To realise its ambitions of being the UK’s leading independent profiling and processing company, the P.P. Group has consolidated its business interests by bringing its three manufacturing facilities in Salford, Gorton and St Helens, under one roof - a brand new 110,000sq/ft 6-acre site in Oldham. Moving to its new factory in 2017, the £9m investment included a 36m oxy-fuel and plasma cutting cell from Kerf Developments.
The significant investment is a testament to the success of a business that has a 5% 'book debt' limit on its client base. By limiting and spreading the risk ratio of its client base, the company has continually evolved to a position that it is now profiling, processing, fabricating and welding beyond 12,000 tonnes of steel every year. To emphasise how central the Kerf RUM4500g oxy-fuel and RUM4500p high-definition plasma cutting machine has become the strategy for continued growth; the machine is processing over 400 tonnes of steel each month. This equates to almost 40% of the material that passes through the doors of the 100 employee company.
Discussing the installation of the Kerf RUM4500 cell, P.P. Group Managing Director, Mr Peter McCabesays: " In our previous factories we had 9 by 4m plasma cutting machine for processing steel up to 40mm thick and a 22 by 5m flame cutting machine for materials up to 200mm thick. The machines were more than 10 years old, they were unreliable and this was compounded by poor service and support. Additionally, the machines were expensive to run, not particularly user-friendly and the machine configuration didn't suit pendulum loading. We made the business decision not to bring the machines to the new factory. We looked at replacing them with a more efficient, productive, cost-effective and user-friendly solution. Kerf Developments had exactly what we were looking for."
With plasma and flame cutting being central to business activities, getting the most suitable machine was critical. The bespoke production cell configuration selected by the P.P. Group was a 12m by 3.5m bed with a RUM4500p single gantry 400amp Lincoln Electric high definition plasma cutting head with UltraSharp cut technology and a 24m by 3.5m table with two RUM4500g gantries, each with four oxy-fuel flame cutting heads – all on a single platform. This single bed configuration has streamlined workflow and improved throughput whilst the 8 oxy-fuel heads have improved productivity by more than 35%.
"Since we installed the Kerf RUM4500 system, the cell has been operating 24 hours a day and 6 days a week, it is a major contributor to our growth. If it's not burning, it's not earning. Prior to the Kerf installation, we didn't have the confidence to sell our capacity as the old machines were inefficient, unreliable and the machine beds were too high. Our business has grown by 10% in the year since we moved to the new factory and the Kerf cutting cell is a major contributor to this growth."
The Kerf RUM system has a larger bed than the previous two machines combined and it is positioned at an ergonomically suitable height that makes loading and unloading convenient for operators. The large bed also allows the company to conduct pendulum cutting, this enables staff to load one plate or unload parts while the machine is cutting another plate. This immediately reduces processing times by 50%. The 12m bed section of the Kerf plasma cuttiing machine was designed purely for pendulum cutting, as carbon steel plates are supplied in 6m lengths as standard.
"The Kerf system has reduced cycle times by 50% due to the facility for pendulum cutting. The Burny 10 LCD CNC control unit is very easy to use and it makes programming profiles fast and efficient. The kinematics of the Kerf machine combined with the Burny 10 control and the Ultrasharp cutting technology enables us to nest our parts with precision and proximity that wasn't previously feasible. This is reducing our waste material and allowing us to cut more parts from each plate."
"The Ultrasharp technology has also improved surface finishes on cut profiles and this has drastically reduced hand finishing operations. One operator would previously be spending 4-5 hours a day hand finishing parts and this is no longer necessary. Added to this saving, the efficiency of the Kerf machine has reduced our consumable consumption by at least 30%. We cannot praise Kerf highly enough. The service has been exceptional and we have the confidence in the machine and the Kerf support to build our profiling capacity around this machine. The Kerf RUM4500 cell has delivered productivity gains, throughput efficiency, labour and consumable savings and cost reductions. We couldn't ask for anything more from an equipment supplier."
When engineer and innovator Alun Hobbs identified an opportunity to revolutionise butterfly valves over 12 years ago, his previous employer was reluctant to follow the opportunity. With a steely determination and belief in his design, Alun set-up Hobbs Valve to serve the demands of the offshore, power generation and general industrial application sectors.
