Built up letter production increases with a new laser welding machine

Adding to a growing range of state of the art machinery for modern signage and lettering manufacture, Applelec recently purchased a laser welding machine to improve built up letter production.

The laser welder is now speeding up letter production at Applelec’s signage manufacturing site in Leeds where it is used to construct stainless steel built up letters. The machine fuses together each letter’s face to its return to create a far more durable built up letters than those produced by hand soldering techniques. The fused metal seam is so robust it can withstand powder coating processes up to temperatures of 170˚-190˚, eliminating the need for a high temperature solder. The rapid letter production ensures labour time is reduced with any savings passed on to Applelec’s customers.

Andy Armitage, Applelec’s Business Development Manager, explains: ‘The machine is the latest addition to our Leeds factory and is used in conjunction with our automated return shaper to speed up Applelec’s metal letter making processes. This creates a highly organised letter production system that delivers tangible labour time-savings and production efficiencies. With faster production, we are working towards passing the benefits directly to our customers in the form of reduced costs for Applelec’s metal built up letters.’

Complimenting the automated return shaper which was named Delilah, the new laser welder has been given the name Samson to create a mechanical double act of biblical proportions! The machines are situated in a purpose built room in Applelec’s signage factory and managed by experienced letter making technicians.

Speed is the name of the game with the laser welder which can be used for 0.7mm – 3mm thick stainless steel thicknesses. The built up letter face and return is first tacked into position by the machine which takes just a couple of seconds to complete. Next, the built up letter is fully laser welded to create a continuous or intermittent seam depending on the requirements of the project.

Speeding up processes across the production line, the laser welder can additionally be used to quickly tack shaped returns to letter faces before they are passed to letter workers to be soldered. Similarly, the laser welder is used to weld bridges for fix

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