Laser can cut, weld, polish, and coat… but can it also inspire? It certainly does in Nienburg an der Weser, Germany, at a former millwrighting company, called Maschinen- und Apparatebau Riekemann. In 2016, the company installed a Mazak fiber laser machine and has been working wonders ever since.
The founders’ father, Carl Wilhelm, was a skilled engineer who set up a mill construction company in 1978 with five employees. Forty years later, brothers Rolf and Klaus Riekemann are running the family business with 30 people. The original profession of mill construction and woodworking is a mere memory as the focus has shifted to metal, especially sheet metal machining and conveyors for bulk materials, often designed to customer specifications.
“Twenty years ago, we made an investment in a punching machine combined with a plasma cutting head,” recalls Rolf Riekemann. “At that time, we could not afford the price and operating costs of a CO2 laser machine but things changed when fiber laser technology arrived.” Riekemann considered several vendors and products, ultimately opting for a fiber laser-cutting machine from Yamazaki Mazak, with the model OPTIPLEX NEXUS FIBER (3 kW), designed to handle large parts (up to 1,626 by 3,060 mm) at a speed of 60 metres per minute.
That was the start of a new exciting journey, as the acquisition of the machine was just the first step. “We really turned all our processes upside down,” Riekemann shares. “Based on our previous experience with plasma cutting, we took it for granted that the machine worked for half a shift. Instead, the newcomer was very fast, so we could handle many more new jobs from customers in the neighbourhood and far away. Overnight, we could offer 3D metal parts and complete welded assemblies, leveraging the speed of the laser-cutting machine combined with the press brake.” The Mazak machine was a perfect fit for the typical strategy of a job shop like Riekemann, that needs machines that can be immediately profitable.
Motivated staff
After the initial venture into laser technology, the Riekemann duo soon realised that software could boost efficiency. The Mazak program allowed the company to manage a significant expansion of orders. “Mazak Smart System sorts jobs by material thickness and type, as well as requested delivery date,” Riekemann explains. “With the new software, we can offer more attractive pricing and win new customers. The most recent one came from Bavaria – it’s amazing!” Meanwhile, Riekemann has reached up to 400 customers ordering parts or assemblies in quantities from 1 to 100.
The reorganisation of the company also involved the workforce. “The younger staff pushed themselves immediately to the front of the line,” Riekemann said. “They have fun with the laser and this technology has helped us find new, excellent employees and secure their satisfaction and loyalty.”
To win the staff’s support for the new machine, Riekemann initially allowed them to laser several components for testing. Around the laser machine, you can still find Eiffel Towers and weathercocks created by laser novices during their training phase. Riekemann continues, “Was there any better way to increase their motivation?” Access to the new technology is also simplified by the ergonomic control, which allows Riekemann to involve even unskilled operators in the process, avoiding preliminary training and the related costs and time.
What else has changed with the introduction of laser machining? Today, in Nienburg, production has been expanded to components for aerospace testing plants or sheet metal parts for the automotive industry or industrial equipment manufacturers. “In the past, we could not serve these customers, as we could not offer adequate performance levels and our prices were not attractive,” Riekemann remembers with satisfaction. “However, we still handle small batches up to 100 parts, we want to have the cake as well as the chocolate chips.”
Based on our previous experience with plasma cutting, we took it for granted that the machine worked for half a shift. Instead, the newcomer was very fast, so we could handle many more new jobs from customers in the neighbourhood and far away. Overnight, we could offer 3D metal parts and complete welded assemblies, leveraging the speed of the laser-cutting machine combined with the press brake
Rolf Riekemann, Owner
Automatic head adjustment
Riekemann is not using the laser machine at full load on three shifts. They cut construction steel S 235 and S 355 up to 20 mm in thickness and stainless steel (1.4301, 1.4571) as well as aluminium up to 12 mm in thickness, brass and copper up to 6 mm, as well as armoured and sanded materials. “As we manufacture conveyors for bulk materials like stones and earth, we also machine high-resistance steel types,” Riekemann adds. “And since we have our own assembling staff, we can also take care of mounting operations.”