Engineered to perform, the patented triple offset butterfly valves from Hobbs Valve provide a more efficient, innovative, safe and cost effective solution that reduces downtimes and maintenance times and eliminates leaks for the end user.
Over a decade after the founding of the business, the seal designs that incorporate patented seat and seal technology to enhance reliability are the bedrock of Hobbs Valve success.
This success has seen the Caerphilly entrepreneur expand the original business concept with Hobbs Valve now being part of the Great British Valve Group, which also encompasses Hobbs Precision Engineering, Cambrian Valves Ltd and HVG Techno.
Founded as a subcontract machining business to primarily serve the production of valve components for Hobbs Valve, Hobbs Precision Engineering has recently invested in a high precision Optima 320 twin head waterjet cutting machine from Kerf Developments.
The founding of the Hobbs Precision Engineering division was borne out of the necessity to reduce substantial subcontract machining costs for Hobbs Valves, creating an opportunity to manufacture valve components in-house.
The South Wales Group has built upon its newly formed subcontract facility, adding abrasive waterjets to its machining capability with the arrival of the 3m by 2m Optima waterjet cutter.
With three variants in the valve range that include lugged valves, double block & bleed valves and Cryo valves, Hobbs Valve manufactures, assembles and supplies more than 3000 triple offset butterfly valves every year.
With more than 40 machined parts per valve and hundreds of variants, the machine shop cut process has reduced average lead-times from 12 weeks to just 4 since it was founded. The Optima 320 twin head waterjet machine has further reduced these lead times since its recent introduction
Why Invest in a Kerf Waterjet?
Identifying why the company opted for a water jet cutting machine, Hobbs Precision Engineering Machine Shop Manager, Mr Craig Llywellyn says:
“We identified that we could produce over 1500 clamp ring parts in-house every year, something that would reduce our subcontract reliance, valve unit costs and improve overall production scheduling and lead-times - and the intrinsic properties of the high pressure water jet was the only feasible option for our components.
Laser cutting or plasma cutting would introduce heat to our components and with complete certification, traceability and standardised conformity of all constituent valve parts from the steel mill through manufacturing to delivery; heat introduction would impact the properties and conformity of our parts. We investigated the options and the Kerf Optima 320 had the best build quality, software, productivity performance and value for our business.”
The clamp ring components are manufactured from aluminium bronze and a range of stainless steels that vary from 316 to super duplex with dimensions from 50 to 1200mm diameter in thicknesses from 4 to 12mm. “By brining production of clamp ring parts in-house, we have reduced our subcontracting costs by over £30,000 per year.
Furthermore, we have gained greater control over our processes and quality whilst reducing our lead-time for these parts from 4 weeks to just 1 day. Triple offset butterfly valves are bespoke products are not volume manufactured. The ability to stock material and produce high-quality clamp rings when required gives us the flexibility, cutting speed and reaction time required for components that are produced in volumes from 1 to 10-off.”
Maximising the Opportunities of Waterjet Cutting Machines
Already identifying £30,000 subcontract cost reductions through the Kerf Optima 320, Hobbs Precision Engineering has now applied the machine to the production of end plates for the butterfly valves
“The Optima 320 twin head waterjet machine from Kerf Developments has reduced our subcontracting costs by over £50,000 a year on just two component types whilst slashing our lead-times and alleviating supply chain issues.
We are achieving all this and the machine still has a long way to go before reaching capacity. We are now looking at other Hobbs Valve components that can be cut on the waterjet to contribute to further savings. Beyond that, we are also selling the waterjet capacity to create an additional profit centre for our business.
The Optima 320 is an extremely flexible machine that is capable of cutting materials up to 125mm thick whilst the 3m by 2m bed capacity offers a cutting envelope of 3m by 2m, which is perfect for our 1.2m diameter clamp rings.
This capacity and flexibility, in the inherent structure of the Optima cutting head, not only reduces internal costs and lead-times, but it has also become a self-sufficient cost-centre. We are selling the capacity to fabrication and plating companies that require precision cutting and profiling of sheet materials.”
“The beauty of the Kerf Optima is that it is not limited to the steel and aluminium bronze that we’ve been cutting. It is capable of cutting just about any material within its dimensional capacity. We have even used the machine to produce 40mm thick foam in-lay cards for insertion in toolboxes to protect the tools in the respective boxes.”
