News From first job to Fiber Laser mastery at Nitator
It started with a summer job!
Markus Ledin's stepfather was an electrician here and was asked if he knew anyone who could paint a floor. That became the first summer job of Marcus Ledin. When the floor was finished, he was asked if he could operate an eccentric press. He had never seen one like that and didn't even know what it was. That was 25 years ago!
The floor that was to be painted was at Nitator in Oskarström and Markus Ledin, who is now 44 years old, is still there, now the head safety representative and laser operator.
"I learned, and enjoyed it, later I started with laser cutting, we had two CO2 lasers, 4000W and 6000W respectively, both have now been replaced with a newly installed fiber laser cutting machine from Bystronic of 10000W with full automation that is managed by ByTrans and ByTower."
Markus Ledin
An impressive facility
The old lasers had been in service for 20 and 15 years respectively, so it was high time they were replaced.
They were both from Bystronic, which is why Nitator looked for a new one that could replace the two faithful servants. The fiber technology was completely new to Marcus Ledin, but it was easy to learn. The technology is very user-friendly, according to Markus.
Nitator in Oskarström produces…
… parts for trucks, Volvo and Scania are on most order lists, but MAN and several others are also visible among the papers. - The majority are chassis parts, there are around 1000 complete parts in the database, and they deliver a complete solution to their customers.
"We cut, weld, paint and have final delivery directly to the customer. There is capacity for stainless steel, but most of it is in regular black sheet metal from one to twelve mm, with three being the most common. We have tested 50mm sheet metal and it went really well."
Markus Ledin
Working day and night
He is currently the only operator on the new fiber laser, but it runs unmanned even when Markus has gone home for the day.
The last thing I do before I go home is to load a production queue for the night and make sure that the cassettes are filled with sheet metal. Then it runs for 6-7 hours by itself, and everything is ready when I come in the morning and load the cassettes again.
A ByTower with 12 cassettes with space for three tons of steel in each ensures the night's mission. 10 material locations and three compartments for finished cut parts are serviced by a ByTrans Extended which administers the entire system.
Energy gains made
Safet Uzeirovic is the technical manager and says that they previously worked two shifts on the older machines, and that the fiber laser has now replaced these.
"In terms of energy, we have made a big gain compared to the number of parts we produce per hour. From a sustainability perspective, Nitator is to be the world's leading sheet metal component supplier to the automotive-related industry and the region's most attractive workplace. That's where you have part of the vision."
Safet Uzeirovic
Environmental considerations are important to the company, and 609 tons of sheet metal will be passed and refined through the new fiber laser annually, and with such quantities, it is wise to think about energy consumption, which has been significantly reduced with the switch to fiber technology.
Markus Ledin and a ByCut Smart with ByTrans Extended and ByTower will process 609 tons of sheet metal annually.
The entire system is programmed for the night's work before Markus Ledin goes home for the day.
Simple and smooth. Markus thinks it's a nice machine.
Some will first be sent for painting, other parts will be sent to the factory in Hylte, or as here, for final delivery directly to the customer.