A 3D laser cutter from Trumpf
is providing process fl exibility
at GF Laser
The shape
of things to come
With many manufacturers reporting the return of growth following the pandemic’s peak,
Steed Webzell picks out some key recent investments that are already proving their worth
Despite the many challenges provided
in 2020 by the coronavirus pandemic,
numerous sheet metal and fabrication
shops stuck resolutely to their investment
plans, determined to stand out from
competitors in the ensuing economic uptick.
A case in point is Altex Engineering, a
30-employee precision subcontractor based
in Calne, which has invested in a new L5
CNC bre laser cutter from Salvagnini ( www.
is.gd/sujoka ) to increase capacity and meet
growing demand. The 6 kW machine is
notable for its 50 micron beam which, in
combination with its proprietary Air Pressure
Multiplier (APM), means it is possible to cut
mild steel, aluminium and stainless steel up
to 10 mm thick using nothing more than a
standard compressed air supply.
The arrival of signi cant new contracts
from the telecommunications sector
provided the prompt for Altex to invest.
“Due to rising orders, we ran out of
capacity on our existing Salvagnini L1Xe bre
laser cutter,” explains company owner John
Jackett. “We therefore took the decision to
invest in another machine - the L5 - and take
advantage of the progression in technology.”
30-40% FASTER
With its new 6 kW high power density source,
the L5 is notably faster than previous
generation models. For instance, in tests
against the company’s L3 with a
conventional 6 kW source, cutting times were
30-40% quicker on materials up to 3 mm
thick, and 10% quicker on 4 mm thick
material.
A further in uencer for Altex in favour of
the L5 was low running costs, as Jackett
explains: “Unlike our L1Xe, which uses
nitrogen, we can cut with standard
compressed air on the L5, which provides a
signi cant reduction in operating costs and a
more competitive way of cutting. The L5’s
APM will clean, dry and boost the pressure to
ensure we can cut much thicker plate using
compressed air than anyone else.”
Jackett adds: “The Covid-19 pandemic
has been challenging for everyone, but at
Altex we’ve seen strong demand from certain
sectors, notably telecommunications and
healthcare. We’re also starting to see some
of our more traditional work return, which is
encouraging. We’re trying to look at the longterm,
as investments like the L5 will put us
in a strong position when the economy really
gets moving again.”
Dudley-based GF Laser shares the same
sentiments, particularly following the recent
arrival of a TruLaser Cell 5030 5-axis CNC
laser-pro ling machine from Trumpf ( www.
is.gd/tuxuwa ), the rst such model in the UK.
The subcontractor is now enjoying the
exibility afforded by a system that can
switch quickly and easily between 3D and 2D
laser cutting to suit workload requirements.
42 January 2021 | www.machinery.co.uk | MachineryMagazine | @MachineryTweets
/www.machinery.co.uk