As a machine shop manager with technology from a plethora of manufacturers, the service and support from Kerf has been exemplary. As Mr Llewellyn concludes: “The service from Kerf has been exceptional. The Optima machine has been extremely reliable and we’ve never had any major issues with it.
We did have an issue one morning that required an engineer visit, Kerf sent an engineer to us on the same day and by the end of the same day, the machine was up and running again. Out of all the machines we have and the manufacturers we deal with, the Kerf service is far better than the service from anybody else.”
Read another of our case studies: Kerf Enables Recycling Company To ‘Design For Manufacture’
When BSK Engineering opened its doors for business in 2001, the family owned subcontract manufacturer was primarily serving the architectural steel industry with the design and production of gates, railings, staircases and other innovative design structures.
However, a change of direction in 2012 propelled the Dungannon Company onto a path of exponential growth; something that has been supported by plasma cutting machines from Rochdale based Kerf Developments Limited.
For an area with relatively few quarries, the County Tyrone area in Ireland is home to around 70% of the world’s largest quarry plant manufacturing businesses. In the local area, BSK Engineering was realising the quarry industry was absorbing all the skilled staff, making it difficult for BSK to employ skilled staff. Something that was restricting company growth.
For an area with relatively few quarries, the County Tyrone area in Ireland is home to around 70% of the world's largest quarry plant manufacturing businesses. In the local area, BSK Engineering realised that the quarry industry was absorbing all the skilled staff, causing issues for BSK and restricting it's growth.
With a huge quarry industry on the doorstep and a pool of suitably talented engineers, the company changed it's business model to generate growth. To implement it's strategy to serve the quarry industry, it was essential that BSK Engineering invested in cutting technology.
Commenting upon the 2012 arrival of its first Kerf CNC plasma cutter, a 3m by 1.5m RUR2000P, BSK Engineering Managing Director, Mr Barry Kerr says: “When buying our first plasma jet machine, we looked at three suppliers. We looked at what other local companies were buying, and they were all investing in Kerf.
The feedback we had from local businesses regarding Kerf was extremely positive. One element that stood out was that Kerf Developments were the only supplier with locally based engineering support that could be on-site in a matter of hours to resolve any maintenance or service needs. This gave us the confidence to buy our first Kerf machine.”
The Explosive Growth
With a 2000sq/ft factory area, the 3m by 1.5m Kerf RUR2000P was the only machine that would fit into the small three-employee company. Purchased to undertake small component cutting for the quarry industry as well as structural steel parts for existing customers, the Kerf CNC plasma cutting machine was initially the perfect fit.
The first Kerf high definition plasma cutting machine was 75% committed to structural steelwork, cutting small parts through the nesting technique in quantities up to 150 out of a single sheet of 3m by 1m steel. However, the machine was soon at capacity – running 24 hours a day. Then came the growth!
From 2012 to 2016, BSK Engineering was repeatedly turning away larger scale quarry work. The company opted to take the plunge and invest – expanding the facility from 2000sq/ft to 13,000sq/ft and installing its second Kerf machine in August 2017, the RUR3000P plasma cutting machine with a Lincoln Electric Spirit II 275amp UltraSharp plasma cutting system.
The 8m by 2.5m bed machine provided the much-needed capacity for cutting quarry parts such as 7m by 2m screen slides that are commonly produced. It also gave added capacity to take the company away from 24-hour shift production. However, this proved a short-lived reality, as the company almost doubled turnover from £600,000 in 2015 to £1.1m in 2017. With two machines running 24 hours a day and operating at weekends, the company needed a third CNC plasma cutting table – and Kerf duly obliged.
In August 2018 the third Kerf machine arrived, another 8m by 2.5m RUR3000P plasma cutting machine with a Lincoln Electric Spirit II 275amp UltraSharp plasma cutting system. “We bought the third Kerf machine to alleviate the capacity issue and once again move from 24-hour production to single shift manufacture.
We have grown our staff from 3 to 15 and our turnover has almost quadrupled to £2m in just three years. It is the reliability and service of Kerf that has given us the confidence to grow whilst ensuring we can still meet the short lead-times of our customers.
