Page 26 - MetalForming June 2012

ECCO installed its laser-cutting machine in August, 2011. The machine has a 120- by 60-in. worktable and a 6-in. z axis. Its unique architecture allows full accessibility to the working area from three sides.
Fiber Laser
From its founding in 1960 in the back of a garage in northern Alberta, Canada, ECCO Manufac- turing has evolved into one of North America’s largest manufacturers of HVAC sheetmetal products. The com- pany employs approximately 600, who work out of a combined 500,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing and distribution space in facilities in Langley, British Columbia, Calgary, Alberta, and Kent, WA.
ECCO manufactures HVAC prod- ucts—pipe, duct, boots, elbows, and fit- tings—for commercial and residential installations. It fabricates ferrous and nonferrous materials from 30 to 10 gauge, to create highly engineered prod- ucts in rectangular, round, flat oval or other shapes. From initial estimate to completed job, it assists its customers in coordination, fabrication and shipping of everything from mass-produced quantities to custom OEM products.
New Plant, New Fiber Laser
In 2010, the ECCO Calgary facility moved to a new manufacturing plant
and distribution center, comprising 7 acres under one roof. Shortly after it moved in, the plant welcomed a new fiber-laser cutting machine—a Plati- no 2D flat-sheet and plate processing machine from Prima Power. The laser purchase culminated a long and thoughtful equipment-decision process, says David Mackay, assistant plant manager.
“The process started back in 2008,” recalls Mackay, “when we were quoting on a fairly large and cost-sensitive job. We did some investigating and discov- ered that on some high-volume items, we could save as much as five or six percent per part by using laser cutting rather than band-saw cutting. That prompted our initial and serious dis- cussions about purchasing a laser.”
Mackay explains that prior to pur- chasing the Platino fiber laser, the ECCO facility produced most of its contoured parts on its five vertical band saws. “We still perform stack cutting of the contours on the band saws, after shearing the material to the blank size we need,”
notes Mackay. “We also have punch presses, but our thin-gauge material is a challenge for the presses. With a punch press, the clamps that hold the material and shift it side to side and front and backs can cause the material to buckle. To avoid buckling, we have to slow the punch press down. Cutting on the laser, the material remains stationary while the cutting head moves—no worries about buckling.”
Why a fiber laser?
“During our research,” says Mackay, “we became sold on the fiber laser. We learned that the machines have fewer consumables than CO2 laser-cutting machines, that the technology is per- fect for cutting thin material, and that we can use our shop air for cutting purposes, eliminating the need for oxy- gen or nitrogen. Including costs for all of the consumables, power and other operating costs, we have seen quotes of $15/hr. for operating a comparable CO2 laser (excluding labor), compared to $5/hr. with a fiberoptic laser.”
24 MetalForming/June 2012
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