In a Q&A session, Mike Richardson hears from Applied Cutting Systems’ director, Alan Langford-Smith to understand more about the trends and demands taking place in the busy world of digital flatbed cutting systems.
Increasing demand for composite kit cutting services that are cut, bagged, tagged and delivered direct to the customer means the flatbed cutting machine has gained a new lease of popularity. Although its origins lie in the signmaking, packaging, textile and leather industries, it is within the composites manufacturing industry where the battle for flatbed cutting supremacy has intensified.
Ashford, Kent-based Applied Cutting Systems (ACS) offers a complete range of digital cutting solutions to a wide range of manufacturers who need to cut a wide range of materials. The company is the UK agent for Aristo, the Hamburg-based manufacturer of digital flatbed cutters.
Q) What are the types of demands placed on your company by today’s customers?
With a lot of cheaper machines from outside Europe coming into the UK, we find our customers demand a high level of flexibility, reliability and upgradeability along with confidence in the after-sales support. We’re able to offer a wide range of cutting options with our tooling combinations and most machines are configured for each customers’ needs. As Aristo machines are manufactured in Germany, all parts are readily available either from the factory or ‘off the shelf’ in the UK. Engineers are trained by Aristo and based in the UK, plus there is free telephone support and remote support available - we endeavour to create a ‘just down the road’ feel.
Q) Latest trends: what is driving flatbed cutting machine technology?
Customers are looking for a fast-paced, quick turnaround of items they produce, rather than keeping lots of stock which takes up space. With intelligent tooling database software and fast accurate cutting, Aristo machines keep pace with the demands. We offer large machines with a choice of material handling, cutting surfaces/conveyor as well as edge recognition and a projection device, coupled with material un-winders which are able to handle 1,500kg rolls. All enable speed and efficiency in production.
Q) Tell me something about the flatbed cutter machines you supply?
I purchased the ACS business 16 years ago from my employer at the time. As well as signs and graphics, I could see how digital cutting systems could be used in many different industries. Aristo machines can cut up to 38mm thick. With a very wide range of cutting technology available we feel we can cut most flat materials. Aristo machines will work with most HPGL plotter file (PLT) formats, however we prefer to use SAi Flexi software. With a full list of drivers for our machines, we find the Import/Export facility good and reliable, as well as the tools to ‘prepare’ the file for cutting. Tool allocation and optimisation is easy to use and most versions include True Shape Nesting for best use of material.
Aristo have a long history of manufacturing digital cutting technology and find most customers replace an Aristo with an Aristo, or have more than one. We believe our ability to configure machines in terms of size, material handling and feeding, the possibility of having seven permanent tools and strong after-sales support make us very popular in many manufacturing industries. A testament to the longevity of Aristo is that our engineers are still servicing machines which were manufactured over 25 years ago.
There are many Aristo machines around the world working 24/7, especially in the automotive industry. Every customer receives free telephone support as well as remote support. If there are any problems with a machine, it is often the cutting head as this does most of the work, so we offer a loan/rental service usually on-site within 48 hours of a fault being logged. This enables production to be resumed whilst the customers head is repaired. We have UK based engineers. We offer three choices of training, either on-site, at our office/demo centre in Kent or at the factory in Hamburg. Any customer who wants to cut flat material will discover that our machines will suit all or some part of their processes. The Aristo machines are suitable for prototypes, short runs as well as full production runs.
Q) Do you get involved in supplying/specifying automated roll feeding of dry fabric/prepreg material equipment to the machine’s bed?
We work closely with customers to understand their needs. We discuss machine size, the material to be cut - and therefore cutting surface, is a feed required, will they need to feed large rolls of material - in which case our 1.5 tonne un-winder may be needed – and whether they need a special kind of vacuum holding facility. Then we look at tools required and other options. It’s rare that we do not have a solution that suits the customer.
Q) What differentiates your company from the competition - why should a customer use you over your nearest rival?
Both ACS as agents for Aristo and Aristo itself are very available and approachable to answer any questions or to assist with finding a solution to a cutting issue. We’re happy to make test/trial cuts in a ‘new’ material free of charge, or sometimes loan a tool for the customer to make their own trials.
Q) How do you see the future of the UK’s composites manufacturing industry and particularly subcontract kit cutting evolving in the future?
I feel the UK composites manufacturing industry is still in its infancy and companies who are not cutting kits with digital technology will be left behind and find it difficult to compete, especially on things like accuracy, repeatability, quality and efficiency.
At the moment all the focus is on Brexit and its outcome. Whatever happens, I think we will all be making some adjustments be it large or small, as to how we do business in the near future.
