Based in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, Grail Engineering has offered a fast turn-round fabrication service for nearly half a century, supported by machining, finishing and on-site installation. Its structures have been supplied to such prestigious companies as Rolls-Royce, GlaxoSmithKline, Federal Mogul and Delphi Diesel Systems, as well as the MOD, Heathrow Airport — and even the Chelsea Flower Show.
Historically, the company sub-contracted the laser cutting of a wide range of materials, from stainless and mild steels to aluminium. However, this function was brought in-house in 2012 following the purchase of a Swiss-built CO2 laser profiling machine from Coventry-based Bystronic UK Ltd (
www.bystronic.com) — plus a CNC press brake from the same supplier. The £750,000 investment, which included modifying the factory, led to the formation of a new division — Grail Laser. This supplies machined metal sheet and plate to Grail Engineering; it also provides a sub-contract laser cutting service.
Managing director Chick Grail says: “Laser machining services are available in Tewkesbury and Bristol, but we are located between the two — in Cinderford — so there was a gap in the market geographically. In 2012, we felt that it was the right time to invest, as the UK seemed to be coming out of recession. It was the right call, as Grail Engineering had its best ever trading year in 2013, with staff even working over Christmas to meet demand. This year will be even better, if business carries on as it started in January.
“Most laser cutting sub-contractors stop at 12 or 15mm-thick material, so we decided to differentiate ourselves by investing in a machine capable of processing heavier-gauge plate up to 25mm. Sub-contractors never know what type of material they will need to cut next, so having greater capacity gives us a distinct competitive advantage.”
The Bystronic ByStar 3015 CO2 laser profiler, rated at 4.4 kW and with 3 x 1.5m capacity, was installed in March 2012 and can cut 25mm structural mild steel (S355) without any problems. Mr Grail says that the three other machines considered could not cut that thickness at all, or struggled to make a poor cut after some adjustment. “A higher-power CO2 source would have been needed, which would have cost more to buy and run.
“The Bystronic Xpert 250 press brake was also evaluated alongside three other machines. In this case, the 4m 250-tonne model was selected due to its superior accuracy when bending mild steel up to 25mm thick; we also liked the convenience of its control.”
Fast change-over
Justin Phelps — Grail Laser’s foreman, who programs and operates the Xpert 250 — said: “I have used Bystronic press brakes in previous companies. Their quick-change tooling brings change-over times down to less than a minute, as there is no need to line up the tools. It raises productivity, especially when producing one-offs and small batches. The automatic back-stops, which are programmable on this six-axis machine, also increase productivity. They do away with jigs and fixtures, allowing fast set-up and flexible programming.
“A few weeks ago, I bent 2m lengths of 10mm-thick stainless steel twice to form a channel. The press brake, with its built-in angle-measuring system and hydraulic crowning, held better than ±0.5deg and ±0.5mm accuracy across both bends and along the entire length of the channel. On single bends, we routinely hold ±0.2deg and ±0.3mm — even on thick, difficult materials. With that sort of repeatability, I know that once the machine is programmed and set, I can push all the other components through without checking them again.”
The Bystronic control system is DNC-linked to a seat of the manufacturer’s off-line programming software, which frees the machine for production when setting up and proving out the next job. Furthermore, the ByVision CNC system is closely integrated with Grail Laser’s SolidWorks and AutoCAD design software and directly accepts 2-D DXF files supplied by customers, thereby avoiding the need to program manually.
Mr Grail adds that another reason for choosing the ByStar 3015 was the absence of laser cutting knowledge in his company at the time. “However, we got to grips with the machine and control system quickly, and we are now fully conversant with the technology — thanks in no small way to the advice we got from Bystronic regarding programming and the best parameters to cut certain materials. Our latest apprentice — Ben Jones, who is on day release to Gloucestershire College — learnt to program and operate the machine without any trouble.”
Mr Grail anticipates that, by the end of this year, the 16% of Grail Laser’s output currently consumed by Grail Engineering will have fallen to 5%, as a result of expected growth in sub-contract laser profiling. Moreover, three more apprentices will be employed across the group to bring the number to eight from a total of 40 employees! Within the next two years, provided business growth continues at its current pace, the company will relocate to larger, nearby premises that are double the size of the current 18,000ft2 factory.