Staying a cut above the rest

CIMsept19Features - flatbed1
CIMsept19Features - flatbed1

Mike Richardson casts an eye over the latest clutch of leading flatbed cutting machine specialists to see how they stay at the cutting edge of a competitive industry.

 

Increasing demand for composite kit cutting services that are cut, bagged, tagged and delivered direct to the customer sees flatbed cutting systems gaining a new lease of popularity. Although its origins lie in the signmaking, packaging, textile and leather industries, it’s within the composites manufacturing industry where the battle for flatbed cutting supremacy has intensified.

Cutting prepreg materials on a flatbed cutting machine is much faster, more accurate and the material can be utilised much better. Manufacturing customers can save money on installing material into moulds because they get a more accurate fit due to highly precise cutting, making layup far quicker and easier for operators to handle.

Ashford, Kent-based Applied Cutting Systems (ACS) is the UK agent for Aristo, the Hamburg-based manufacturer of digital flatbed cutters and offers a complete range of digital cutting solutions to customers cutting a wide range of materials.

All Aristo 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 free telephone support and remote support is available to create a ‘localised’ feel. The company offers a loan/rental service usually on-site within 48 hours of any fault being logged, enabling production to be resumed whilst the customer’s machine is repaired. ACS offers three choices of training: either on-site, at its office/demo centre in Kent or at the factory in Hamburg. The Aristo machines are suitable for prototypes, short runs as well as full production runs.

B&W unveiled its Genesis-Z at this year’s FESPA Global Print Expo in Munich

Blackman & White heralded a step-change cutting machine launch this year with the release of its Genesis-Z to demonstrate how it has moved the industry forward in terms of offering uncompromising safety and increased productivity. Genesis-Z includes multi-tool functionality with modular laser, router and knife cutting on one bed as standard, available on either a conveyorised or flatbed table. Genesis-Z is part of the Genesis family of cutting machines and exhibits the same benefits, including the interchangeable laser, router and knife tooling twinned with the patented laser bed technology that can be used on the conveyorised or flatbed machine platforms. Genesis-Z is offered alongside its Genesis-V partner as part of the UK cutting machine manufacturer’s product range, including the Orion - an entry level flatbed passive tooling cutter - and Master Cut, a heavy-duty bespoke system.

The vanguard of flatbeds

One of the longest-established companies in the flatbed arena, Eastman Machine Company recently unveiled its new Eagle-C125 conveyor cutting system in three new configurations. Featuring several options aimed to minimise overall factory space required, whilst maintaining complete cutting automation for industrial cutting applications, the Eagle-C125 is a CNC ply-cutting system engineered for single- to low-ply automatic cutting of composite reinforcements such as fibreglass, carbon and aramid. It has the ability to continuously convey rolled-material goods with consistent speed and control and requires minimal operator guidance to automatically feed and spread material to the identified start position.

Eastman’s Eagle-C125 is ideal for single- to low-ply automatic cutting of composite reinforcements

The conveyor system is available in nearly a dozen different widths from 60 inches to over 14ft. wide and several lengths. The C125 conveyor system is ideal for companies that need to cut long parts, require continuous conveying or simply want to minimise the material handling commonly associated with a static table cutting system. Engineered and manufactured at Eastman’s Buffalo, New York headquarters, the Eagle-C125 system features cutting speeds up to 60 inches per second (152cm/second).

Australian manufacturer, Pathfinder Cutting Technology’s mission is to provide the most advanced, innovative cutting room technology through a passion for its products, customer support and high levels of reliability. With Wrexham-based AE-Sewing Machines onboard as its distributor, UK customers get the benefit of over twenty years of development into reliable cutting solutions built on technologies it claims, are not always found in its competitors’ equipment.

Pathfinder’s L-Series can handle dry woven, unidirectional and bidirectional composites and prepregs

Pathfinder also offers 16 multi-ply variants and 12 single-ply models which can be optioned up to nearly 300 configurations tailored to suit each end application. Pathfinder’s M-Series flagship cutter is available in four cutting widths (180cm, 226cm, 300cm and 390cm) and four cutting heights under vacuum (3cm, 5cm, 7cm and 10cm). Models are named according to their specification, e.g. the M10-390 cuts 10cm high x 390cm wide. Meanwhile, the versatility of the L-Series means it can easily handle dry woven, unidirectional and bidirectional composites and prepregs.

Where cut meets thrust

Zünd UK has been supplying Zünd cutting tables since 1993 as an independent reseller to Zünd Systemtechnik. In 2017, the company was acquired by Zünd Systemtechnik to become part of the global Zünd family. Recent product developments include the dual-beam D3 digital cutter, inkjet printing systems and projection systems to help quicken the loading and picking of cut components.

Zünd’s G3 and D3 series can cut thicknesses up to 50mm on certain materials

The company utilises its Zünd Cut Centre software for driving the machine, which can also be used for nesting either at the machine or remotely. Added to this is the extensive functionality from the package, which includes a queue system for job scheduling and productivity reporting. Zünd UK takes care of the training and support with a dedicated team of service and technical personnel. It also offers various levels of maintenance contracts, and even the possibility of tailoring these to suit the end-user. A range of widths, lengths, material handling options - plus a huge variety of interchangeable modules and tools - ensures that end-users can tailor a Zünd machine to their needs. The robust nature of the machines is also a key factor – they are built to the highest standards and each machine is built in Switzerland to order.

www.appliedcutsys.co.uk

www.blackmanandwhite.co.uk

www.eastmancuts.com

www.pathfindercut.com

www.zund.com

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