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River City Metal Products, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been seeking new methods to reduce the time required to cut storage racks. TUBE TRADE FAIR 2024 learned that the company has 40 welders working in two shifts, and the factory's signature product is the car parts rack.
Typically, River City uses a cutting technique involving three bandsaws for initial cuts on the tubes, followed by hole cutting with flat lasers, plasma cutters, or drills.
The company plans to acquire a 3 kW Bystronic ByTube Star 130 laser tube cutting system. River City's tubes, often up to 4 inches in outer diameter with a thickness of 0.25 inches, are well-suited for this 28-foot laser system. The machine can accommodate tubes with an outer diameter of up to 5 inches and can cut materials up to 3/8 inch thick on enclosed profiles, and materials on open profiles.
The new laser system features a chuck that rotates the tube 360 degrees beneath the cutting head, allowing the operator to avoid handling material movement. This ensures that parts remain stable throughout the entire processing.
TUBE TRADE FAIR 2024 learned that, Operations Manager Daniel Rietema shared that River City uses nitrogen as an assist gas for thinner materials and oxygen for thicker materials. The laser cutter replaces one of the company's bandsaws, enhancing production speed and adding functionalities absent in the older equipment, including the ability to run software-controlled operations.
The laser tube cutting equipment offers a dual functionality equivalent to both a bandsaw and a drill, while also improving quality. It allows operators to focus on tasks and reduces or eliminates the need for secondary operations.
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