Sheet metal subcontractor Accurate Laser Cutting (Tividale, West Midlands, England) has placed an order for another Bystronic (Niederönz, Switzerland) fiber laser cutting machine—the 200th to be purchased in the UK since Bystronic's subsidiary in Coventry, England started supplying them at the end of 2011.
Related: The UK's first 10kW fiber laser is now in production
Celebratory magnums of champagne were presented to Jon Till and Steve Morgan, joint owners of Accurate Laser Cutting, at Bystronic UK's open house in April 2018. The presentations were made in front of a ByStar Fiber 10 kW machine. A 4020 model will be delivered to the subcontractor's Oldbury facility in June 2018, where it will join a similar model installed in August 2016.
"The latest machine is being part-exchanged for a 6 kW BySprint fiber laser that we have operated for three years," Till explains. "Unlike CO2 laser machines, which have reached the end of their development cycle and are now close to being obsolete, fiber technology is roaring ahead and it is important to regularly reinvest in the latest plant to remain competitive. Having operated a 10 kW machine for over 18 months, we know that we can get 60% more output when processing 5 mm mild steel using nitrogen as the cutting gas, for example, compared with using a 6 kW fiber source."
Till also comments that unlike CO2 lasers, fiber lasers can cut reflective materials without damaging the optics; are less expensive to run, as assist gases are not needed and consumable costs are lower; and maintenance is less frequently required, so machine availability is higher. Moreover, the greater reliability of the equipment means that they are confident leaving the machines running unattended overnight.
"Our 200th fiber machine in such a short time is a great testament to the acceptance of the huge benefits of this technology," says David Larcombe, managing director of Bystronic UK. "Machines with 10 kW cutting performance, considered impossible with CO2 deliveries, are now regularly chosen by our clients. We wish Accurate Laser Cutting much success with their second 10 kW machine."
For more information, please visit accurate-laser.co.uk and www.bystronic.com.