Since 1915, Midland Tank & Ironplate (MTI) has been producing sheet-metal products such as prototype vehicle parts, heat exchangers, door components and many architectural items; these have included bespoke staging and lighting systems, as well as the wings for the ‘phoenix’ that appeared in the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics.

The company was originally formed to help with the war effort and made process tanks, but it has evolved significantly.

It now has CAD/CAM and manufacturing management systems, ISO quality approvals, CNC punching and CNC laser cutting with automated loading and unloading — plus it offers robot welding, assembly and painting services.

MTI invested in its first Platino CO2 laser in 2007; this was followed by a Platino fibre laser in 2013. Both machines were supplied by Coventry-based Prima Power UK Ltd (www.primapower.com), and they are fitted with the manufacturer’s Compact Tower integrated material-handling and storage systems.

Speaking about the first Prima machine, MTI managing director Geoff Cox says: “We needed a bigger, faster and more-powerful laser, which drove our investment towards the 4kW Platino CO2 machine with Prima Power Compact Tower. Automated handling is an essential part of the system, as it allows us to work unmanned, running batches of material of up to 3 tonnes.

Furthermore, UK service has been very good, and after extra training, we now know how to take the optics apart and clean all the lenses and mirrors ourselves. This makes a big difference to the performance of the machine, as the operator can recognise the signs of a fall-off in cutting capability and carry out maintenance and adjustments himself.”

The purchase last year of the fibre laser was prompted by its fast cutting speeds on thinner materials, plus its ability to cut reflective materials such as brass and copper.

“For a recent job, the customer required 20,000 parts at the rate of 1,000 per day. We were able to deliver the first batch within 6hr of the order. Again, the Compact Tower material-handling and storage system makes a big difference to productivity.

“With up to 15 pallets in one tower, a range of different materials and finished sheets can be stored ready for processing or further operations.”