Are you ready for digitized plasma cutting?

Many metalworkers today still lack insight into their productivity. Filling that gap is therefore the starting point par excellence for the digitization of processes. This is equally true for plasma cutting. As a pioneer in plasma cutting technology, Germany's Kjellberg Finsterwalde is once again leading the way, because with the Q plasma cutting sources, the user receives all the info he needs in real time for more efficient work.

Industry 4.0 starts with monitoring and analyzing processes in real time. "Having a good picture of costs and processing time gives food for thought to optimize and synchronize processes in the future. The more production becomes connected on the shop floor, the less downtime there will be that drags down productivity," says Jan Van Overbeeke, business manager of Plasma Solutions, official partner of Kjellberg Finsterwalde. 

A thought exercise the plasma cutting specialist has also made in the meantime. "With detailed information about consumables and gases, our technology can already get to work to replenish supplies in time so that the user never runs out. In addition, he can estimate how long a process will take so he can plan correctly. So to increase productivity and save costs and resources, your operator doesn't have to work harder. Your machine just needs to get smarter."

Real-time information for more sustainable operations

That is exactly the added value that Kjellberg's Q plasma sources bring. They communicate flawlessly with the guidance system, the cutting table, the robot and all other components in the production process. Van Overbeeke: "This gives you real-time information about energy and gas consumption, what type of workpiece is on the table, and so much more. Information the user can work with to get a perfect insight into his cost structure or to optimally tune his fume extraction system to the cutting activities. This in turn helps save energy and raw materials." 

But of course, the cutting performance itself was not lost sight of when developing the Q series. It incorporates the renowned Kjellberg Contour Cut and Silent Cut technology for higher cutting speeds, quieter operation and shorter cycles between cuts. That, too, is efficiency. "Increased productivity is at the same time a stepping stone to greater sustainability, because it also helps advance your operator's work quality. They assume a crucial role in the Industry 4.0 story. After all, technology allows them to monitor multiple processes simultaneously, while simultaneously reducing the risk of unexpected downtime. The smarter the machines, the better the flow."

Intelligence diagnosis and monitoring

All the new functionalities of the Q series aim to integrate and automate the production process, and improve device availability. In short, everything needed for intelligent diagnosis and monitoring of plasma cutting and components. "The potential of Industry 4.0 lies mainly between the different processes. The material flows throughout the company, the availability of the machines, the sequence of the different production steps. Becoming a connected factory of the future overnight is a utopia. The key is to choose a step in the right, digitized direction with each new investment. Kjellberg's Q series is already such a step," Van Overbeeke concludes.    

100 years of Kjellberg
For more than a hundred years, Kjellberg Finsterwalde has focused on the development and production of durable machines for the metal industry. The company headquartered in Witten does so with one clear goal in mind: to help customers work more efficiently and ergonomically. The portfolio focuses primarily on plasma cutting and welding. Since the introduction of the first plasma cutting machines more than sixty years ago, Kjellberg Finsterwalde can call itself the market leader in this segment. A title and ambition it continues today. Kjellberg is committed to supporting the digital transformation of the metal industry with innovative products and intensive networking.