PRODUCT REVIEWS
Stocking and processing
Quest 4 Alloys Ltd was established in 1991 as an independent UK stockholder and processor supplying specialist hightemperature and corrosion-resistant materials worldwide , to end-users and other stockholders . This includes sheets and plates from 0.4mm thick up to 500mm thick ,
“ Operating from our purpose-built service centre in the UK and offices in France , we can despatch orders by road , sea or air to meet our customers ’ exact delivery requirements . We can deliver coil ; sheet ; plate ; bar ; tube ; pipe and fittings . We stock and supply a wide range of grades of stainless steels ; nickel alloys ; duplex ; super duplex and titanium to customers across the globe . We offer a wide and varied range of both materials and products , supported by our extensive stock range and global supply chain , to meet nickel alloy , stainless steel and titanium requirements ,” it explained .
“ From extensive stocks or special production , if it is a special nickel alloy grade or an odd-sized pipe fitting , we can find it . Through our extensive worldwide approved supplier database , we have the experience and expertise to locate the most difficult of items . We supply special materials in all product forms from foil in strip to large bespoke forgings ,” it added .
Quest 4 Alloys started with two small slitting machines enabling it to offer strip in coil , over the years . Investment in modern equipment and experienced personnel has seen continued growth in the strip / coil part of the business . It supplies from 0.001 ” foil up to 5mm thick coils in widths from 3mm to 1500mm , in weights to suit individual project requirements .
The stockholder also supplies pipes , tubes and fittings in stainless steel and nickel alloys ( standard lengths or cut to a required length to minimise waste ). Stainless steels come in five main different groups ( Austenitic , Ferritic , Martensitic , Duplex and Precipitating Hardening ). Processing capabilities offered include slitting ; round edge / safe edge / deburred edge coils ; cut-to-length coil ; waterjet- / laser cutting of plate ; cut-tolength bar blanks ; turning and boring as well as third party testing and inspection . n
Above : Bystronic ByStar Fiber 4020 .
Below : Bystronic ByStar Fiber 3015 with ByTrans modular system .
Laser cutting in the fast lane
The flagship of Bystronic ’ s laser cutting systems is now available with 20 kilowatts of laser power and an optimised cutting process . Its latest generation cutting head was developed for consistently high quality with high laser outputs and demanding cutting applications .
“ Compared to 15 kilowatts , the productivity of the 20-kilowatt ByStar Fiber is on average 40 % in mild steel and stainless steel of 4mm to 20mm . This means that sheet metal processing companies can benefit from higher productivity at low unit costs because the new ByStar Fiber cuts steel , aluminium and stainless steel precisely . The 20 kilowatts of laser power thus enable maximum flexibility for both large series and urgent customer orders ,” said Bystronic .
“ Whether cutting aluminium , non-ferrous metals or steel , the high-performance Bystronic cutting head excels with maximum precision in both thin and thick sheets and profiles . The 20 kilowatts open up extended applications in steel and aluminium of up
Below : Bystronic Powercut Fibre .
to 50mm . The optional ‘ Parameter Wizard ’ ensures that the correct quality of the cut parts is always selected by obtaining the perfect parameter within minutes . The new power level is available for the ByStar 3015 , 4020 , 6225 and 8025 ,” it added .
The fibre laser cutting system is controlled using ByVision Cutting software via a 21.5-inch touch screen . Operating the machine , said the manufacturer , is “ as simple as using a smartphone .”
Bystronic offers a wide range of automation solutions for the ByStar Fiber . These include loading and unloading systems , sorting solutions and individually customisable storage systems . This makes it possible to create an automated laser cutting process that is seamlessly integrated and adapted to the existing production environment and available space . n
. bystronic . com www . quest4alloys . com
ISMR June 2022 | sheetmetalplus . com | 61