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Award-winning van converter Trucksmith has literally put cutting-edge technology at the heart of its production process.
The Devon-based manufacturer has invested £1m in the latest metal cutting fibre laser technology from Amada. The equipment has enabled Trucksmith to automate production of sheet metal components for their market-leading low-loading Luton vans – which include the Renault Master LoLoader®, Vauxhall Movano KneeHi® and Fiat Ducato Canniloader®.
Daniel Trebble, Managing Director at the pioneering family-run business, said: “We have been innovating for more than two decades, and as technology has improved we have been first to embrace it. Fibre laser is a great example of how we can produce highly accurate components – even through the night using a fully automated cutting schedule– to enable our skilled people to build vehicles more efficiently.
“The technology we’ve chosen is not only more productive but also energy efficient, since it enables 2kW of laser power to profile steel components that would previously have required a 4kW laser.This new capability has been integral in our development of a brand-new dropside van we’re launching at the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham later this month – the Renault Trafic Target.”
The Amada laser technology can cut through 25mm sheet steel, has continuous variable beam control across every thickness of material and a cutting speed of over 4700 ipm.
Trucksmith has also installed an Amada ASLUL fully automated loading system for the laser cutter, capable of storing and auto-loading up to nine tonnes of raw sheet metal and processed components. The system also includes an Amada press brake with 3D touch screen control panel to enable manual finishing of components.
Trucksmith was recently voted Van Converter of the Year 2017 by readers of What Van? Magazine, and as well as the new Renault Trafic Target is set to launch a low-loading Nissan Luton in the summer.