FAGOR ARRASATE TAKES A NEW TECHNOLOGICAL LEAP FORWARD WITH THE INCORPORATION OF LASER CUTTING IN ITS BLANKING LINES FOR STEEL AND ALUMINUM

With this technology FAGOR complements its technical capabilities, gains access to new sectors of activity such as the electric car and increases its sales by 15 million euros.

Fagor Arrasate, specialist in the development of solutions for the forming and processing of metallic materials and composites, has recently incorporated to its activity a laser cutting technology for the processing of metallic coils that complements its technical capabilities and that will allow it to approach the market with a more complete and innovative offer.

The company, headquartered in Spain, has recently integrated Danobatgroup’s coil laser cutting technology, understanding that its mastery of this technology and its experience in the market will be a stimulus that will enable it to access new niches of activity, such as manufacturers of new components for electric vehicles, as well as other sectors such as HVAC, steel tanks, silos or cookware and knives.

With the integration of the technology, know-how and experts in this field from Danobatgroup, Fagor Arrasate complements its current activities in the field of design and manufacture of metal coil cutting and processing lines and gives a decisive boost to its technical capabilities both for the development of laser cutting solutions and for the development of simulation software. The cooperative expects the new laser cutting lines to contribute additional annual sales of between EUR 10 million and EUR 15 million by 2024.

The operation is part of the inter-cooperation work that both Fagor Arrasate and Danobatgroup – belonging to MONDRAGON’s Industrial Automation and Machine Tool divisions, respectively – started a few years ago with the aim of identifying possible areas of collaboration that would enable them to become more competitive in the market.

What is laser cutting technology?

Coil-fed laser cutting lines are an alternative to traditional press cutting lines in certain market segments that do not require high production rates – such as the new niches created by electro-mobility – due to the greater flexibility they offer:

• Being equipped with a laser cutting cell, these lines are more adaptable to changes in production needs, being able to produce any part at any time in an easy and agile way. They can also work with different materials, such as steel, stainless steel and aluminum without the need to change tools, even if these come pre-painted and/or with protective film.
• By doing without dies for cutting formats, the change of production of references is almost immediate, avoiding production downtimes associated with die change. It also offers greater flexibility for the manufacture of parts with complex geometries. In addition, the need for storage space for the different sets of dies is reduced, as well as the initial investment and the cost of ongoing maintenance of a die pool.
• By starting from a coil, production costs are reduced because material usage is optimized and waste is reduced.
• Finally, installation costs are also significantly lower because the line is more compact and does not require pits, high buildings or cranes for die changes.