FOCUS ON SURFACE FINISHING
The easy-to-operate FlatMaster ® is designed to ensure perfectly flat and almost stress-free parts within seconds .
Above : Levelling at Wrightform typically called for manual labour , an expensive and time-consuming process .
New challenges call for a fresh mindset
The manufacturer currently employs more than 50 people and operates two laser cutting machines , with a third arriving imminently , as well as three press brakes and an edge-radius and polishing machine . In recent years , however , Wrightform ’ s thriving business has faced new challenges . Metal processing typically requires manual labour , yet experienced staff are currently hard to find in rural areas of Great Britain . Furthermore , Wrightform ’ s business development manager , Steve Larkins , noticed that the quality of the raw material used at the Eye site was decreasing .
“ Many times , the metal sheets looked fine at first . But as soon as we started cutting parts out of them , their inner tension was released often leading to a finished product that looked deformed ,” he explained .
As a result , many parts must be levelled by hand , an expensive and timeconsuming process requiring skilled labour . At the same time , companies are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of high-quality parts levelling for further processing .
“ As a subcontractor , we were always looking for innovative technical solutions to offer the best quality to our customers ,” Steve Larkins said . “ We realized that an automated and consistent process could help us in delivering high levelling quality in a reliable , time- and resource-efficient way .’’
base . A visit to Germany finally paved the way to the desired solution .
“ I first saw the ARKU FlatMaster ® during a site tour at machine-tool and laser manufacturer , TRUMPF . Until then , I didn ’ t know such levelling machines existed ,” Ken recalled . The machine quickly sparked his interest . “ Other machines on the market are often less versatile . We were looking for a solution that not only offers faster levelling but is also easy to use and provides lasting results without any bends or tensions in the material . Once we had all the
Left : Although metal sheets often appear even at first , cutting may release internal tensions , resulting in deformed products . information on the FlatMaster ®, we went for it very quickly ,” Ken Rose explained .
Since Brexit was looming on 1 January 2021 , the installation and commissioning of the machine in the last quarter of 2020 took place under considerable time pressure . Faced with possible import taxes , Wrightform decided to set up the leveller just before Christmas . A tight schedule , especially since the commissioning by ARKU had to be completed within a few days . Nevertheless , everything went smoothly , and after a quick and thorough installation , the FlatMaster ® was up and running in Eye .
Rapid levelling and automation
The ARKU FlatMaster ® sheet-metal leveller enables Wrightform to considerably speed up operations . Within seconds , said ARKU , the levelled parts are perfectly flat and
A chance encounter
With this idea in mind , Ken Rose , Wrightform ’ s director , and his team began looking for matching technology that would help them automate and speed up their levelling processes . Yet most machines on the market lacked the flexibility to process all applications for Wrightform ’ s diverse customer
The shop floor at Wrightform Ltd .