With five times as much sheet metal used in a cooker design – compared with current models – an OEM replaced older punch presses with one CNC punch press equiped with automatic handling.

Aga-Rayburn is famous around the world for its range cookers. The traditional Aga is mostly manufactured from cast iron, with sheet metal being used for some interior parts and the side panels. In the past, this sheet metal requirement was met on two Trumpf TC240 punch presses, but with the launch of the Aga Six-Four series, a conventional cooker with the Aga-look, the picture changed.

The new model combines classic Aga styling with modern technology, such as fan ovens, and uses five times as much sheet metal as its traditional siblings.

To meet this increased demand Aga-Rayburn invested in a Trumatic TC5000 punch press with a Sheetmaster load/unload system.

As Dave Thorpe, Press and Fabrication Manager, explains, ‘Capacity was the consideration, we needed to replace the old machines to stay competitive.

We still use the TC240s for prototyping and specials, but all of our production is now on the TC5000.

Over two shifts we are making 30% more with the new machine than we were doing with the two old machines.’ Multi-tools and tool rotation are used to minimise tool changes and the machine runs unmanned most of the time.

‘We were already a Trumpf user,’ says Dave, ‘but the main reason we chose the TC5000 was the cost to output ratio.

It gave the best performance of the machines we looked at, was the most cost-effective and was certainly the fastest.’ Aga-Rayburn’s sister company, Rangemaster, makes range-style cookers at its Royal Leamington Spa site and kitchen sinks in Nottingham.

Over the past two years it has invested in two Trumpf TLC 1005 five-axis laser cutting systems and a VMc3 laser marking system.

Rangemaster cookers are characterised by their design led approach targeting the discerning consumer.

These market leading range cookers are available in stainless steel and coloured vitreous enamel.

The five-axis lasers are used to cut around deep-drawn pressings for both cooker parts and sinks – a process that would have previously relied on hard tooled presses.

As Product Engineering Manager, Roy Cooper explains, ‘The lasers mean we can reduce lead times on new products and avoid the capital outlay required on tools.

You can cut from angles that you wouldn’t normally be able to tool from, so it gives us a lot more freedom in the design of new products.

If you are looking at fewer than 10,000 parts a year you may consider using this process.’ Aesthetics are also the prime reason for investing in the Trumpf VMc3 laser marking system that is used to engrave the control functions on the stainless steel fascias of Rangemaster’s latest cookers.

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