SECOND NUKON FIBRE LASER FOR LEADING NORTH-WEST SUBCONTRACTOR

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 Nukon fibre laser.

Whereas AD Laser Cutting’s first fibre laser was a Nukon ECO 315 4kW model, its 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 metres x 1.5 metres. Chosen primarily for its side-mounted loading table, to better fit with the available floorspace at AD Laser Cutting’s brand-new subcontract 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 to precision-cut stainless steel of up to 25 mm in thickness.

“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,” comments AD Laser Cutting Ltd’s managing director, Darren Golden. “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. Also, from a purely commercial perspective, choosing Nukon again meant our guys could hit the ground running from day one.”

With powerful 2D flat sheet metal cutting capability and optional pipe and tube cutting and marking features, Nukon REX machines have been purposefully designed for subcontractors and organisations cutting small batches of varying shapes and sizes. Nukon REX fibre lasers offer high-spec 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 Ltd 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 kW to 8 kW. The more powerful 6kW model selected by AD Laser Cutting Ltd provides considerable capability and performance for cutting thicker metal sheet.

“The service and support we receive from the Nukon Lasers UK team and their sales director, Steve Haddrell, is nothing short of exceptional,” adds Darren Golden. “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.”

“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,” says Steve Haddrell of Nukon Lasers UK. “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.”