Jubilee Suppliers manufactures, under licence, a patented grid for storm water drainage. 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. The future of laser cutting Petrus Pretorious says Cosmo Group is seeing strong demand for laser-cutting and welding equipment in South Africa. “We have ordered three more of these Acme fibre laser cutting systems for our new showroom, which we will open next year, so that customers can come in and see what we can do for them. The one that Johan bought was actually supposed to be one of these, but he bought it before it reached our warehouse,” he says, adding that, at the time of writing, the other two were due to arrive in the next week or so. “The intention is to showcase the 3.0 kW and the 6.0 kW versions, each with a 3×1.5 m exchange table, and a 3.0 kW CNC laser system with an open 3×1.5 m table, which has a smaller footprint,” says Pretorius. When asked about the current state of modern CNC fibre-laser technology compared to CNC plasma alternatives, he notes that, cost-wise, laser cutting is now approaching the cost of plasma cutting systems and is, in fact, cheaper for thinner plate sections. “This Acme CNC system can be fitted with a 30 kW fibre laser, which can cut through 80 mm material, which is potentially competitive in terms of costs on thicker sections as well,” he points out. Handheld laser welding machines are also gaining popularity. “By mid-January, we will receive 10 laser welding machines as well. We can’t get enough of these new handheld machines, which are proving highly effective in modern fabrication shops,” Pretorius concludes. https://cosmogroupsa.co.za
When using oxygen, the 6.0 kW Max Photonics fibre-laser cutting system can deliver a 24 mm cut with exceptional cut quality.
with automatic fume extraction, emer- gency stop functions and safety in- terlocks, guarantees a safer working environment. • Heavy-duty welded frame: The ma- chine body is constructed from high- quality, whole steel plates that are welded and then heat-treated to ensure exceptional stability and resistance to deformation over a long service life. • High-precision transmission: Quality components from international brands such as Yaskawa and Panasonic servo motors and Taiwan-manufactured guide rails, gears and racks ensure smooth, reliable and precise movement. • High-quality cutting head: The sys- tems use auto-focusing laser cutting heads from brands such as Raytools and Precitec, which feature a double- layered, contamination-proof design to protect the lens. “From our new 6.0 kW Acme laser cutter, we can achieve a high-quality cut in a carbon steel sheet up to 10 mm thick using com- pressed air as the assist gas. And when us- ing oxygen instead, we can go up to 24 mm while still achieving exceptional cut quality. We tend not to push our machines to their maximum, though, so this machine will be used for cutting material between 16 and 20 mm thick,” says Johan Griesel. The first set of components to be cut on the machine? “We are building a luxury lodge in the Kruger Park at the moment, and we will be cutting the base plates, cleats and other components starting from next week. We expect it will take five or six sheets of 16 mm plate for all the compo- nents we need,” he adds.
ing between 15 and 25 seconds. • High-power fibre laser sources: Jinan Acme uses reputable fibre laser sources from brands such as IPG, Raycus and MAX Photonics, with power options ranging from 1.0 kW to 30 kW. This al- lows for faster cutting speeds and lower operating costs compared to traditional CO₂ lasers. • Material versatility: The systems can cut a wide range of sheet materials, including carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminium, copper and galvanised steel, in various thicknesses. • High accuracy and repeatability: Precision engineering and a sturdy, anti-deformation machine body ensure a high degree of accuracy. The system typically offers positioning accuracy of 0.03 mm and repeatability of 0.02 mm. • Full protective cover: Many Acme systems include a fully enclosed cover that meets safety standards such as CE and FDA. This protects operators from laser radiation, cutting debris and noise. • Automated operations: The machines have advanced CNC control systems that are easy to operate and reduce the need for manual intervention. They can also feature automatic focus adjustment on the cutting head, which optimises cutting conditions for differ- ent material thicknesses. • Automatic nesting software: Inte- grated software optimises the cutting path and layout of parts on a sheet to maximise material utilisation and mi- nimise waste. • Safety interlocks and fume extrac- tion: An enclosed cutting area, along
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November-December 2025
AFRICAN FUSION
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