“This proves how flexible the plant is,” adds Sascha Fritze, Business Unit Manager Laser of Yamazaki Deutschland GmbH. “The Mazak Multi-Control cutting head adjusts itself automatically to most different materials.” The Zeta-11 technology incorporated into the head adjusts the entire cutting process and monitors all the parameters and several functions automatically. It controls everything from nozzle cleaning and changing, to adjustment operations, up to the cut-out of grids or clean machining of thick parts with very sharp contours. Another plus, according to the Mazak laser expert, is that all adjustments are carried out automatically during the process: “The operator does not need to go back into resting position when mechanical changes are required. So, for instance, they can drill holes with a very clean and fast process because all the parameters are adjusted correctly. Many customers use the holes drilled with our laser as thread holes or tapholes.”
“For a newcomer of laser machining like our company, it was great to acquire a machine equipped with so many functions and features,” Riekemann says. “It is amazing how much the machine can handle, adjust and correct automatically. When we process overly curved sheet metal parts, it can even adjust the head distance from the surface automatically.”
Functions like nozzle adjustment and replacement were new for Riekemann as well. Now they had a machine that managed all these functions automatically, “it was an excellent starting point for us – this is in line with our philosophy,” adds the Mazak Manager, “as we see any manual operation as a potential source of errors.”
Riekemann has been struck by one functionality especially: “The automatic acceleration and adjustment of laser power to the part contours offers significant benefits starting from models with just 3 kW of laser power. Now, we can machine even 20-mm-thick stainless steel or armoured materials that normally required a plasma cutting plant, while now we can achieve the same result with a clean and cost-effective laser beam.”
The Saxony-based company can also offer 24-hour delivery for laser-cut parts thanks to the integrated CAD-CAM-function. Urgent jobs are submitted as digital files (in dxf, dwg or Step formats) that the Mazak software translates into machine code for the laser head and for the press brake as well. Fritze adds, “Mazak does not manufacture any press brakes but our software can configure the bending process.”
So, thanks to integrated intelligence, the company can leverage an efficient combination of laser machining and bending operations. As an additional benefit, the Mazak system can translate the most popular CAD data automatically. Riekemann says, “We do not make any more prototypes, because we can laser and bend any part directly in one pass. In the past, we had to make bending tests, now the approach by trial is forgotten.”
For a newcomer of laser machining like our company, it was great to acquire a machine equipped with so many functions and features… the machine can handle, adjust and correct automatically. When we process overly curved sheet metal parts, it can even adjust the head distance from the surface automatically.
Rolf Riekemann, Owner
The automatic acceleration and adjustment of laser power to the part contours offers significant benefits starting from models with just 3 kW of laser power. Now, we can machine even 20-mm-thick stainless steel or armoured materials that normally required a plasma cutting plant, while now we can achieve the same result with a clean and cost-effective laser beam
Rolf Riekemann, Owner
Top advice
The ‘icing on the cake’ in this exciting two-year experience exploring new forms of sheet metal operations was a piece of advice from a Mazak employee. “They suggested we make taps into sheet metal using laser,” Riekemann continues, “so that we could then easily assemble all the parts into one component. With this process coming from the furniture industry, we can reduce welding operations … which means lower heat transfer and shorter lead time. The taps processed with the laser beam are so accurate that even measuring operations have been eliminated.”
JUST THE BEGINNING
For the German company, it was quite clear that the first Mazak laser was just the beginning. “Our operator Stefan kept telling me that we needed a more powerful laser machine,” Riekemann concludes. “He displayed much interest for the new Direct Diode Laser (DDL) technology from Mazak.”
Therefore, in 2022 Riekemann invested in a larger OPTIPLEX 3015 Fiber III 8kW. “This allowed us to offer our customers an even broader field of work. At the same time, thanks to the speed of the OPTIPLEX 3015 Fiber III, we have increased material throughput and reduced nitrogen consumption.”, says Riekemann. He continues, “The advancements made to the cutting head lowers energy consumption and the machine is easy to handle and operate. Mazak machines are characterised by high accuracy and reliability, which we have clearly seen in our 6 years of experience with their machines in our company. So again, a very positive development across the board.”
On the topic of service and aftersales support, Riekemann added “The transport and replacement of machines has been quick and smooth thanks to Mazak’s competent partners. It happened like clockwork. Mazak has been quick to support through all aspects of logistics, construction and recommissioning, which is paramount when making an investment like this.”
Thanks to the speed of the OPTIPLEX 3015 Fiber III, we have increased material throughput and reduced nitrogen consumption… Mazak machines are characterised by high accuracy and reliability, which we have clearly seen in our 6 years of experience with their machines.
Rolf Riekemann, Owner
