The investment in laser technology not only expands the company’s process portfolio. Above all, it creates added value for customers: Components that previously had to be cut by plasma or oxy-fuel and then machined by turning or milling can now be produced much closer to the final dimensions, depending on the required geometry and tolerances. Downstream processing steps can be reduced or completely avoided. This saves customers time, machining costs and internal capacities. "In the past, we manufactured parts with measurements that then had to be turned or milled. Now, in many cases, the customer can use the part directly," says Bierkandt, describing the decisive added value.

15 meters machining length as a strategic advantage

When choosing the system, it was clear to Ruhrtaler that a classic laser with a standard shuttle table would have unnecessarily limited the new possibilities. That's why the decision was made in favor of a large-format, customer-specific system from the SMART Giant X series from MicroStep Industry powered by ACCURL. Its processing area of around 15,000 × 3,000 mm enables the processing of exceptionally long individual parts and large-format nesting. This allows the company to serve orders that would not be possible on compact standard systems or could only be implemented with additional cutting, joining and post-processing operations. "We chose this laser system so that we can produce really long components and open up new markets. We can cut individual parts over a length of 15 meters," says Bierkandt.

The system is equipped with an MSE SmartControl control system, which MicroStep Europa developed together with the German control specialist Eckelmann. A 15 kW fiber laser source from Raycus and the EX-TRABEAM® cutting head from Thermacut combine to deliver precise and powerful cutting. At Ruhrtaler, materials processed include quenched and tempered steels such as C45 and 42CrMo4.

Depending on the material grade and specification, the configuration enables cutting of material thicknesses of up to approximately 35 mm. The large-format working area combines high precision with the power reserves required for steel processing, making it suitable for everything from one-off parts to demand-driven series production.

Established partnership, new technology

MicroStep Europa was not a new partner for Ruhrtaler Stahlgesellschaft. A MicroStep plasma cutting system has been in operation in the company for years. The experience with the service and support as well as the short response times were therefore a key factor in the new investment decision. The new system was tailored to the requirements in Schwerte, installed and commissioned in close cooperation with the operating team. “The installation and assembly went exceptionally well. Our employees received training at short notice, and everything has been running smoothly ever since,” says Bierkandt. He is equally positive about the collaboration itself: “The customer service is excellent, which is why I can highly recommend MicroStep Europa.”

Investing in the next generation

The decision was made deliberately in economically challenging times. For Peter Bierkandt, it is part of a long-term corporate strategy: Ruhrtaler Stahlgesellschaft is to remain technologically competitive and be successfully handed over to the next generation. By entering large-format laser cutting, the family-owned company is creating an important basis for this – through higher precision, less reworking, an expanded range of parts and access to new markets.

Large-format 2D laser cutting up to 15,000 × 3,000 mm

The exceptional machining length enables the production of particularly long individual parts and opens up new fields of application for the Ruhrtaler Stahlgesellschaft. At the same time, the large surface area improves the possibilities for nesting large-format sheets. The combination of Raycus fiber laser source and EX-TRABEAM® cutting head provides the precision and performance for demanding materials. Depending on the type and quality of the material, mild steel, stainless steel and aluminum can be processed up to around 35 mm. The MSE SmartControl control system, the movable cutting cabin, the automatic nozzle cleaning, RemoteDiagnostics®, PROfirst CAM-PRO and the integration of the existing filter system form a coordinated overall system for economical and safe production operation.