Herzogenhuchsee, Switzerland—Michel Corporation, established in 1989 to do general locksmith and welding work, is today a progressive corporation with 20 employees that manufactures complicated precision sheet metal parts using the most technologically advanced laser cutting machinery available. In 2003, René Michel, the founder, invested 2 million Swiss francs in new production units, and the company plans on building another factory in the first quarter 2004 to serve its customer base, which includes mid-size to large businesses from the Swiss-German region.
The company bought its first Bystronic cutter 10 years ago. The center of its operation is CNC-laser cutting with an integrated automatic material handling system for the processing of sheet metal up to 25mm thick as well as the laser cutting of tubes and profiles.
In 2003, it was the first customer to use the new Bylaser 5200 ARC with an output performance of 5200 watts. René Michel says about the company's newest installation, "Our experience with the new system is very positive: we were able to raise the cutting speed in comparison to the previous model (a 4000-watt laser) by 30 percent. To date, the installation is up and running and is absolutely problem-free."
Exhibiting at Fabtech in 2003, Bystronic drew attention with its introduction of this laser with the integrated Adaptive Radius Control (ARC) and the wear-free semiconductor power supply that guarantees superb cut quality and process assurance that leads to significant time savings in part fabrication.
The Bylaser 5200 ARC is the most powerful and effective laser in its class. Improved cutting edge quality is achieved through the optimized laser pulse, which also provides for fast entry directly on the contour (piercing) and in the scanning function.
A new generation Bysoft software, which takes the process from file to part, considerably increases the usability of the new laser. This software can handle workflow from cutting to bending and 3D simulation of the bending sequences.
For more information on the new Bylaser 5200 ARC access the company's website, www.bystronic.com