It is not the individual machine that decides. It is how they work together.
Modern machinery lets us make complex parts across several operations precisely, economically and repeatably – from the first cut to the finished assembly.
stainlesstec brings laser and punch technology, CNC forming, levelling, welding processes, surface finishing and assembly together within one broad in-house chain. That lets us coordinate a part’s entire route through the shop.
A part is rarely finished when it leaves the laser. It may then have to be bent, straightened, welded, ground and assembled. Each operation affects the next. We therefore treat our machinery as one connected chain:
Laser cutting – precise cutting in heavy material too
With a TruLaser 3030 and LoadMaster, stainlesstec cuts sheet up to 1,500 × 3,000 mm. Stainless steel can be cut up to 20 mm thick according to our currently published capability data.
The machine has a 5 kW TruFlo laser and CoolLine technology, which allows heavy material and complex contours to be cut precisely. Typical applications are:
Contour parts · blanks · enclosure parts · welding components · special geometries · small batches
Laser punching – cutting, punching and forming in one process
The TruMatic 7000 combines laser work and punching. Besides ordinary cut-outs and hole patterns, it can form features directly in the blank – for instance:
threads
extruded holes
embossing
louvres
swages
rolled beads
nibbled contours
Sheet up to 1,500 × 3,000 mm and 8 mm thick can be worked, and threads formed from M3 to M8. The combination is of particular interest on small batches, because extra operations or separate tooling can be avoided.
The more features are created in the blank itself, the fewer processes follow.
CNC bending and forming – the blank becomes geometry.
Bending is about more than the angle: material, thickness, bend radius, grain direction and the order of several bends all shape the eventual part.
stainlesstec works with a TruBend 7030, a TruBend 5085 and a TrumaBend V230, among others, plus several Fasti folding machines. CNC bending is currently stated up to 3,000 mm wide and 15 mm thick. Laser-assisted angle measurement supports precise positioning and forming.
The folding machines complement this especially on large sheets, which can stay resting on the support system while being folded.
Not every design consists of straight bends. A CNC-controlled Arkus12 section bender bends stainless steel and aluminium sections precisely. For cylindrical and curved sheet geometries, roll bending is available up to a current working width of 2,000 mm and 6 mm thickness. That allows components for:
Vessels · enclosures · rings · round parts · transitions · special structures
Straightening – precision sometimes means taking the deformation back out.
Punching, forming and welding put forces into a part. On large or heavily worked areas in particular, stress and unevenness can result.
With an Ungerer levelling machine, stainlesstec levels and relieves blanks and cut parts. According to our currently published data, sheet up to 1,500 mm wide and 12 mm thick can be levelled.
How important this can be is shown by a duplex steel centrifuge drum made here: 4 mm holes are punched in 5 mm material. The deformation that results then has to be brought back under control so that the finished product regains the flatness required.
Straightening is not a correction for poor work, then. It can be a deliberately planned part of the process.
Welding – from the specialist welder to the 8-axis laser
stainlesstec combines manual welding skill with automated welding technology. The range available includes:
TIG welding
MIG welding
welding with back purging
mechanised longitudinal seam welding up to 2,500 mm
CNC-controlled 3D laser welding with eight axes
3D laser welding in particular allows heat to be put in very precisely, which makes it attractive for suitable thin-walled or geometrically demanding parts. The technology does not replace our welders’ experience: material, seam geometry, clamping, heat input and distortion still have to be understood as one whole.
Automation gives repeatability. Experience gives process reliability.
Deburring and surface finishing – the cut edge is not the finished part.
After cutting, punching and welding, further operations may be necessary. A Timesavers 10 series machine is used here for deburring, edge rounding, grinding and polishing, among other things, with a vacuum table holding smaller blanks. Grinding patterns are also produced by hand or by machine. Currently stated are:
grinding to grit 400
part finishing up to 3,000 mm long
industrial grinding up to 1,500 mm wide
The surface can thus be matched to its eventual application within our own shop.
On high-grade stainless steel and aluminium parts, geometry that is technically perfect can still be ruined by scratches or pressure marks.
stainlesstec therefore has a blank filming line: delicate surfaces can be covered with protective film, which – as far as the work allows – stays on the part through further operations right up to final assembly. That is particularly relevant for:
Visible parts · ground stainless steel surfaces · high-grade machine cladding · food and pharmaceutical components
and it complements the controlled material handling of our segregated production.
For sections, tube and solid or hollow stock there is an automatic Kasto saw, among other equipment. It saws a range of metals – singly or in bundles and at defined mitre angles.
This seemingly simple operation matters too, when sheet parts, sections and tube are later to become one assembly.
Our capability does not end at the machine
Manufacturing becomes most interesting where individual parts turn into complete assemblies. Depending on the project, stainlesstec also takes on:
mechanical assembly
pneumatic assemblies
hydraulic components
electrical wiring
fitting and checking control systems
electrical testing
right through to plug-and-play units and system components. A drawing can therefore yield not just a sheet metal or welded part but a largely completed assembly.
Machines create possibilities. Specialists decide how we use them.
A large machine shop alone does not make a good manufacturer. The decisive question is:
Who decides which process is right for the part?
At stainlesstec, programming, production planning and the shop floor work closely together. A part can be laser cut or punched, formed on the press brake or the folding machine, welded by hand or by machine. The technically possible solution is not necessarily the best one in cost or quality terms.
Our capability at a glance
Process
Currently published capability
Laser cutting
up to 1,500 × 3,000 mm, stainless up to 20 mm
Laser punching
up to 1,500 × 3,000 mm, up to 8 mm
Thread forming
M3 to M8
CNC bending
up to 3,000 mm, up to 15 mm
Levelling
up to 1,500 mm, up to 12 mm
Roll bending
up to 2,000 mm, up to 6 mm thick, diameters up to 3 m
Section bending
flat, angle, T, U and I sections and tube; R min. 150–500 mm depending on section
Hand laser welding
with wire feed, up to 1.5 kW
Laser welding
with wire feed, max. 6 kW in the robot cell
3D laser welding
CNC-controlled, 8 axes
Longitudinal seam welding
up to 2,500 mm
Grinding
twin-belt grinder up to 3 m, grit to 400
Part finishing
up to 3,000 mm long
Industrial grinding
up to 1,500 mm wide
Part weights
generally up to 3,000 kg
For borderline cases and unusual materials we assess the actual geometry and requirement per project.
The right machine for your part? We would rather answer that once we have the drawing.
Material, geometry, quantity and the operations that follow decide which route makes sense. Send us the CAD data or the drawing. Our production planning team will assess which combination of cutting, forming, welding, finishing and assembly suits your project technically and commercially.
Let’s talk about your project.
Send us your drawing or CAD data by email – together with material, batch size and your requirements. We will come back to you with a sound assessment.
