|
|
Brenco achieves improved efficiencies with new laser system |
|
|
|
|
 by Jerry Cook
Installing a new laser cutting system has provided Delta, BC-based Brenco Industries Ltd. with a variety of benefits including additional production capacity and a significant improvement in laser cutting efficency for many parts.
“We needed to add the additional capacity,” says Steve Heim, president
of Brenco. “Sometimes we were running our (existing laser) machines 24
hours a day which can be rough on the operators. We prefer just to run
two shifts.”
As a result, Brenco recently installed a PRIMA PLATINO 1530 two-axis
laser cutting system. According to Heim, the PRIMA laser cutting system
complements two existing laser cutting systems the firm already had.
Brenco, which began operations in 1983, has 68 employees at two
facilities totalling 60,000 sq. ft. The company specializes in
fabricating and processing sheet metal and plate both as a
subcontractor and on a custom basis. Brenco is a member of the
Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, International (FMA). Heim is
currently serving as vice chair on the FMA’s board of directors.
Brenco does work for a variety of customers in various markets
including transportation, forestry, mining, and many more. The firm
offers a variety of services including laser cutting, waterjet cutting,
shearing, plasma cutting, CNC bending, forming and rolling, hardware
insertion, plate beveling and marking.
Typically, Brenco is working with aluminum, stainless and mild sheet
steel and plate in thicknesses ranging from 26 ga up to 6 in. plate.
However, Heim notes that the majority of the firm’s work falls within
material thicknesses ranging from 3/16 in. to 1/4 in. plate.
In general, the firm’s part runs range from one-offs and prototypes up
to thousands of pieces. “More typically, we produce kits (of
components) as well as batch runs. For example, on average we will run
approximately 500 work orders per month for about 200 active customers
per month. There is a huge variety of work that we handle so
flexibility is critical,” Heim says.
The PRIMA PLATINO 1530 laser cutting system has provided Brenco with a
number of benefits including the ability to cut thicker materials.
“Because the PLATINO offers 4,000 watts, we can now cut thicker
materials,” he says.
Another benefit is improved efficiency. “The PRIMA laser is providing
us improved efficiencies on certain materials and geometries,” says
Heim, adding that in general the PRIMA laser has provided Brenco with
an improvement of 28% in efficiencies for many parts. “That has been a
huge benefit for us.”
Heim was impressed with a number of features and technology offered by
the PLATINO 1530 laser cutting system including the flying optics beam
delivery system and the CNC controller on the machine. “The control is
very simple to operate. We are very pleased with the simplicity of
operation of the machine,” he notes.
Continues Heim, “Another nice feature of the PLATINO is that the
guarding opens up giving the operators complete access to the cutting
table.”
Given Brenco’s previous experience with laser cutting, training on the
PLATINO laser system was a relatively simple and straightforward
process, says Heim.
The PLATINO 1530 CO2 laser system is 4,000 watts and features a
Cartesian, cantilever structure that provides three-sided access. The
PLATINO integrates the machine frame, CNC controller, laser resonator,
beam-delivery system, axes of movement, and laser head all into one
compact structure.
The machine offers X-axis length of 120 in. and Y-axis length of 60 in.
The PLATINO 1530, which features a flying optics beam delivery system,
offers maximum speed of 3,937 ipm and maximum acceleration of 1.2 g.
The PLATINO 1530 laser cutting system was supplied by PRIMA North America Inc., Chicopee, MA.
prima-na.com
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
