Kim Williams set up All4One Engineering, a Worcestershire-based sheet metal fabricator, in 2004. His experience of Bystronic’s equipment – and his faith in their machinery – made them the natural choice when kitting out his new shopfloor. Now, over 20 years on, Kim’s investing in fibre laser technology – and Bystronic‘s cutting edge equipment is still his go-to.
“After redundancy, I took the step to start my own business because I had the experience to do it and I enjoy what I do,” explains Kim Williams, MD of All4One Engineering.
“As a Press Setter, I’d used Edward Pearson machines, which became Bystronic in 2000. I chose to stick with Bystronic’s equipment when I set up on my own because I knew they were good; I knew what I could produce, and being familiar with how these machines operate helped massively in the beginning.
The first two Bystronic machines I bought back in 2004 were a guillotine and a press brake. As soon as they were installed, I was straight on to it. I didn’t need any training. I knew exactly what to do – and I was able to teach other people how to operate them. It made the whole transition into self-employment much smoother. I also had a good working relationship with some of the Bystronic staff, which was reassuring when taking such a big leap.
Fibre Laser Investments
At All4One, we mainly work with sheet metal fabrication within the construction industry: flashings, guttering, rainwater systems, and some bespoke items. We also work with other sectors, like transport and the NHS.
We’ve grown over the years from 21,000sqft to 35,000sqft. Our recent factory extension has given us more space to help with productivity, and thanks to a government grant, we’ve invested in new machinery – a Bystronic ByCut 4020 6kW and ByCut 3015 6kW Eco with loader flex – to take on more work and be more efficient.
The ByCut 4020 was installed in February 2023 and is their flagship machine. It has all the bells and whistles and a 4m x 2m bed for cutting bigger parts. The 6kW machine is big enough for our capacity, cutting gauge material, but they do go up to 30kW. Before deciding, I got to see the 4020 being demonstrated at Bystronic’s showroom, which gave me confidence it was the right choice.
The efficiency of this machine and the service contracts we’ve got with it are noticeable. It’s cutting the same quality parts as our old CO2 machine, but with the fibre lasers, it’s six times faster. Now, we get six parts to one part for the same energy cost, which allows us to get more work out the door.
A Second Laser Machine
To support the 4020, we got a ByCut 3015 Eco in March last year. It hasn’t got all the extras like the 4020, such as the parameters check, so it takes a bit more skill to operate, but it’s a good workhorse. We mainly use the Eco as back-up. Before, we had people working weekends and overtime to fulfil larger orders: that starts to go against you when your employees get tired. Now, we run the two machines side by side and produce the extra work without changing the shift pattern. Having two lasers also means if one is being serviced, we still get the work out.
It’s a massive transformation going from CO2 to a fibre laser; I’d recommend it to anybody! The parameters on the controls are better, cleaning the heads is easier, and the cutting quality is spot on, and they are more user-friendly – everyone loves operating these machines! They’re also more economical and energy efficient. We’re saving a lot of money on the gas consumptions now, we’re using compressed air instead of CO2 and moving closer to our NetZero goals; in the future, we plan to install solar panels to power them. When clients come around and visit us, it gives them confidence seeing a modern, smart facility. It shows we’re a professional outfit able to service them.
BySoft Suite and Training
When I was employed, everything was manually programmed, but to have this software now to do it for you is incredible. BySoft Suite makes it so much easier for all the technicians working on the drawings – they send them straight from their computer in the office to the shopfloor or via a link, and the programme comes up on the machine, ready for the operator to start production.
BySoft minimises mistakes, because it rules out the risk of misreading the drawing or confusion over whether a part is to be cut or bent. And for nesting parts, the software tells you the time it takes to cut every part and what you get on the sheet, so it’s more economical, and you get less waste. Knowing cutting time costs and your consumption also helps with accurate pricings and gives you a clear idea of how much to sell that part for.
A couple of our lads went over to Coventry to learn how to use BySoft; an engineer also came to do some in-house training with us for a week as well. They went through everything and answered any questions we had. Our programmers who use it find BySoft so user-friendly; it’s quick and easy – and if we ever do have a problem, we’ve only got to pick up the phone for advice, and if needs be, a Bystronic engineer comes out to help us; their aftersales care is brilliant.
Aftercare Support
I’m very happy with the service I get from Bystronic; they’ve looked after me since day one. If I’ve ever had any issues or problems, a breakdown on a machine or oil maintenance issue, they’re straight out to fix it. It just gives me peace of mind knowing that I’ve not just been sold a machine; I have expert backup cover if I ever need it. We’ve built a good relationship, and it’s made me stronger. I’m very proud of my business and I’m very happy with where we’re at now. Hopefully, my sons will carry on and take it to another level.”
This article is part of the SMI MACH Publication — the must-read print publication that puts the spotlight on the innovations, partnerships, and people shaping the future of UK manufacturing. Don’t miss the full issue, click here to read more.
