Uniforest’s Advanced Manufacturing Facility: Elevating Production to New Heights

In July 2024, Uniforest proudly opened the doors to its cutting-edge production facility, underscoring our commitment to innovation and efficiency. Spanning over 5,500 m², this new space enhances our manufacturing processes, providing us with the latest technology to deliver superior products more efficiently.

The facility houses a wide range of advanced capabilities, including laser cutting, bending, sheet metalworking, manual and robotic welding. With an emphasis on seamless integration and optimized workflows, we’ve taken significant steps toward improving our production's quality and speed. Let’s take a closer look at some of the standout features of this state-of-the-art facility.

Welding: Enhanced Capabilities and Workflow

The core of our new welding plant is the MAG welding process, complemented by a skilled team of certified welders. The welding area has been redesigned to optimize the layout of workstations, robotic cells, and material handling systems, ensuring smoother operations. Spacious work areas are equipped with overhead and pillar-column cranes, while two 2.5-ton bridge cranes support the handling of large parts.

In terms of quality control, our modern 3D scanning technology and a dedicated measuring room ensure that every weld meets our high standards. Additionally, advanced air extraction and recuperation systems help keep the work environment clean and safe, reducing dust and maintaining air quality. Temperature control, with floor cooling and heating, ensures that the welding environment remains consistent, contributing to more reliable results.

Laser Cutting: Speed and Performance Unmatched

Our Bystronic Byistar Fiber Laser cutting machine is a key asset in the new production facility, delivering unmatched speed and performance for sheet metal cutting. Capable of processing sheets up to 3000 x 1500 mm, this laser cutting system operates incredibly efficiently, offering a maximum positioning speed of 169 m/min.

The machine features an automatic nozzle changer, nozzle cleaning, and calibration systems, ensuring consistent quality throughout the cutting process. It is compatible with various cutting gases, including Nitrogen, Oxygen, and MIX GAS (a combination of Nitrogen and Oxygen), which allows for faster cutting speeds and cleaner edges—particularly useful for smaller holes and detailed contours.

Bending: Versatility and Efficiency

The new production facility includes three advanced bending stations, each equipped to handle different sheet metal bending tasks. Here’s a closer look at the key machines in our bending process:

• BYSTRONIC XPERT PRO 200/3100: This machine can bend sheet metal up to 3100 mm long with a maximum tonnage of 200T. Its 5-axis back gauge system, combined with high-speed axes, allows for flexible and rapid bending operations. The LAMS (Laser Angle Measuring System) ensures that each bend meets the required specifications, while automatic tool setup and validation further streamline the bending process.

• Bystronic Bybend Star 80/1530: For smaller bending tasks, the Bybend Star 80/1530 is perfect, with a bending capacity of up to 1530 mm and 80T of tonnage. It features a 6-axis back gauge system and the RF-A Pro tool clamping system, offering fast and reliable bending.

• Bystronic Bybend Star 80/1530: For smaller bending tasks, the Bybend Star 80/1530 is perfect, with a bending capacity of up to 1530 mm and 80T of tonnage. It features a 6-axis back gauge system and the RF-A Pro tool clamping system, offering fast and reliable bending.

Automated Storage and Material Handling

Our new facility also features a fully automated warehouse, streamlining material management and ensuring that production flows efficiently. The Bystronic By Store system includes 18 towers with 31 floors each, offering a total of 534 storage locations for sheet metal and large cut parts. This automated system makes it easy to track inventory in real-time, reducing material waste and ensuring optimal stock levels.

To complement the warehouse, we use the BTM (By Trans Modular Flex 3015) material handling system, which can handle sheet metal sizes from 1500x1000 mm to 3000x1500 mm, with a thickness range from 0.8 to 25 mm. The system automates the delivery of materials directly to the robotic bending cells, reducing downtime and enhancing production efficiency.

Innovation Behind the Scenes: The Technology Department

The new production facility is also home to our Technology Department, where a team of development technologists works tirelessly to optimize our laser cutting, bending, and welding processes. This dedicated team is responsible for continuously improving production workflows, ensuring that we meet our customers’ evolving needs and maintain the highest standards of quality.

At Uniforest, we are proud of the advancements we’ve made with our new manufacturing facility. With the latest in laser cutting, bending, welding, and automated material handling technology, we are positioned to deliver high-quality products faster and more efficiently than ever before. We are excited to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, driving excellence in every aspect of our production process.