Producing entire assemblies rather than individual parts: that is the aim of the metalworking firm Kollinger. To achieve this, many production steps must mesh efficiently within the 22,000-square-metre production facility. The new key element is the tube laser: at the touch of a button, it cuts, drills and punches.
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For many years, the metal fabrication company CB Kollinger paid a great deal of money for external tube processing. “Several tens of thousands a year,” says Managing Director Thomas Bender. Procurement was also becoming an increasing problem within the company, explains Production Manager Alban Morina: “Our customers are demanding ever shorter lead times – outsourcing was holding us back.”
From punching to tube laser cutting
The reliance on external tube processing stemmed from the company’s history: for a long time, CB Kollinger primarily produced items for shopfitting. The rule of thumb was: “Tube punching beats tube laser cutting,” says Thomas Bender. This is because profiles for shop shelving and display stands, with their repetitive hole patterns, are ideal for the tube punching machine.
When one of our tube punching machines broke down, it quickly became clear that we needed a tube laser.
As the industry evolved, so did manufacturing: fewer tubes, but of greater complexity. Profiles with irregular contours increasingly had to be sourced from external suppliers using tube lasers. At the same time, bottlenecks in drilling and sawing processes were on the rise. The turning point came in 2025: “When one of our tube punching machines broke down, it quickly became clear that we needed a tube laser,” recalls production manager Alban Morina.
How the tube laser complements punching
Although the tube laser can produce the same cut-out geometries as a tube punching machine, it takes longer to do so. Alban Morina puts the time difference at ‘3 minutes instead of 40 seconds’. However, this applies only when the same cut-out is produced in large quantities. Under other conditions, the tube laser is more efficient.
This is because, for small batch sizes, the cost of producing a new punching die is greater than the time lost due to the slower processing with the tube laser. And for large batch sizes with different cut-outs, the tube laser really comes into its own: it combines what were previously separate production steps – such as punching, sawing and drilling – into a single process, thereby reducing the overall effort required.
ByTube Star 130: The speed was impressive
The choice fell on the ByTube Star 130 – partly because CB Kollinger already uses Bystronic flat-bed lasers and bending machines. One point, however, caused some uncertainty: the machine’s cutting head cannot be tilted, so angled cuts are not possible – a disadvantage when producing flush corner edges. A production analysis, however, provided clarity: “Around 90 per cent of our parts can be processed using the 2D cutting head,” says Morina.
At the same time, the ByTube Star 130 impressed with its “Quick Cut” feature: this involves the tube and the head moving simultaneously, which increases the cutting speed. Bystronic expert Daniel Brenner quantifies the efficiency gain: “Thanks to Quick Cut, productivity in Performance Mode is increased by an average of 8 per cent.”
Good technicians appreciate good technology.
CB Kollinger was quickly able to reap the benefits of the tube laser. “Bystronic really stepped up a gear once the purchase decision had been made: they even managed to organise the delivery over Christmas,” recalls Alban Morina. Just six weeks later, the ByTube Star 130 was up and running. The production manager was able to count on a motivated workforce: “Good technicians appreciate good technology.”
Efficiency gains across the entire operation
The tube laser has already brought about significant changes to the operation, according to Alban Morina: “The benefits are evident everywhere – from procurement right through to assembly.” Procurement benefits because it is now possible to process tubes that are not quite perfect, reports Managing Director Thomas Bender. This is made possible by automatic weld seam detection, as Bystronic expert Daniel Brenner explains: “The Weld Search Camera improves the quality of the parts, even when the raw material is substandard.”
Given the shortage of skilled workers, the tube laser is a huge help.
In day-to-day production, the tube laser eliminates the previous bottlenecks caused by sawing and drilling. At the same time, many manual steps are no longer required and internal logistics have been optimised, as sawing, drilling and punching are now combined into a single operation.
The ByTube Star 130 also boosts capacity: it replaces labour-intensive tube punching, which requires specialist expertise. This is an advantage that Managing Director Thomas Bender particularly values: “Given the shortage of skilled workers, the tube laser is a huge relief.”
Developing assemblies rather than supplying parts
Assembly is also much simpler thanks to the tube laser. Plug-in connections can be produced easily thanks to the tube laser’s high cutting precision. Parts are thus transformed into assemblies. This supports the goal that Thomas Bender is pursuing with CB Kollinger: “We don’t want customers; we want partners with whom we can develop products.”
We are now once again able to cope with the pressure of shorter delivery times.
With the ByTube Star 130, the company is now independent of suppliers even when it comes to complex tube machining. This increases profit margins and boosts flexibility, reports Alban Morina: “We can now once again cope with the pressure for faster delivery times.”
The investment in a tube laser has increased CB Kollinger’s vertical integration – without tying up additional resources. Capacity has grown, whilst processes have become leaner.
