News Platform Building: When more is more
Planning tool helps fabricator expand capacity
Early this decade, online retailers, data storage facilities and other industries were driving demand for large warehouse-like structures requiring a high volume of wireways the troughs (made of sheet metal) that contain a myriad of electrical cables and wires that crisscross facilities.
At the same time that TMF Metal Solutions was filling wireway orders for a mix of electrical and mechanical contractors, it was also fabricating environmental recovery tanks for large industrial generators, large industrial hydraulic implements and armor plate. That’s when the regional vice president of sales for Bystronic knocked on the fabricator’s door.
“It was a stroke of luck that we learned about Bystronic when we did,” recalls Travis Barrett , president of TMF Metal Solutions. The fabricator was looking to move production of wireways in house, rather than having to rely on its outside vendor. “Bystronic presented a suite of software solutions that made it possible to bring wireways production in house,” explains Barrett .
Bystronic machines and software are designed specifically for sheet metal processing.
Automation
To tap into this market advantage, TMF Metal Solutions installed two laser systems with automated material handling, four manual press brakes and three robotic press brakes to manage the demand for wireways.
“The Bystronic software can [help operators] cut sheets of steel from raw stock, send cut material to the robotic press brake and palletize the completed product,” says Barrett , crediting the automated aspects of the programming. The system also returns the scrap or end cuts to inventory. The Bystronic implementation at TMF Metal Solutions began in mid-2023 and was complete by early 2024.
A key factor in Barrett’s decision to transition to BySoft was the integrated automation capabilities. “Staffing was tricky then. We had concerns about the availability of a workforce and our ability to hire the employees to meet the wireways demand. We wanted to maintain the production in house, so we added the automation capabilities to ensure we had supply security,” recalls Barrett.
With the Bystronic suite and its automation, TMF Metal Solutions was able to staff quickly hiring for traditional sheet metal manufacturing then shifted to more technologyoriented manufacturing skills.
“Now, our employees are developing their software skills instead of pressing a foot pedal on the press brake. Their job has elevated to a higher level of fabrication work, including plotting the shapes in the software program,” reports Barrett .
With BySoft, the TMF Metal Solutions employees are honing their software skills.
Doing more with less
To operate TMF Metal Solutions’ nine new pieces of equipment without automation, Barrett estimates his company would have needed about one person per shift per piece of equipment. But with automation on the seven combined press brakes, the company employs three people who keep the equipment running continually over three shifts.
“Without Bystronic, we would have to throw more manpower onto the problem. Bystronic made all this a lot easier. Now our staff is excited to learn some new things about robotics and software. We lean into that eagerness,” he adds.
TMF Metal Solutions has begun to use automated planning and project demand for raw materials. “The biggest help that the BySoft software has offered us is in eliminating blind spots and increasing efficiency in manpower. We have less waiting around for components or subcomponents. The soft - ware helps us close the production gaps, eliminating human error in the supply chain,” says Barrett.
Implementation
Speed in implementation of its software is a point of differentiation for Bystronic. “We avoid the legacy situation of capturing past CAD files, data, etc. Instead, our implementation process is focused on what the fabricator has a current order for,” Haines explains. The BySoft system captures this data and automatically determines how long the project took to cut, weld, bend, etc. So, the next time the customer places a similar order, BySoft already has the details. “This unique approach ensures the system is starting to learn right away and it has eased customer concerns,” she says.
To support implementation with a customer, the Bystronic team holds weekly project meetings, then performs on-site training and gives go-live support. Being in Hamilton, Ohio, TMF Metal Solutions enjoys the added customer service. “It’s nice to have a core group of people at Bystronic we direct our questions to. They are local to us, which we also really appreciate,” notes Barrett, referring to one of the regional Bystronic offices in Cincinnati.
To support implementation, the Bystronic team performs on-site training and gives go-live support.
The TMF Metal Solutions team is making good use of the lucky connection with Bystronic, and customers are starting to notice.
“Our facility used to be a coil processing plant we even have a rail spur running through the middle of the shop. So, the exterior belies the automation we have brimming inside.
Customers are impressed when they see the high level of automation. They are surprised to learn that we are able to consistently maintain a high volume and quality with minimal staffing,” Barrett notes. That’s more than luck, that’s planning for the future.
Written by: FFJournal staff