Switzerland-based Schmolz + Bickenbach Stahlcenter (Schmobi), a steel stockholder, has invested in a KastoTec FC 4 (www.kasto.com/uk) automatic bandsawing centre to increase its production throughput, replacing two saws that could no longer cope with the increasing demand for cut parts.

Schmobi employs around 100 people and is a leading supplier of material and fabrications to the manufacturing and construction sectors in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

It has an extensive storage system with modern high-bay warehouses holding 20,000 tonnes of bright steel, mild and stainless steel and tube, tool steel, cast iron and some aluminium.

More than 10,000 parts a day are cut on more than 30 bandsaws.

Thomas Plüss, communications officer at Schmobi, said: “Our orders include batches of more than 10,000, as well as single items; the demand on our saws is enormous.

“They are used continually throughout the day, and some even run throughout the night, so we need machines that process workpieces of different diameters quickly, cleanly and economically — and, above all, work reliably and without errors.”

Schmobi uses three Kasto bandsaws for processing steel, cast iron and aluminium bars. The latest is the automatic high-performance FC 4, which cuts a wide range of cross-sections, including round, square and flat material as well as tubes and profiles.

It is well suited to dealing with difficult materials such as stainless and tool steels. The FC 4 is loaded via a multi-bar magazine that is replenished by an overhead crane and a magnetic handling system.

Cut parts are sorted into one of several containers according to the purchase order.