Expanding service provider

March saw the official opening of Rugby-based laser technology specialist MSS's new showroom. The new 16,000 ft2 showroom doubles its capacity and is intended to prepare the company for the economic upturn, when the company anticipates that demand for its refurbished lasers and new nitrogen generation plants will soar. Indeed, the company is aiming at 100 per cent growth over the next 3-5 years. "There will be a shortage of good quality machinery once the recession ends, so increasing our capacity now will put us in a good position to service the anticipated demand," explains Neil Jackson, general manager at MSS Lasers, who added that the company is "strategically stocking" machines ready for such a demand. But demand there already is: at the Open House event in early March, "there were no 'tyre kickers,'" it is emphasised. Image: MSS' new facility. The official opening day saw much interest, reports the company The new facility will be dedicated to the final preparation stages of laser refurbishment (early stage will still be carried out at its other Rugby site), and to the assembly and testing of nitrogen generators, enabling customers to see a range of fully operational equipment. MSS Lasers has extensive experience in laser cutting and nitrogen generation, so it can offer clients impartial advice on their choice of machinery. "We will typically have eight laser machines refurbished to 'as new' condition on demonstration at any one time, from different manufacturers, and three brand new nitrogen generation plants," Mr Jackson adds. "That way, we can recommend the most appropriate make and model of laser for each customer's application." Factors include footprint, power, bed size, the types of job to be cut, running costs, budget and the individual characteristics of each make of machine. With 13 employees – five of them field engineers – MSS Lasers claims to be the largest independent provider of laser cutting service, repair and maintenance in the UK, servicing all makes, including Bystronic, Trumpf, Amada, Messer Griesheim and LVD. Service is the backbone, emphasises Mr Jackson, with this establishing good relationships with customers, who then go on to buy refurbished machines, being the strategy. The breakdown by turnover is service, 25 per cent; nitrogen generators, 30 per cent, with machine sales the remainder. And the new showroom is intended to take clients' perception to a new level, with a dedicated training area, as well as demonstration, try out and testing facilities. "Our aim is to provide a centre of excellence for lasers and to give customers the type of experience they would normally only get when buying a new machine, but with the added advantages of purchasing used. This allows them to acquire a CNC laser cutter at the fraction of the cost of a comparable new one," underlines Mr Jackson. A rebuilt laser machine will see anywhere between 300-400 man-hours and £20,000 to £40,000 spent on spares, and the completed machine will have a comprehensive parts and labour warranty. A new computer system is about to be employed that will support improved documentation and cost control, this replacing a current paper-based system. Image: What's in a laser? MSS knows its way around stuff like this, a Fanuc laser system A fully refundable deposit is part of the offer, too, should the required machine not be available or should it not perform at the agreed level. So far, some 60 machines have been sold, almost half having been exported. Turning to nitrogen generator sales, it is the MSS' ability to size systems accurately that is its strength, he stresses. "To size systems accurately, you have to have a laser background. Other companies can over spec a system by as much as 80 per cent, in terms of capacity. You'll never get a payback." And the 60 or so systems sold over three years, he highlights, deliver a typical payback of three years for the £15,000 to £150,000 investment. The largest customer has five laser machines, but companies with just one machine can benefit, depending on volume of nitrogen used. Starting with the entry-level Econogen system, companies spending as little as £1,000 per month on delivered nitrogen can profitably switch to nitrogen generation, it is suggested. There are over 100 lasers in the UK served by its nitrogen generators, Mr Jackson underlines. Key to the economic sizing of systems is an understanding of power and gas purity. While all laser machine makers will state nitrogen purity required as being 99.999%, this is not always the case, Mr Jackson explains. "For 15 mm stainless steel on a 4 kW laser, you will need such a purity. But, for 1.5 mm thick, 500 ppm is okay. Typically, one of three purities is specified – 50 ppm, 250 ppm and 500 ppm." The impact is graphically explained. Comparing the volume of nitrogen delivery from the same generator, for a 50 ppm requirement, the output will be 2/3, or less, of that delivered at a 500 ppm quality level. Box item 1 Origination of an idea – MSS beginnings MSS was set up in 2003 by Carlos Gonzalez-Lee, who undertook laser-related studies at Liverpool John Moores University, gaining an engineering MSc. After working first for MJ Technologies as a designer and project engineer responsible for installation and acceptance at customers globally, he joined LVD as service manager. It was there that his independent laser service idea was born, while his thesis when at university, relating to the use of oxygen with laser profilers, has helped the company economically spec nitrogen generators for nitrogen-assisted laser profiling. Box item 2 Applications in brief Coventry-based fighting vehicle subcontractor Lightning Aerospace is applying Water Jet Sweden's (01937 845499) expertise and technology for accuracy and speed in the manufacture of parts. The move follows production director Peter McNiece's arrival at the company in 2009, bringing with him a wealth of experience, including recent advantages of water jet cutting, particularly in working with Water Jet Sweden. Although the company was already using laser profiling and a water jet profiler some 12 years old, Mr McNiece saw an immediate need for more advanced water jet technology, such as the WJS NC 4020 Duplex profiler. With the new WJS profiler installed, the company is now able to offer a 24 hour turnaround facility. Image: Water jet-cut parts at Lightning Aerospace Bradford-based subcontract fabrication specialist Powell Manufacturing has achieved 99.68 per cent uptime since installing its latest TruLaser 3040 laser cutting machine from Trumpf (01582 725335). Elsewhere, Powell Manufacturing demanded high uptime guarantees before committing to the purchase of the TruLaser 3040 to ensure that it could continue to meet the expectations of its high-profile customers in industries such as electronics, construction and automotive. Powell Manufacturing uses its TruLaser 3040 to process everything from 0.5 mm aluminium (for electronics industry parts) up to 20 mm stainless steel (balustrade and balcony parts for the construction sector). Batches range from 1-off up to thousands. "Turnaround times are tight and there is little if no margin for machine downtime, particularly with regard to our laser cutting facilities, which are integral to our operation and productivity," says Powell Manufacturing's sales and marketing manager, Peter Watts. Image: Powell's Trumpf TruLaser 3040 is supporting speedy turnarounds First published in Machinery, May 2010