We can order parts or consumables from Kerf and we are guaranteed next day delivery; likewise, an engineer can be with us very quickly – as Kerf appreciates how essential the machines are to meeting the needs of our customers.”
What BSK Engineering Say
Identifying the competition in the area and why BSK Engineering has grown so rapidly, Mr Kerr says: “Most of our competitors have a 3 to 4 week lead time on parts, we deliver within 7 days. This is why we are winning more and more business from our rivals. Furthermore, the Kerf machines ensure we maintain a lower cost overhead when compared to our competitors.”
We can offer the same quality finish as laser-cutting but with reduced costs, improved lead-time and a significantly better service.
Referring specifically to this point, Mr Kerr continues: “All the work we cut on the Kerf machines is steel plate between 2mm to 40mm thick with 70% of sheets over 10mm thick. This is where we win out over our competitors. Competitors with expensive laser machines will be faster cutting plates up to 8mm, but anything above that and the Kerf CNC Plasma table, with its plasma torch, is considerably faster than laser.
Added to this, the purchase price and consumable price of the Kerf is considerably less than a laser, enabling us to be more price-competitive. When cutting plates above 10mm thick, many of our customers are finding our edge finish is equally as good as or sometimes better than that of laser. So, we can offer the same quality finish as laser cutting but with reduced costs, improved lead-times and significantly better service. This means that customers previously buying parts from laser subcontract suppliers are now moving over to us and our Kerf UltraSharp plasma gas solution.”
We have grown our staff from 3-15 and our turnover has quadrupled to almost 2million in just three years
In conclusion, Mr Kerr says: “We now have a very competitive business and this is largely built around the quality of our staff and the three Kerf machines. 60% of our work is relatively small and with the large bed machines, we can cut one 4m plate whilst another is being loaded. This pendulum loading method reduces our cycle times by 50% whilst we still have the facility for cutting large parts.
This capacity helps us to maintain industry-leading lead-times whilst the service and support from Kerf ensures we are always running. Kerf has been so reliable – the machines will run all day, every day. We couldn’t be happier with our machine supplier.”
Kerf CNC machines are leaders in ultrasharp technology. If you are looking to invest in a CNC plasma system, call our expert team today.
Read another case study: Success is Made With Kerf When Made Profiles first opened its doors for business in March 2014...
As a UK manufacturer that exports globally, Ken Mills Engineering (KME) Ltd has come under increasing pressure from low cost foreign economies that are manufacturing cheaper and often inferior quality products. The pressure from foreign shores was alleviated when the manufacturer of material reclamation systems, haylage packing systems, straw shredding and processing systems, balers and conveyors invested in an RUR2500p plasma cutting machine from Kerf Developments and an Amada 220 tonne press brake.
Prior to the installation of both machines, the Littleborough Company would buy steel box section and laser cut parts from external suppliers that would be internally fabricated, drilled and formed to complete standard and bespoke product lines. However, the high subcontract cutting costs, unreliable lead-times, inability to control the complete process and subsequent quality were key factors to the 50 employee business investing in the new machinery.
The two machines transformed the business, as KME Director, Mr Andy Mills recalls:“Our standard product lines were facing intense competition from Asian manufacturers, whilst our bespoke solutions were increasingly complicated to manufacture. The new machines instantly slashed our subcontract costs, labour requirements, streamlined our production and reduced our lead times as well as giving us the opportunity to design our products for manufacture. Essentially, the investment has given us a huge competitive edge over low cost foreign economies and customers will always see UK manufactured products as a premium brand.”
The Kerf RUR2500p plasma cutting machine was supplied with a 4 by 2m bed and a Lincoln ElectricSpirit 150amp plasma unit. Capable of cutting material up to 20mm thick, the machine at the company on the Southern foothills of the Pennines was predominantly cutting stainless steel and mild steel sheets from 1 to 3mm thick. Recalling the arrival of the Kerf RUR2500p, Mr Mills continues: “We recognised a need for the machine and prior to installation we estimated 2-3 days use per week usage.
