INDUSTRY FOCUS METAL PRODUCTS Lower laser cutting price per part
After extensive research into fibre laser cutting machines, McAuley Engineering concludes that the 6kW BySprint Fiber from Bystronic UK offers the best performance, lowering the average production cost per laser-cut part
supply chain competitiveness in aerospace and defence. The oil, gas and power generation industries are additional market sectors supplied, from the North Sea to Nigeria, Brazil, and the Far East. The other manufacturing division
B
ySprint Fiber 3015, Bystronic UK’s first laser cutting machine, was
installed last year at the McAuley Engineering 7,000m2
factory in
Ballymoney, County Antrim. During cutting trials at three potential suppliers, the average production cost per laser-cut part was lower using the Bystronic machine than on the other shortlisted models. The scope of the review was far- reaching, encompassing not only capital investment but also machine running costs, including power consumption, cutting gas usage, the after-sales service and other consumable costs. Managing director Jonathan McAuley
says: “Typically, 60 per cent of our sheet metal throughput is aluminium and we also process stainless steel and copper. “These reflective materials are cut
much more efficiently using fibre laser technology than on a CO2 laser machine. This shaped our purchasing decision. “We frequently profile light gauges
down to 1mm and a fibre laser is known to be several times faster when processing thinner materials up to 5mm. “However, it was a customer’s 15mm
thick, plasma-cut component, that we asked the three potential fibre laser cutting machine suppliers to nest and cut out of a plate of aluminium. “Not only was the Bystronic machine
faster but the quality of the cut edge was easily the best. We are still getting the same performance one year on.” McAuley Engineering’s business is split
into two divisions of approximately equal turnover. One is precision metalcutting and CNC tube bending, notably for the aerospace industry. The subcontractor holds a clutch of approvals including AS9100 and is one of six companies in Northern Ireland to be part of the Bombardier-sponsored SC21 change programme, designed to accelerate
14 SEPTEMBER 2016 | AUTOMATION
A ByTrans 3015 Extended has been added to automate sheet handling and enable lights-out operation
Bystronic BySprint Fiber 3015 laser cutting in progress
encompasses sheet metal processing and fabrication using an array of equipment including TIG and MIG welding, punch presses, press brakes, guillotines and a plasma cutting machine, in addition to the BySprint Fiber, capable of laser-cutting sheet up to three metres by 1.5 metres. The transport and energy industries are
the main recipients of the sheet metal parts and fabrications. Added-value welding and assembly are becoming an increasingly important part of the subcontractor’s business. McAuley components may be found on the iconic Routemaster buses in London, as well as in the commercial haulage and rail industries in the UK, Ireland, Far East and USA. Aggregate crushing and screening has recently been added to the list of industries supplied. Both the precision machining and
fabrication sides of the business sprang from McAuley’s frustration in the late 1990s at the slowness of external subcontract suppliers, and the variable quality components they supplied, when he started building special purpose machinery for the electronics industry. He discovered that he was able to provide a much better service in-house and soon dropped machinery manufacture to concentrate on subcontract machining services to industry locally and beyond. For cutting and profiling components in sheets up to 2.5m x 1.25m and 4mm thick,
two punch presses were bought in 2003 and 2005. They were followed, three years later, by a plasma cutting machine for producing components from 8m x 2m stock. Later, there was a greater requirement
for higher speed machining to increase throughput, raise competitiveness and improve quality of cut. However, the scalloped appearance of edges nibbled on the punch presses was a particular problem when producing components for some customers. The solution was the introduction of laser cutting technology. McAuley adds: “The Bystronic machine
produces superior edge quality in the fastest time, but also has software that is simple to install and use. “An interesting innovation is the
supplier’s PowerCut technology, which increases the thickness of plate that can be cut by about 50 per cent. We often process mild steel up to 25mm thick on the BySprint Fiber and the feature also raises profiling speed for these thicker materials. PowerCut increases cutting capacity in aluminium and stainless steel up to 30mm. “The company’s BySoft software for
nesting and creating cutting plans, and plant manager planning and monitoring package, link seamlessly with our MRP system, which drives all our production. “Work flows are created automatically
and we are able to manage the process route - from order to dispatch - more efficiently, resulting in savings that we are able to pass on to the customer.” To maximise productivity and ensure
that sheet metal is removed from the cutting area and replenished with a new sheet as quickly as possible, McAuley engineering has automated its laser cutting machine by linking it with a ByTrans 3015 Extended material storage and handling system. The company is now moving towards 24/7 operation, during which the simplicity and reliability of the sheet handling equipment will play a crucial role.
Bystronic UK T: 0844 848 5850
www.bystronic.co.uk/en
/AUTOMATION
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