Investing further in state of the art laser technology

9th February 2018

Enaie Azambuja

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Gratnells Engineering has recently invested in a new state-of-the-art BLM LT Fiber machine, allowing the Harlow-based company to expand their capabilities in 2018 and ensure clients benefit from even faster turnaround times. This brand-new machine sits next to the existing LT5, a Laser tube cutting machine designed to cut from small to medium diameters and thicknesses of metal tubular sections.

The LT Fiber allows tubes of any shape to be cut, process of special sections and even open shapes without any additional special equipment required.

The laser cutting range boasts an automated unloading and support system for pre-cut lengths up to 6100mm, automatic weld seam detection, and a module that maintains the cleanliness of the internal tube surface whilst machining.

Anti-crush technology makes the machine capable of processing even the lightest of tubes without deforming the walls. This high-tech equipment is also great for scrap reduction by setting the sequence of parts to be cut and minimising end of bar scrap; meaning less overall waste, which is good for the company and for the environment too.

The additional BLM LT Fiber machine is already helping to increase factory efficiency by allowing unloading to various positions, with finished parts from one machine being unloaded whilst production continues uninterrupted on the other. The need to manually separate parts from different orders has also now been eliminated.

Tube laser cutting continues to grow in popularity as it offers a quick route to a precise finish, eliminating conventional, time-consuming stages such as marking out, sawing and finishing whilst delivering significant cost savings.

Loic Jones, Operations Director, says “Gratnells Engineering decided to invest in state-of-the-art laser technology to enable us to offer fast production runs with the best quality finish, to our customer base. This substantial investment will allow us to continually support the ever-demanding needs of modern manufacturing clients”.

The Gratnells Engineering factory can turn around tube laser cutting jobs within 3-5 days from receipt of order and, using sophisticated software, can process parts from a variety of media including 3D models, xt files and solid works. This is particularly beneficial for bespoke automotive and point-of-sale components where the minimum quantities can start at one.

Gratnells Engineering has also recently updated www.gratnellslasercutting.com, a website that outlines some of the key benefits of the technology and streamlines the decision-making process for customers even further.