Within a matter of weeks, we truly realised the potential of theKerf machine and in no-time it was running up to 12 hours a day, 5 days a week, plus during weekends. The ability to cut, chamfer and generate holes made many manual tasks obsolete. In the last few years, we have lost five staff through retirement and the productivity of the Kerf means that we didn’t need to replace these employees. In fact, we have become more productive than ever. TheKerf and Amada machines have improved our overall output as a business by at least 20%”
Taking the Kerf Benefits to Another Level
The Kerf RUR2500 proved a real game changer for KME, so the company recently upgraded by replacing the original machine with a new and larger RUR2500p. Replacing its predecessor, the new RUR2500p has an 8 by 2m bed and a more powerful and precise Lincoln Electric Spirit II plasma unit with the very latest Ultra sharp cutting technology.
Alluding to why the company replaced a machine that has delivered exceptional performance levels,Mr Mills continues: “Our components are primarily small to medium batches that are cut from single sheets, which rarely exceed the 4m bed length of the previous machine. We recognised that by increasing the bed length we could load one side of the machine whilst parts are being cut on the other end of the bed.This pendulum loading has effectively eliminated non-productive set-up times and reduced overall production times by an additional 50%.”
With customers ranging from small one-man businesses to large blue chip companies like Veolia, Sita, Biffa, Viridor, PHS, Coca-Cola and Kimberly Clark, quality and continuous improvement are key factors for KME. “The new Kerf RUR2500p has the very latest Ultra sharp cutting technology and this has improved the precision and surface finishes of the profiles and holes we cut. Additionally, there is less cleaning, no secondary hand finishing and there is less slag from the process.”
As well as offering precision levels in the +/-0.5mm range, the 275amp Lincoln Electric Spirit II plasma unit has the capacity to pierce and cut materials up to 35mm thick.Concluding on the benefits of the machine acquisitions, Mr Mills says: “The Kerf and Amada press brake combination is saving us upwards of £250,000 a year in subcontract costs. By purchasing more sheet material than the previous box section and also having complete control over the materials we need as well as integrating a design-for-manufacture ethos, we are saving an additional £150,000 a year in material. Added to this, there are fewer transport costs as we don’t deal with subcontractors.”
“From a customer perspective, our lead times for a machine have been cut from 8 weeks down to4-6 weeks depending upon the customer specified machine. Furthermore, by implementing a design-for-manufacture philosophy, our machines are more aesthetically pleasing, more functional and also easier to use and maintain.For the customer, this gives a host of new reasons to buy machinery from KME. From our perspective, we have enhanced our brand, the product portfolio and we now have more unique selling points over our competitors,” concludes Mr Mills.
Success is Made With Kerf When Made Profiles first opened its doors for business in March 2014, the first acquisition for the sheet metal company was a CNC plasma cutting machine. (The RUM3500 profiling machine) from Kerf Developments.
Just over two years later and the fledgling Wigan subcontractor has grown exponentially, recently taking delivery of its third Kerf profiling machine, an RUR2500 high definition plasma cutter.
Founded by Managing Director Mr Mark Derbyshire, Made Profiles started with one man's ambition, decades of experience and a book of industry contacts. Using his expertise and business acumen, Mark initially opted for a Kerf Developments machine as he was familiar with the build quality, reliability, service and support that Kerf guarantee - all critical elements for a new business that would be reliant upon the uptime of its single machine. In the two years since its inception, Made Profiles has built its business around the reliability and productivity levels that Kerf has delivered.
The first plasma cutting machine installed, the colossal 12m by 3m bed RUM3500 has four flame cutting heads for simultaneously profiling multiple parts up to 250mm thick. This machine also has one 150amp high definition plasma head for high-speed cutting of steel profiles up to 15mm thick.
Only six months after the installation, Made Profiles commissioned Kerf to extend the machine bed by 3m. The now 15m bed received a second high definition CNC plasma table with a high powered 275amp plasma jet cutting head for rapidly processing steel sheets up to 30mm in thickness.
Supplying cut profiles for the rail, oil & gas, automotive, construction and general subcontract engineering sectors, the first two CNC machines suitably cater for the high speed and high definition cutting of thin profiles whilst the oxy-fuel flame cutting four- head configuration provides simultaneous cutting of extremely thick steel billets.
Kerf Develops a Bespoke CNC Plasma Cutting Machine
If the first two machines and the respective plasma torch cutting head configurations were acquired to satisfy market demand, the arrival of the RUR2500 was specified to take the business to the next level.
