Laser cutting machine as catalyst for digitization

Entrepreneurs Karel Lafosse and Benjamin Vandorpe didn't sit back and put their team together to engineer and manufacture disinfection columns. A complete turnaround in production that was driven by the installation of a first laser cutting machine, LVD's Lynx 4020. A choice that had nothing to do with neighborly love, but everything to do with the ability to think along with the customer's growth story. 

What can we do with our know-how now that the hospitality industry is forced into lockdown? It was the question Vermandere business managers Karel Lafosse and Benjamin Vandorpe asked themselves last March. Vermandere, which supplies custom-made hoods, furniture and floor ducts, depends to a large extent on the hospitality sector. A new idea was needed. On the one hand to generate turnover, but above all to be able to keep all employees on board. The result was a new brand: HandsHero. "At that time, every entrepreneur, regardless of the sector, needed disinfection columns. Our expertise in stainless steel meant that we had the right knowledge and machines to produce a result that was both aesthetic and hygienic." On March 23, the webshop was ready. The orders exploded. A year later, more than 5,000 copies of the six models have already been sold. Talk about a success.

Accelerated investment

The switch from customization to batch production had a major impact on the production floor at Vermandere. "The special thing about this story is that it was precisely because of the crisis that the ball got rolling here at an accelerated pace. We started investing earlier than we actually envisioned in the growth scenario for Vermandere. When we acquired the company in 2019, it was because the then-owner had no successor. As one of our main suppliers (Lafosse and Vandorpe also head Lafosse Kitchen Technology), we were faced with a choice: invest ourselves or risk having to compromise on quality or flexibility. We believed too hard in Vermandere's potential to let that happen. But there was an investment backlog to clear. A five-year trajectory."

Fiber laser replaces three machines

Corona decided otherwise. "We had three machines that handled the operations for the bending bench: a large shear (4 m), a punching machine and bending machine. Three machines, two operators, but above all a lot of manipulations needed, which opened the door for possible errors. Problems that were sometimes not detected until assembly." Vermandere therefore went in search of a laser cutting machine that could take over these three operations. A search that ended just a few meters away: with LVD's Lynx 4020, a 3 kW fiber laser. "For us, the laser cutting machine is the catalyst for digitizing. So we especially needed a partner who could guide us through this process. LVD was the supplier that best sensed where we wanted to go and how together we could achieve full shop floor integration step by step."

Cadman software creates added value

Everything started with the right advice for the laser cutting machine itself. "The Lynx 4020 can process 4,000 x 2,000 mm sheets. This allows us to nest a lot more efficiently. This shows itself on the one hand in the capacity gain we have realized but also in the lower percentage of scrap (from 15% to 3%). A fully automated machine was not yet an option. That too was well understood by LVD." In addition, the entire flow was scrutinized, a crucial element in efficiency. "By rearranging the shop floor we were able to increase flexibility a lot at the same time." The third part consisted of the software, which creates real added value for Vermandere. "Cadman-L and Cadman-B for laser cutting and bending respectively help us exploit the full potential of our machines. And with Cadman-SDI we can easily import drawings. In time, when an ERP program is also running, we would like to add Cadman-Job to make the entire production transparent." That the bending machine, an Easy-Form 220/42, was of the same Belgian make, incidentally, proved to be a huge advantage. "We can now link the software of both machines. We know in advance whether a piece will be physically manufacturable."

Complete transformation

In other words, the arrival of the laser cutting machine marked a complete transformation for Vermandere. "We went, so to speak, from the stone age where everything was still artisanal into a digital factory in one fell swoop. Without that giant step, we would never have been able to produce so many disinfection columns. Also because, thanks to the good arrangements with LVD, we were able to keep working until the very end and were only out of cutting work for a week. And that their support ensured a smooth transition to the new way of working. Quality has always been at the forefront of production here. We have remained true to that philosophy, because the performance of the laser cut means that hardly any finishing operations are needed on the pieces. Moreover, we made considerable progress in efficiency of offline programming and 3D drawing. The knowledge of the workshop is now secured in the office."