FACE TO FACE
RoboBend technology . The Compact EVO .
Boschert FiberLaser .
ISMR : How do you view the market , in general , for laser cutting systems ?
PS : Our CombiLaser is still a strong-selling machine . Users can add forming / punching to their fibre laser cutting operations . It combines the benefits of both punching and laser cutting . Although punching machines are becoming less popular , there are still applications for punch presses that are not possible for laser cutting systems . Combined machine operations offer great advantages for manufacturers .
The market for stand-alone flatbed lasercutting systems is a bit like a ‘ shark tank ’. There are too many competitors and very close price points , so we saw an opportunity to step in with our combined punch-laser machine as well as our stand-alone laser ( FiberLaser ). Our FiberLaser is slightly different from other stand-alone laser cutters because it moves the sheet using clamps , and features a y-axis cutting head , which allows the customer to work differently than on a flat bed laser .
ISMR : How are you approaching automation around sheet metal systems ?
PS : Automation is so important now in sheetmetal markets so Boschert and Gizelis have been working for a while on the RoboBend cell , which is being requested more and more by customers . Users can operate the machine with or without the robot arm , so the customer can also operate the machine manually if he wishes .
For loading and unloading punch presses and laser machines , we will deliver our first unloading / loading machine for metal sheet ( featuring a sorting unit ) this year . This is a big step for us as we are still a small machinebuilder from the south of Germany .
Below : A copper workpiece from a Boschert CU-FLEX machine .
ISMR : What are your views on the global business climate for sheet metal professionals in 2025 ?
PS : If you look solely at the sheetmetal machine market in Europe , I think 2025 will be a very difficult year . The signs are not good . Large companies are reacting to slower market conditions with short working and pay cuts .
We are small and adaptable , with a very wide range of machines across different industry sectors . In addition to sheet metal machines , we also offer copper bar punching and
New member of the Boschert family
Steelburner from Greece , a producer of fibre laser cutting systems , is the latest new member of the Boschert family . The family-owned , third-generation company has been producing machines in Thessaloniki since 1970 , starting with plasma cutting systems and now its FiberLaser fibre laser cutting systems .
Pagnaotis Apostolellis and his sons , Leandros and Vassilis , run the company and look after R & D and machine production . Boschert GmbH will be the sales partner for the D-A-CH region as was well as France ( with P & G Outillage ). It will handle machine set-up , training , service and spare part delivery , as well as being the primary customer contact .
This strategic alliance allows Boschert to close a gap in its portfolio and offer a complete range of sheet metal machines . The flatbed FiberLasers from Steelburner , featuring 6-20kW of power , are complementary to Boschertproduced machines as well as pressbrakes and shears from Gizelis S . A .
Pagnaotis Apostolellis and his sons , in front of the Steelburner Hyperion Q fibre laser .
ISMR November 2024 | ismr . net | 59