MAKING A CLEAN SWEEP

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MAKING A CLEAN SWEEP
11 November 2006 - Metalforming Machinery Makers' Association

Numatic International Limited has recently gone up to a new level of output, with over 4,000 machines a day being produced at its Chard, Somerset factory. The company has more than 4,000 different products in its portfolio and still manages to provide customers with a three week maximum lead time! Numatic is one of the leading manufacturers of commercial and industrial cleaning and maintenance equipment; however its best known product, Henry, has been endorsed wholeheartedly by the domestic market, and total sales now exceed 5 million.

Such requirements puts strain on capacity and two existing laser machines (one equipped with 1.5 kW resonator, the other with 3 kW resonator) were struggling to meet this demand, resulting in £20K worth of laser cutting being sub-contracted out each month. In order to become more cost efficient Numatic looked at a number of options including adopting the continental shift pattern of work or investing in a third laser similar to the ones already in operation.

Andrew Smith, manufacturing manager, takes up the story: “Having looked at various options we felt there was a strong case for investing in an automated laser system. We looked at the products of the main suppliers and chose three, including Bystronic, to carry out benchmark testing on nine representative jobs. Whilst the Bystronic Byspeed 3015 equipped with 4.4 kW produced the parts equally as fast as a competitor machine, it was the Bytrans handling system concept and its execution which impressed us the most and the fact that Bystronic could deliver and commission the machine quickly.” Extensive training was provided by Bystronic alongside the existing machines to ensure that production was not interrupted. “The operators adapted easily to the Bystronic technology as the control system is so user-friendly,” continues Andrew. “When training was complete we simply decommissioned the 3 kW laser and switched over to the new machine without any loss in production.”

Today Numatic is running a single shift system and for lights-out production, the Byspeed is loaded with three tonnes of material and left to run throughout the night un-manned. The Byspeed is 2.8 times faster than Numatic’s older laser systems and subsequently capacity problems have been solved and at the same time the cost of sub-contracting laser work has all but been eliminated. Numatic anticipates that payback on the machine will be two years. Press Contact: Danielle Couplan Danielle Couplan Public Relations 3 Cliffe Villas New Brighton Cottingley BD16 1UT Tel: 01274 599399 Email:danielle@daniellecouplan.wanadoo.co.uk Company Contact: David Larcombe Bystronic UK Limited Maple Park Lowfields Avenue Leeds LS12 6HH Tel: 0113 297 6666 Fax: 0113 222 3198 www:bystronic.com

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About: Metalforming Machinery Makers' Association
The main objective of the Metalforming Machinery Makers' Association is to act as the central organisation promoting the interests of companies involved in the manufacture and sale of metalforming machinery and ancillary products in the UK.
UK Exhibitions

As owner of the largest metalforming equipment exhibition in the UK - METALWORKING - the Association provides major membership benefits, including:

involvement in the planning and content of METALWORKING
members' discount on floor space
priority stand selection
access to Inward Press and Trade Missions
Overseas Exhibitions

The Association takes stands at major overseas Metalforming shows.

free marketing and sales opportunities
meeting point as a base for additional activities
access to trade consular staff
Sponsored Overseas Events

Members can join MMMA sponsored missions at reduced costs.

opportunities to view overseas competitors on their home ground
organised visits to customers, users and exhibitions
Organised Seminars

MMMA organises industry seminars, sometimes with colleges.

Product/Company presentations to selected audiences
opportunities to explore turnkey projects with other members

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