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Job Shop Discovers Diversity and Flexibility with Laser Punch from Finn-Power
Expanding the Customer
Base
BMP Metal's Bob Bedard Sr., president (left) and Robert Daniel Bedard Jr., facilities manager, call the Finn-Power LPE their Star
Wars machine because it does
so many things. The LPE can do laser cutting, punching,
nibbling, upforming, marking, tapping, bending, sorting
and stacking - all unattended, all in a single setup. |
Since its 1984 founding in a modest 8,000-square-foot
leased building, BMP Metals Inc. (Brampton, Ontario) has
earned the reputation as an integrated precision manufacturer
dedicated to hiring quality people, providing these employees
ongoing training, and investing in the best capital equipment
for the work they produced. BMP is also recognized as a premier
design problem solver for its customers.
This philosophy has
paid handsome dividends for BMP. Today, the company has over
200,000 square feet of fabrication and machining manufacturing
capacity in four different locations. By 2001, the company's
growth had resulted in a large portion of its business directed
toward the telecommunications industry. With the downturn
in telecommunications, diversification to other industries
became a very important goal for BMP. The company also knew
that procuring the most flexible sheet metal fabrication
equipment was crucial to achieve its diversification.
 To boost its production capacity, in October 2002, BMP chose the Finn-Power LPE high precision, laser/punch combination flexible manufacturing cell. Optimum use of the Finn-Power LPE means that a fabricator can use the turret punch press where it is easier or faster and the laser where it is most effective. The LPE allows the user to look at the parts, the materials, the part design elements, the time, and the overall cost of the parts to determine the optimum process. |
To
boost its production capacity, in October 2002 BMP chose
the Finn-Power LPE high-precision, laser/punch-combination
flexible manufacturing cell. "When the LPE arrived, we called
it our Star Wars machine because it did so many things," explains
Robert Bedard, president. "It can do laser cutting, punching,
nibbling, upforming, marking, tapping, bending, sorting,
and stacking - all unattended, all in a single setup."
Optimum
use of the Finn-Power LPE means that a fabricator can use
the turret punch press where it is easier or faster and the
laser where it is most effective. The LPE enables the user
to look at the parts, the materials, the part design elements,
the time, and the overall cost of the parts to determine
the optimum process.
One of the benefits that Bedard saw
in the LPE was a reduction of piece part costs resulting
from faster punching time, a reduction in direct labor assigned
to set up and punching and a reduction in the number of manual operations required.
Another benefit was utilization of full sheets while eliminating the need to
shear to size blanks being processed. A third benefit can be increased machine
utilization - if a loading system is purchased with the LPE, unmanned operation
can be achieved from load, punch, upform, laser cut, and unload, and sorting
of parts in one machine.
"The LPE opens whole new avenues
to us in terms of flexibility and capacity."
The punching
part of the system consists of a 22-ton turret punch press
that combines electrical servo technology with mechanical
power transmission. The net result is a system with both flexibility and amazing
accuracy. Other features include excellent forming capabilities - 16 mm with
no die interference; servo system for precise accuracy; low-energy consumption;
auto-index, Multi-Tool®, programmable clamp settings, and brush tables.
Other features include:
High-pressure cutting with a TRIAGON 2.5kW CO2 laser with 25 Bar assist gas pressure maximum. Higher pressures allow for cutting materials such as stainless steel and aluminum with optimum speed and edge quality.
An oil-free pump and turbine design that eliminates expensive and time-consuming repairs. Excellent energy consumption in comparison with other HF-excited lasers. The savings cost can be up to 40%. A laser capacity of the laser is 8 mm cold rolled steel and stainless steel and 6 mm aluminum. The focal length lens can be changed in seconds using a cartridge technique. No tools are required. The cartridges are available in focal lengths of 3.75", 5", and 7.5".
Integration of the laser and the punch is accomplished with the part piece flowing from the turret punch press to the laser without the release of the clamps. The flow of material is from the load side to the unload side, eliminating the time-consuming method of loading and unloading from the same side.
In addition, the O-frame of the turret punch press
is separate from the laser, assuring that no vibration will
be transferred to the laser. This provides added reliability and uptime
of the system.
BMP's relationship with Finn-Power began several years ago with the purchase of the Express (turret punch press with load/unload) and then the Shear Genius (punch/shear combination). Bedard estimates that his company's increase in productivity rose 40-100% with the Express and 200-300% with the Shear Genius.
And how has the LPE performed at BMP?
"Bringing the laser/punch into the picture helped our people make the transition into laser technology," says Bedard. "About 95% of our parts that we put on the LPE require both the laser and the punch. We pre-punch the starting holes to avoid splatter. The LPE gives 100% good parts. We have also been using the upforming feature to a greater degree."
"When the LPE arrived, we called it our Star Wars machine because it did so many things. It can do laser cutting, punching, nibbling, upforming, marking, tapping, bending, sorting, and stacking - all unattended, all in a single setup."
According to Bedard, BMP has generated new business in
the medical area, specifically the MRI carts that utilize
a great deal of sheet metal. "We've also increased our business in the
industrial console and consumer products industries, as well as high-security
enclosures," explains Bedard. "In addition, the telecommunications world
has kept us quite busy. A recently announced joint program in India between
Nokia and Nortel worth $800-million will also mean more business for
us."
 BMP is running many different types of metal, including stainless steel, aluminum, and carbon steel, in various thicknesses on the LPE. The company is also burning some high-strength alloy steel that would be difficult to punch. |
BMP is running many different types of metal - stainless steel, aluminum,
carbon steel - in various thicknesses on the combination machine. "I
am actually very surprised to see the wide variations in gauges," says
Bedard. "We are also burning some high-strength alloy steel that would
be difficult to punch.
"The LPE opens whole new avenues to us in terms of flexibility and capacity,
where we are not saying "no" or "maybe" to our customers," contends Bedard. "It
is a positive move, especially when you consider what we are going through now.with
many different metal types, gauges, and alloys. It gives us confidence. If the
customer shows us a new part, we are winning many new contracts because we can 'yes' more
often than 'no'.
We have a much better understanding of what our machines can do and the
laser/turret punch system has broadened our range of customers tremendously.
It has opened many different doors for us."
This article appeared in the October
2004 issue of Industrial Laser Solutions for a copy, contact
Tiina Alanko at (847) 781 3287 or tiina@finnpower.com
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710
Remington Road 
Volume
14 Issue 2 -
December 2004