There's a bright future for combined punching and laser cutting. Someone firmly convinced of this fact is Jörg Oberschmidt, owner of the company of the same name in the Westphalian town of Westerkappeln. He notes that ever thinner sheet metal is being used for components and that designs are becoming ever more complex. To ensure adequate stiffness in spite of reduced thickness, beads have to be embossed into the sheet metal. At the same time, the costs per part must not rise. "This makes it quite clear that combined punching and laser cutting will be in demand in the future, in order to manufacture effectively. The combination of punching and laser cutting is more vital than ever before."

Oberschmidt and his team acquired the necessary expertise at a time when combined punch and laser machining was not quite as popular as today. Buying a combination machine has paid off. His clients appreciate the quality of the product. One such client is Michael Schön­beck, Director of Mechanics Technology at Wincor Nixdorf International GmbH: "We are on the lookout for clever solutions and efficient production methods. Oberschmidt has delivered them again and again." Michael Schönbeck knows what he's talking about. His own production operations boast a fully automated TruMatic 7000.

Oberschmidt has consistently expanded his facilities during the past two years, purchasing both fully automated punch presses and punch laser combination machines. This helps him keep down production costs in his job shop. The new TruMatic 7000 has been fully integrated into production since October 2009 and is now utilized in three shifts, almost 52 weeks a year. A TRUMPF engineer supervised commissioning on site. Operations manager Michael Grave is enthusiastic: "The TruMatic 7000 is a Ferrari - and you have to be able to drive it."

Jörg Oberschmidt is positive that the groundwork for effective sheet metal processing is laid right at the programming stage. "Resources are finite," he emphasizes. "That is one reason why demands on job shop operations are on the rise. Shrewd designs and stable processes are key factors in efficient punch laser machining." Zero-defect production makes a significant contribution to resource conservation. Grave goes on: "The foundation here is process reliability - in both punching and laser cutting. The machinery used has to feature integrated reliability mechanisms and the organization in which the machines are embeded  has to be properly designed." Oberschmidt sums up the contribution made by the combination machines: "A standby mode for the laser, a multistage cooling unit, eliminating touch-up work like deburring - those are all typical of TRUMPF. Intelligent technology permits low energy consumption per finished part."

Avoiding idle time also conserves resources. Grave: "We never let things get that far. All our activities are anticipatory and fully oriented on processes." Preventive maintenance and effective employee training are integral to efficient sheet metal processing, Oberschmidt and Grave concur. "Growth can be achieved only through innovation", the boss affirms. And highly qualified personnel is of the essence. "Our punch laser machines demand well trained operators. Things just won't work right if the staff restrains the machinery."