Already processing anything from mild steel, Hardox, Durbar and boilerplates; the biggest market growth has been cutting stainless steel profiles. This is why the new RUR2500 machine was installed. Delivered with the UltraSharp plasma system technology for precision oxy fuel cutting to less than +/- 0.5mm with astounding edge finishes, the RUR2500 has been purchased specifically for cutting small stainless parts. The 150amp cnc plasma cutting unit is well suited for parts up to 20mm thick whilst the 4 by 2m bed has been configured by Kerf for small part production.
As Mr Derbyshire recalls: "Typical spacing between the machine 'bed bars' is 100mm, but we asked Kerf to supply a bed with a bar spacing of 50mm. With the wider spacing, small parts could fall through the bed. With the bespoke bed configuration, we can now comfortably process parts as small as 50-60mm square.
Complementing this, the UltraSharp profile cutter gives us unparalleled edge quality and clarity when cutting slots, holes and other internal geometries on small parts that may have once been beyond our scope. We used to subcontract out any work smaller than 120mm, with the RUR2500 we have brought this work in-house, slashed subcontract costs and reduced the associated lead-times by 4-5 days."
Mr Derbyshire continues: "We also wanted the machine to have an etching facility, this allows us to mark parts with identity numbers and reference codes to customer requirements. We are also etching datum spots for customers that want to drill or machine their profiles as a secondary operation. The changeover from cutting to etching is completely automated and seamless, thanks to the touch screen Burny 10 CNC control unit. We only have to enter our material types and cutting parameters and the control unit does the rest."
The component programming and part nesting for the Kerf machines is conducted off-line with the Lantek CAD system that is also supplied by Kerf Developments. As Mr Derbyshire says: "We now have two seats of Lantek CAD software from Kerf and this maps out the cutting speeds, plasma gas flow, nozzle height and even the torch path based on how to optimise material usage, productivity and cut-quality. We bought the Kerf RUR2500 CNC plasma cutter as a 'laser equivalent' machine. With the UltraSharp system, the RUR2500 is far superior to standard plasma cutting and this gives us the ideal machine for stainless steel profiling."
Commenting on the journey from the first Kerf machine to the latest acquisition, Mr Derbyshire says: "We started with five staff and now we have 13. The business grew 100% in year one and two. Year three is on-course to almost match previous figures. This growth is down to our expertise and sticking to our core strategy of turning out high quality bespoke and small batch steel profiles faster than our competitors. Of course, Kerf Developments have been with us all the way to ensure our machines never miss a beat. That is one reason why we will keep returning to Kerf whenever we need to invest in machinery." MADE Profiles October 2016
Kerfs Plasma Cutting Systems use ultrasharp technology for laser sharp results. If you would like to know more, speak to our team of experts today. Read another case study: Kerf Gets Subcontractor Into Top Gear
When Arcon Engineering made the trip from Ballymena to the MACH exhibition eight years ago, the fledgling company was looking for a new CNC plasma cutting machine to replace its ageing and unreliable machine. In meeting Kerf Developments at MACH 2008, Arcon found more than a machine supplier; it located a partner that could confidently serve all their sheet and metal plate cutting requirements.
Formed in 2003 to cater for the complex cutting and fabricating demands of the mining, transport, utilities and heavy industry sectors, Arcon offers an extremely diverse level of services. With expertise in design, CNC profiling, welding and fabrication, press brake forming, assembly and much more, Arcon Engineering has grown at an exponential rate, now employing over 30 staff. Nowhere is this growth better demonstrated than with the CNC plasma cutting machines from Kerf.
What Arcon Engineering Said:
Commenting upon starting his journey of buying machines from Kerf, Arcon Engineering's Managing Director, Mr Paschal McLoughlin recalls: "Our old plasma machine was unreliable and this was compounded by our struggle to reliably obtain service support and parts. This caused considerable headaches and production bottlenecks. We went to MACH and reviewed all the available machines, and it was Kerf that had the build quality, service, support and productivity that we needed. We installed a Kerf RUR3000 CNC plasma cutting machine with a Hypertherm HPR260 plasma unit in June 2008 and it has been running over 18 hours a day plus weekends ever since."
