Versatile Plasma Cutting System Deemed Better Value For Money Than Laser

Having enjoyed many years of reliable service from an older ESAB cutting system, NC Engineering had no hesitation in purchasing a state-of-the-art SUPRAREX cutting system for its new metal preparation area. NC Engineering was drawn to the advantage of modern plasma which now rivals laser in terms of quality of cut and surface finish, precision cutting and minimal dross. It also has the added advantage of lower investment costs and better value for money.

Most plates processed by NC Engineering are 5m long and range in thickness from 2-30mm. The SUPRAREX machine was therefore specified with a cutting capability of 32mm and a bed size of 12 x 3m, which enables a plate to be cut on one end of the machine at the same time as profiled components are being unloaded from the other end. While the vast majority of plates are mild steel, small quantities of galvanised plates are also processed.

NC Engineering is an environmentally conscious company and already had a dust extraction system installed. To further minimise the risk of dust and to comply with all current legislation, the company also specified from ESAB a filter bed as an alternative to a more costly water table.

As part of the package, ESAB supplied a copy of its highly versatile Columbus part processing software package. This works well in combination with NC Engineering's existing 2D/3D CAD software, and the Columbus Data Manager readily imported the 5-6000 standard part files and 5-600 standard nests that NC Engineering has developed over a number of years for its range of products. When remnants are being used, the auto-nesting facility within Columbus is very useful for maximising material utilisation and minimising waste.

Gordon Moffitt, the Assistant Works Manager, comments: We are very satisfied with the SUPRAREX. It has given us a step-change in quality and speed in comparison with the older machine. The software is also significantly better in terms of managing the database of parts and nests. Currently the machine is operating 12-13 hours per day and is proving to be extremely reliable and making a major contribution to our productivity. The service supplied by ESAB has been excellent.