Cosmo Group delivers ACME laser
African Fusion talks to Petrus Pretorius, General Manager of the Cosmo Group, and Johan Griesel, General Manager of Pretoria-based steel construction specialist, Jubilee Sup- pliers, about the state-of-the-art 6.0 kW Jinan Acme/Max Photonics fibre-laser cutting system recently installed in Jubilee’s Pretoria workshop. Cosmo delivers fibre laser cutting solution
F ounded in 2021, Jubilee Suppliers is a manufacturer and construction specialist in structural steel instal- lations in South Africa and across Africa. “I completed my apprenticeship as a fitter and turner in the mining industry, but min- ing wasn’t for me, so I joined my father in his construction company,” Johan Griesel tells AF . “I grew up on a farm, though, where I developed a love for working with steel, cutting and welding to make all kinds of structures for the farm. In 2001, my wife and I opened a new steel construction and contracting company, which we ran until 2021 when we stepped up again to form Jubilee Suppliers to be able to broaden the variety of products and services we could offer,” he adds. Laser cutting at Jubilee From a fabrication perspective, Jubilee receives structural steel detailing, typically as DWG CAD files, which are then used to cut and fabricate the components needed for onsite construction. Accuracy is impera- tive to ensure on-site construction proceeds without delay. “We strive to ensure that the steelwork we manufacture can be as- sembled onsite like a Meccano set. Whether
that we could not manufacture without the accuracy of our laser cutters,” Griesel points out. The 6.0 kW Jinan Acme CNC cutting system The new laser recently acquired from Cosmo Group is a 6.0 kW Acme laser with a Max Photonics fibre-laser cutting head. The fully closed unit, featuring a 3.0×1.5 m double exchange table, boasts a heavy-duty, stable structure for ac- curate performance and a design life of over 100 000 hours. A high-strength cast aluminium gantry with a double-drive structure carries the laser welding head, enabling high cutting speeds. Most notable about this system is its double-exchange worktable, featuring a fully enclosed laser-cutting area. This en- ables the machine to be safely unloaded and reloaded while the previously loaded plate is being cut. Once a cutting cycle is complete, the worktables are exchanged again, minimising delay between cycles. A CypCut/Beckhoff CNC cutting control system supports flexible production and easy operation, while imported high- precision transmissions and servo systems ensure precise cutting and efficiency. The machine’s enclosures and safety guards all meet CE safety standards, ensuring opera- tor protection at all times. Key features included in the Jinan Acme fibre laser CNC cutting systems range include: • Double exchange tables: Two auto- mated work platforms enable alternate operation. While one table is cutting, the operator can load or unload material on the other, providing a continuous workflow and eliminating the downtime traditionally associated with material handling. • High efficiency and speed: With the dual-table setup, Acme’s machines can boost production efficiency by up to 40%, with table exchange typically tak-
bolted or welded, every individual piece of the final construction must be joined securely to the surrounding pieces,” notes Griesel, adding that the starting point for achieving this is precision CNC laser cutting. On the laser, Jubilee typically cuts base and connection plates, brackets and flange cleats, which are then welded onto cut-to-length steel channel sections. The completed component set is then shipped to the site for the erection of the steel structure. “In one section of our factory, we also manufacture, under licence, a patented grid for storm water drainage. The ones currently being manufactured are destined for use on the runways at Dar es Salaam Airport. The bars are precision-cut with slots, assembled into a grid, and then welded at the end of each bar to secure the grid structure. “We then fasten these grids into a cast frame using snap-off bolts – to prevent theft once they are installed – before sending them to be galvanised. The result is a very strong grid structure capable of carrying a significant load (up to 1 000 kN), including a Boeing jet passing over them on take-off and landing. “These grids are very intricate structures
Jubilee Suppliers’ new 6.0 kW Jinan Acme CNC cutting system, recently acquired from Cosmo Group, features a Max Photonics fibre-laser cutting head, a 3.0×1.5 m double-exchange worktable, and a fully enclosed laser-cutting area.
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November-December 2025
AFRICAN FUSION
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