Of course, the reliability of the RUR3000 combined with the often 24 hour production, led the Ahoghill manufacturer to invest in a second profiling machine and once again the company bought from Rochdale based Kerf. "Running our first machine non-stop, we were conscious of depending upon the reliability of the RUR3000. We knew that any breakdown or unscheduled maintenance would create a bottleneck or capacity issues. Considering this, we bought a second machine. Of course, the first Kerf machine never failed us; and within no time the second machine was also running at capacity."
The second machine, a Kerf RUR2500GP with a Lincoln Electric Proline 200amp high definition plasma system slotted straight into the business in November 2014. Like its predecessor, the RUR2500GP has been running non-stop since installation. The company is cutting profiles from one-off and small quantities to larger batch runs from materials such as stainless and mild steel with plate thicknesses varying from 3, 4 and 5mm through to heavy duty 30 and 40mm plates.
As the Irish business has expanded, it has closely reviewed its processes and more recently considered investing in a CNC laser profiling machine for high-precision cutting with impeccable edge finishes. However, upon discussing the evolving needs of the business with Kerf Developments, it was soon realised that Kerf once again had the solution. Arcon wanted to achieve extremely precise profiles with outstanding edge finishes, so Kerf took Arcon to a local company using the latest Lincoln Electric Spirit plasma unit with Ultrasharp technology to demonstrate the system.
High Definition Plasma or Laser?
As Mr McLoughlin continues: "We wanted the quality of laser without the cost, Kerf gave us the alternative with their new RUR3500P machine that has a Lincoln Electric Spirit 400amp plasma unit with UltraSharp technology. The cut quality and precision were outstanding whilst the cost wasn't near the price of a laser machine. Furthermore, the Kerf RUR3500P is more flexible than a laser as the high definition unit is powerful enough to cut through material far beyond the scope of a laser."
The single head RUR3500P machine with a Lincoln Electric Spirit 400amp high definition plasma unit was installed in June 2016 and the company has been thoroughly impressed. The design and technology built into the Lincoln Electric Spirit system incorporates a water reservoir that keeps the cutting torches cool. The benefit of this technology is that torch and consumable life is extended considerably.
Furthermore, the high-powered system has a lower gas consumption. The result for Arcon is a more powerful machine with significantly reduced operating and consumable costs. For a business that is sometimes running its machines 24 hours a day, the saving over the life of the machine will be huge. In fact, trials have shown that this technology uses up to 78% less plasma gas than competitor machines.
From a capability perspective, the powerful 400amp system can cut plate up to 75mm thick, which gives Arcon the potential to extend its workload beyond existing plate thicknesses. In addition, the new machine has the ability to mark components as well as cut. This allows Arcon to mark datum points, identification features and location spots for secondary alignment operations.
In conclusion, Mr McLoughlin says: "We've had Kerf machines for almost 10 years and the local service network, machine reliability, consumable availability and the overall build quality and productivity is outstanding. Furthermore, technology has evolved considerably and with the new Lincoln Electric Spirit high definition CNC plasma cutter unit and the latest Burny CNC control unit that automates production and reduces material usage, Kerf has ensured that we stay ahead of the curve. We are likely to be buying machine number four in the future and I have no reason to even consider looking at a different supplier. We're delighted with our decision to invest in Kerf."
Speak to Kerf Development's Customer Service Team about plasma cutting systems. CNC Machines & Cutting Tables In UK & Ireland.
Ten years ago, Hopwood Gears Ltd invested in an Oxy-Propane gas cutting machine from Kerf Developments. Owning a profiling machine that runs like a dream with exemplary service support for over a decade was two of the key reasons why the Oldham based subcontractor went back to Kerf Developments for its latest machine, a twin-head water jet machine.
Founded in 1974, Hopwood Gears immediately set its stall out as a subcontract manufacturer with a niche for producing gears, gear sets and all associated components.
Now with 40 years of gear manufacturing under its belt, Hopwood Gears is a true specialist, manufacturing gears from 4mm diameter up to 3m - and everything in between.
The 33 employee company serves the defence, aerospace, automotive, white goods and consumer markets with bespoke gears for anything from a tank or submarine through to the everyday watch or washing machine.
To manufacture its gears and meet the demands of its wider subcontract business, Hopwood Gears has a machine shop stacked with CNC EDM, turning and machining centres from Agie, Haas, DMG and Mazak as well as a multitude of specialised gear production machines.
