The new punch press machine, which will be one of 2 TruPunch 5000 on the premises, has a stroke rate of 1600/minute and will boost the company’s punching capacity by 55%.
Further productivity gains are expected as the new punch press machine is able to punch angled surfaces and comes with a brush table bed, which mean that it is noticeably quieter than the machine it has replaced. This, in turn, will enable Hitherbest to punch more metal at night.
Punching is often the first step in the sheet metal fabrication process. This versatile technology not only enables manufacturers to create holes in sheet metal parts, but can also be used for tapping, engraving, beading, forming and embossing.
Punching is ideally suited to the production of perforated sheets and grilles, representing a faster (and therefore more cost-effective alternative) to laser cutting. Traditionally, the choice of punching over laser cutting has sacrificed quality in favour of cost and speed. However, with the TruPunch 5000, part quality remains high, with some deburring operations able to take place on the machine. As the machine also has a brush bed, the underside of the metal it punches does not come into contact with the die, so does not become scratched as it would on other punching machines.
The purchase of the new punch press is part of an ongoing programme of investment in the company, which has been successfully operating for over 35 years and serves customers drawn from a wide variety of sectors, including HVAC, electrical and energy. The TruPunch 5000 was part-funded by a £20,000 grant awarded by the Business Energy Efficiency Programme, as it significantly more energy-efficient than its predecessor, with noticeably lower running costs.
