Just 18 months after purchasing the display machine from the Nukon Lasers UK stand at MACH 2022, Greater Manchester-based AD Laser Cutting Ltd has taken delivery of a second machine. Whereas AD Laser Cutting’s first fibre laser was a Nukon ECO 315 4kW model, the new machine is from the European laser machine manufacturer’s REX model range.

Just like Nukon’s ECO machines, the Nukon REX is able to accommodate flat sheet metal sizes of up to 3 x 1.5m. Chosen primarily for its side-mounted loading table, to better fit with the available floorspace at AD Laser Cutting’s brand new sub-contract manufacturing facility - a move driven by the company’s growing order book - the Nukon REX also has a more powerful 6kW laser. This additional power will enable AD Laser Cutting to precision-cut stainless steel sheets up to 25mm thick.

Darren Golden, AD Laser Cutting’s managing director, said: “We really couldn’t have imagined just how much precision laser cutting work our first machine from Nukon Lasers UK would enable us to complete. Projects undertaken have ranged from precision cutting stainless steel components for the utilities sector, to manufacturing furniture components, extraction panels, and even stillages for a number of leading vehicle manufacturers. In fact, only a short while after installation, the Nukon ECO 315 machine was running at near full capacity. It is extremely intuitive to program, easy to use, and has been trouble-free since it was installed.

“Moreover, the quality of cut has more than met the high standards demanded by our customers. Therefore, when it was time to grow the business and invest in a second fibre laser machine, it seemed pretty obvious that it should also come from Nukon Lasers UK. From a purely commercial perspective, choosing Nukon again meant our guys could hit the ground running from day one.”

High-specification features
With powerful 2-D flat sheet metal cutting capability and optional pipe and tube cutting and marking features, Nukon REX machines have been purposefully designed for sub-contractors and organisations cutting small batches of varying shapes and sizes. Nukon REX fibre lasers offer high-specification features that are standard across the wider Nukon range. These include advanced Lantek Expert CAD/CAM nesting software and American-made nLIGHT fibre lasers.

Installed in September 2023, the Nukon REX machine bought by AD Laser Cutting is also equipped with CutLine adaptive beam-shaping technology – an option that provides improved cut-edge finish and easy, rapid cutting of different sheet thicknesses and metals. Nukon REX models have a compact footprint, while power options range from 2 to 8kW. The more powerful 6kW model selected by AD Laser Cutting provides considerable capability and performance for cutting thicker metal sheet.

Mr Golden added: “The service and support we receive from the Nukon Lasers UK team and their sales director, Steve Haddrell, is nothing short of exceptional. The training provided with both machines was excellent and Nukon are always quick to respond if we ever have any questions or need advice. With two Nukon fibre lasers now in daily operation at our Littleborough premises in Greater Manchester, we have also taken the opportunity to offer a range of additional services. These include metal folding, welding and powder coating.”

Steve Haddrell, sales director at Nukon Lasers UK, said: “It has been incredibly rewarding to work with Darren and the team at AD Laser Cutting Ltd – and even more rewarding to see the huge success they have made of the business. For such premium quality machines, Nukon fibre lasers are incredibly price-accessible. The extremely compact footprint of several models, such as the REX, also makes them well-suited to production environments where floorspace is limited. At the same time, the low power consumption of every Nukon fibre laser is a significant advantage in these times of higher energy bills. I wish Darren and his team every success for the future and look forward to continuing to provide the highest levels of support.”

The sister company of UK-based tube-bending machinery specialists, Unison Ltd, Nukon Lasers UK is the exclusive UK and Ireland distributor for Nukon’s European-built 2-D, 3-D and tube fibre laser cutting machines and loading and unloading solutions. Nukon fibre lasers combine high speed and high precision with exceptional value and build quality, as well as exceptionally low running costs. The Nukon Lasers UK team offers first-class machine tool service, training, maintenance and technical support, in addition to service contracts and service level agreements that can be tailored to specific requirements.