#superstarcomponents #manufacturing Superstar Components Ltd has just switched from out-sourcing the manufacture of after-market cycle parts to in-house production. As part of this transition, the Lincoln-based company installed turning, milling and polishing machinery — plus a laser marker. The TruMark Series 5000 fibre laser marking machine from Luton-based Trumpf Ltd
(www.uk.trumpf.com) is used for branding applications.
Until recently, Superstar Components bought parts from factories around the world — typically Taiwan — and sold them direct to customers to save on costs. However, as company director Neil Wilkinson explains, times have changed. “Growing demand for parts from the Far East has resulted in rising prices and longer deliveries — plus a lack of control over quality.
“We assessed the situation and reckoned that if we were using the same materials and similar machines, we could make after-market bicycle parts for the same cost as the Far East — if not less — and at better quality. With regard to finish, high-definition good-quality graphics make an enormous difference to the customer perception of any product. They look professional and add value.”
The Trumpf TruMark Series 5000 is a fibre laser-based marking machine characterised by a combination of high power, high repetition rates and definable pulse duration and form. It is designed for tough applications with high power requirements and short cycle times. The vast majority of components at Superstar are manufactured either from aluminium or titanium.
Moreover, Superstar Components’ TruMark 5000 is fitted with an optional rotary axis to accommodate parts such as wheel rims. Other bicycle components processed include jockey wheels, pedals, hubs, bottom brackets, chain rings, stems and sprockets. In fact, almost everything machined by the company is subject to marking in some form.
“The unit cost for engraving using a machining centre is probably in the region of £3-4 per part. Using the laser, the cost amounts to no more than pence, with cycle times typically around 30sec. The programming is also very quick. We simply import the graphics as a DXF vector file; it is then just a matter of ‘click and go’.
“We were quoted £4 to mark each rim in Taiwan; we can now mark for a fraction of that price. Considering our last batch was 3,000 rims, the savings are significant, and we will soon recoup our investment in our laser marker.”