On stage performer

The company's UK manufacturing facility is based at St Leonards-on-Sea in Sussex, where a multitude of TruPunch, TruLaser and TruBend models from the German machine manufacturer are also in operation. However, the three new TruPunch 1000 machines are destined for Penn Elcom's plant in Mexico.

Penn Elcom designs and manufactures equipment specifically for stage use. Since the 1970s the company has created a successful niche for itself supplying equipment and accessories such as professional speaker flight cases, frames, cabinets, housings, racking and fixing brackets. In fact, the Penn Elcom product catalogue is packed with more than 3,000 products in the field of stage technology.

Although a traditional Trumpf user, each time the company invests in new machinery a thorough investigation is conducted into all machines available on the market.

“In the end there were many reasons I opted to place the order with Trumpf,” explains Roger Willems, chairman at Penn Elcom. “Firstly, Trumpf punching tools do not have springs which means the full force of the punching head is transferred to the sheet. Other manufacturers we looked at have springs in their tools – with this design the punching force is lost within the tool before it hits the sheet. As a result, more tonnage is required to punch with the same force as Trumpf.”

Aside from the absence of springs, there were other aspects of the tooling system that swung the decision in favour of Trumpf. For instance, because tools can be preset in the cartridges, quicker tool exchange can be facilitated than on a turret punch. Furthermore, thanks to 360° tool rotation on all stations – so on any part in any orientation – the machine's tooling system offers more flexibility than turret type options.

“Ultimately we have enjoyed a long and successful relationship with Trumpf and trust in their machines,” says Mr Willems. “Factor in the excellent service and it becomes difficult to justify looking elsewhere.”

In addition to pure punching, the three TruPunch 1000 entry-level machines destined for Mexico allow users to form threads, make extrusions and bend flanges, hence delivering economic complete processing in a single clamping. The medium format models ordered by Penn Elcom offer a working area of 2,500mm x 1,250mm (a small format model offering 2,050mm x 1,250mm is also available) and a maximum sheet thickness of 6.4mm.

TRUMPF
www.uk.trumpf.com