News Bendex in Hyltebruk chose a tube laser from Bystronic
“We are turning 25 next year, and are preparing for the future. The breadth of expertise together with the machinery we have mean that we can handle everything under one roof”
Carl Westman
In the generous premises just outside the Halland community of Hyltebruk, pallets filled with welded and bent tube structures stand ready for delivery to the civil engineering and building industry. When we take a tour of the premises, Carl Westman - CEO of Bendex explains that his team likes to get involved early in various projects for prototype development that later leads to series production.
Difficult and complicated - Good.
Here, round, square and elliptical tubes are bent with the highest demands on precise dimensions and in a seemingly infinite number of bends.
We have a motto in the company: "if it's difficult and complicated, come to us," says Carl and highlights the competent staff.
They usually say that they turn to companies that want small and medium-sized series, but that's so relative, they define themselves that way, but it perhaps says more that they process 1600 tons of pipes and sheet metal per year.
A lot of it is series production, but they are also happy to take on special assignments. One such was when they manufactured guides for the VIP section at Avicii Arena in Stockholm.There were many and special bends there on the pipes.
That's a lot of details!
All these tons Bendex converts into just over 1.8 million different parts during a normal year. In order to be fast and efficient in the entire production line from prototype to production, it is important that the machinery is complete and flexible, according to Carl Westman.
In the production hall there is a 150-ton press brake, but what is interesting is the robot-equipped "hot-dog stand" as it is called on the workshop floor. It is a small and handy 80-ton press brake where the operator can sit down at the workstation and input details to be bent. Now automated with a robot that is connected when necessary.
“We have supplemented it with an MBR, which stands for Mobile Bending Robot. It produces without an operator to take away the tedious jobs. An easy way to increase the degree of automation on an existing press brake and put the more advanced tasks on our competent employees”
Carl Westman
The fastest tube laser on the market
Bendex previously had a Fiber laser and two press brakes from Bystronic. Now they have also invested in a tube laser from Bystronic.
Alban Rusha has worked at Bendex for 18 years and is working with the new tube laser. He is impressed by the speed and precision of the newcomer to the machinery park.
Opens up for new solutions
The maximum length of the tubes is 6.5 meters, but the most common length for Bendex is usually around 3.5 meters and they also make short ones of 10 centimetres, explains Alban, taking out a square tube where he shows how the tube laser can make a cutout on three sides, which means that you can easily bend an angle of 90 degrees by hand, which is then welded.
This is an alternative if the customer does not have a bending machine on site. You just have to let your imagination run wild when it comes to what angles and grooves the finished tube should have. There are many options, you can easily let the laser make a cutout at one end and an edge at the other, and then you can easily build a Lego where the pieces fit into each other. And it's quick.
Alban Rusha
Jannis Kolimenos as a salesperson for Bystronic is visiting during the day, and he confirms:
We have compared tube laser cutting machines on the market and found that our By Tube Star 130 is 15–20% faster than the others in the same segment. The maximum size in this version is 6.5 meters, and since the standard lengths of tubes are around 6 meters, it can handle most on the market
Jannis Kolimenos
Some of the 1.8 million parts that leave Hyltebruk annually for their journey to the market.
When automation is needed, an MBR is parked in front of one of Bystronic's small and handy press brakes. Jannis Kolimenos and Carl Westman note that it was a perfect solution for Bendex.
Jannis Kolimenos from Bystronic says that tests show that this model is fully automatic on both open and closed profiles and the fastest on the market in this segment.
A By Tube Star is loaded with a tube package and it cuts, makes holes and cutouts at a dizzying speed.