However, the issue for Hopwood was the upstream issue of profiling its gears and the consequent subcontract costs and lead-times. Discussing the issue, Hopwood Gear Managing Director, Mr Cory Hopwood says: "Ten years ago we were either buying steel plates for £500, or to save time we were paying upward of £1000 for the plates to be pre-cut into blanks. We invested in a twin-head Kerf Scorpion gas cutting machine to cut the cost and gain control over the process."
The 4m by 2m machine immediately cut costs by 50% when processing steel plates up to 150mm thick. Additionally, the Scorpion cutting head allowed the Manchester company to 'semi-finish' large gears with its impressive precision levels. Still in operation after a decade, the Scorpion is still well used today. Nowadays, the company has a need for a more flexible machine for processing a wider range of materials at even greater precision levels - enter the Kerf Optima 420 waterjet machine.
Hopwood Gears Cuts Through Customer Issues With New Water Jet Machine..
Commenting on this, Mr Hopwood continues: “We were spending a lot of money getting gear profiles cut prior to entering our machine shop for secondary processing. However, the quality of gears was indifferent. The supply was regularly outside our tolerance band and the gears were often tapered where the waterjet wasn’t cutting at 90 degrees.
As soon as we heard Kerf had waterjet cutting machines, we spoke to Dan at Kerf Developments and gave him some of our externally processed gear profiles. Dan was confident the cut quality and precision of the Kerf Optima would solve all our issues. We trust Kerf implicitly, so we bought the Optima 420 waterjet machine. We haven’t looked back since.”
KERF UNLOCKS PRODUCTIVITY FOR HOPWOOD GEAR…
By installing the Kerf Optima waterjet machine, Hopwood Gears immediately improved the precision of its profiles, attaining a precision level of +/-0.05mm as opposed to +/-0.3mm on subcontract supplied profiles. This precision is credit to the highly acclaimed BFT high-pressure pump on the Optima 420.
The enhanced precision reduced returns and it also cut the internal re-working of gears. These factors reduced lead-times, improved precision and edge finishes and also prevented labour and machine time from being unnecessarily absorbed in the machine shop.
From an economic standpoint, Hopwood Gear estimates that £2000 of the £5000 monthly cost of profile cutting was actually material cost. So, by purchasing the Kerf Optima and acquiring the material direct from the stockholder, Hopwood Gear has reduced its subcontract costs by £3000 each month. The flexibility of the water jet cutter means that Hopwood has also eliminated an additional £500 per month in subcontract costs for laser cutting of thin plates and discs.
With the easy-to-use IGEMS CAD/CAM system on the Optima waterjet machine, Hopwood’s staff were comprehensively trained on the machine in one-day. The unparalleled ease-of-use and the automated running of abrasive waterjets allows one operator to simultaneously run a number of machines, avoiding the cost of additional staff. Furthermore, the twin-head configuration permits fast dual-cutting production. This is ideal for a company producing anything from one-off and batch work in the region 50 through to production runs up to 200,000 off.
FAR REACHING BENEFITS OF KERF WATERJET MACHINES
Whilst the Kerf Optima 420 high pressure product line has cut costs, improved quality and precision for the subcontractor, the benefits reach much further. As Mr Hopwood concludes: “The lead-time for external waterjet profiles was 4-6 weeks, now we can get the material next day and often turn work around in less than a week. By eliminating the 4-6 week supply chain, we can get gears into the machine shop for secondary machining a lot faster. This gives us more production capacity, better scheduling and it means our machine shop is always busy, as nobody is waiting on a third-party to deliver profiles to the machine shop.”
“Furthermore, the profiles are more precise and this means fewer set-ups and operations in the machine shop. With fewer down-stream operations, there is more machine and labour capacity and even our cutting tool consumption has been reduced. To put it simply, our entire cutting systems production facility would struggle to keep up with demand if we didn’t have the Kerf Optima waterjet cutting machines on the shop-floor.”
Read another case study: Kerf Is Critical In Growth Strategy at BSK Engineering
Kerf Developments are leaders in tailored profiling solutions. For more information on our high precision Water jet CNC Machines, visit our waterjet systems page.
