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Kerf ramps-up output for expanded metal

Posted on 23 Jan 2025. Edited by: Tony Miles. Read 1475 times.
Kerf ramps-up output for expanded metalThe Lincoln Electric 1530A from Kerf Developments

When The Expanded Metal Company recognised its costs for external sub-contract laser cutting services were escalating in line with output, the Hartlepool manufacturer investigated the market for a fibre laser machine to help manage costs and enhance process control. A Lincoln Electric Linc-Cut 1530A 6kW fibre laser machine supplied by Kerf Developments, proved to be the perfect solution.

The Expanded Metal Company Group has a rich history that dates back to when its founder, John French Goulding, patented ‘expanded metal’ back in 1884. The company has evolved over the generations, with products ranging from mild steel and aluminium mesh to pre-galvanised steel and specialist products like its ExMesh. The diversity of applications covers everything from balustrading, cladding, ramps, walkways, and insect guarding in the construction industry to air and liquid filtration, security fencing, crop drying and animal flooring, acoustic applications, and even speaker and car grilles for the automotive industry. The products play a critical role in everyday manufacturing for some of the industry’s most prestigious brands and projects.

For the last four years, the fabrication department has been buying laser-cut parts to complete fabricated assemblies that, as a finished product, are disability access ramps. Initially, the customer requirement was for four or five different ramp variations, but this has expanded to over 25 variations. With ramps ranging from 900 x 300mm to 1.5 x 1.5m and a host of dimensional variations in between, the production volume now stands at 200 to 250 ramps a week. This increased volume created several issues for the North East manufacturer. Firstly, sub-contract laser cutting costs had escalated to become a major monthly cost, and secondly, Expanded Metal had to schedule its production and lead times around its supply chain.

The Expanded Metal Company 1Pictured right: ExMesh operator using the advanced CNC system on the Linc-Cut 1530A

Recalling the situation, Ryan Pinder, operations manager and head of continuous improvement at the ExMesh subsidiary of the Expanded Metal Company, said: “Our laser cutting costs were climbing, and production schedules worked on min-max order levels with our supplier — it had to change. We looked at around 10 laser manufacturers and really did our due diligence. Part of this included visiting MACH 2024, where we talked to a contact at Lincoln Electric. We have lots of Lincoln Electric weld sets, and it is a hugely trusted and well-respected brand that has never let us down. We told our Lincoln representative that we were in the market for a 3kW laser, and he immediately introduced us to Dan Taylor from Kerf Developments as the technology partners were sharing a stand at MACH.”

Despite looking at many vendors, a demonstration at the Kerf showroom in Rochdale sealed the deal. Mr Pinder continued: “This was our first laser purchase, so we needed support and reassurance as we leapt into the unknown. The Kerf team put us at ease and emphasised their level of support, and they could not have been more supportive during demonstrations. We switched our requirement from a 3kW to a 6kW fiber laser to futureproof our business, and Kerf introduced us to the Lincoln Electric Linc-Cut 1530A.”

The Linc-Cut 1530A has a 3 x 1.5m bed and incorporates an automated double shuttle table with a 1-tonne capacity for loading and unloading sheets when the machine is cutting. The fiber laser cutting head has a 75μm compact laser source to enhance cut quality. Furthermore, it incorporates an autofocus function with automatic gas calibration and cutting height for optimised cut quality and repeatability.

Astounding ease of use

Kerf conducted cutting trials and invited the ExMesh production team to trial the machine. At the same time, the ExMesh health and safety manager reviewed the safety attributes of the Linc-Cut 1530A. With a two-camera safety system, protective enclosure, security windows, light safety barrier, high-grade laser, CE certification, a fume extraction system with Digifilter and a two-year warranty, the Linc-Cut 1530A passed the stringent health and safety requirements of ExMesh. Demonstrating its astounding ease-of-use, the large-screen CNC interface integrates two monitoring cameras and automated drawing, nesting, and database parameters with advanced functions like Flycut, Fast Cutting, Smooth Microjoint, Frame Border and Circle Centering, sealing the deal for the ExMesh operators.

Delivered in August, the Linc-Cut 1530A has hit the ground running, operating for 8 to 16hrs a day. The impact of the machine has been far-reaching. The sub-contract supply of laser-cut components ended immediately, saving the 95-plus employee business significant costs monthly. This will ensure the Linc-Cut 1530A has a staggeringly short payback period. Alluding to this, Mr Pinder added: “Despite its exceptional build quality and brand reputation, the Linc-Cut 1530A is also an extremely cost-effective machine designed and engineered in Europe. While we have to build labour and consumable costs into our ROI projections, we are already using the machine for much more than it was purchased for — meaning it will pay for itself in the very near future.”

The Expanded Metal Company 2Pictured left: ExMesh products manufactured on the Linc Cut 1530A

The ISO:9001, 14001, and ISO:45001 certified manufacturer has started moving work from punching and pressing machines to the laser. Mr Pinder added: “Punch and pressing requires tool changeovers and considerable set-up times. Now, we can put jobs straight on the laser and eliminate all that extra work — it is much faster than our punching machines with much better cut quality. For every job, our first thought now is ‘can we put it on the laser?’ and this is particularly the case for small batches.”

The Linc-Cut 1530A from Kerf Developments also streamlined lead times and inventory management. As Mr Pinder said: “Working to minimum-maximum level with our supply chain, we had to stock inventory of over 1,000-off of multiple parts to feed into our sub-contractors. This stock level has already dropped to 300-400, which will diminish further, freeing up valuable space and eradicating excess material and stockholding. From a lead time perspective, we do not have to work to 30 days by waiting for our suppliers. We can now do the laser cutting ourselves, reducing a 30-day lead time to a matter of days.”

Looking to the future, ExMesh purchased the 6kW Linc-Cut 1530A to open opportunities beyond its current scope — and this is already paying off. As Mr Pinder concluded: “With the Linc-Cut 1530A, we are now in charge of our destiny, and we are already receiving more bespoke sub-contract jobs from existing customers. Our ambition has always been to offer the Linc-Cut 1530A capacity as a sub-contract service, and this is already the case. The next stage for our business is to invest in a press brake where we can laser cut profiles and then fold the parts — expanding our sub-contract scope significantly. So far, we have cut everything from 0.7mm aluminium to 10mm thick stainless and the opportunities are significant. The future is bright thanks to Kerf Developments and the Linc-Cut 1530A.”