QPLaser celebrates two years of cutting, bending and finishing | Metalworking News

Oct 19, 2024

In the short space of two years, Deon Meiring has managed to grow his small laser cutting business into a two-shift a day business servicing the greater Winelands area in the Western Cape.

Established by Meiring in September 2022, QPLaser was born out of a need for faster laser cutting to be done and delivered for another business across the road from QP Laser’s current facility.

“My dad’s business is across the road from us. They manufacture equipment for the food and wine industry specialising in conveyors and conveyor systems. Back in 2018 they realised that they had a need to get things done faster and they needed more control over the laser cutting side of the business, so that’s when they decided to bring some work inhouse. First, they purchased a bending machine to prioritise work, and that’s where the concept of this business was initiated.”

Deon Meiring, MD of QPLaser

“My background is actually far from this industry. I initially decided to study agriscience, but that was too much theory and too little practical, so I ended up doing a year of practical work on a farm in the Eastern Cape before deciding to study toward a game ranching diploma at Nelson Mandela University.”

“About a year after of working in the field, my dad approached me and said that there is an opportunity for me to join his business as they wanted to bring some operations inhouse. His business had bought their own bending machine in 2017, prior to me getting involved. In 2019, they decided to purchase a laser and that’s when I got involved.”

“My dad said to me: ‘I’m going to start a whole new department. You don’t need to be an engineer to do this kind of work. The engineers will send you all of the plans and drawings. You just need to work from it. Do you want to come and join the business or not?’”

“I’m very glad I did.”

One of QPLaser’s first equipment purchases was a Trumpf TruLaser 2030 fibre laser that has a 3kW power source and a 3 000mm by 1 500mm bed size. Retecon supplied the machine

“We purchased a Trumpf TruLaser 2030 fibre laser that has a 3kW power source and a 3 000mm by1 500mm bed size. It is also equipped with a pallet changer and we have added a Schmalz material handling vacuum lifter for loading sheets. Retecon supplied the machine and after the installation they gave us a week of on-the-job training. This gave me the basics on how to operate the machine. Subsequently, through practical experience on the machine, I have learnt to operate it fully and also teach my current operators. The best way to learn is to just go and do it yourself.”

“We were four people when we started, I was the manager and also the laser operator. We had a laser programmer who also did our quotes. We had one bending machine operator and one casual to help where help was needed.”

“After initially just servicing my dad’s business we slowly started putting the word out there that we’ve got a new laser cutting machine and we’ve got capacity. We don’t want to take all the work, but if someone needs something done fast, get into contact with us. We started servicing quite a few people in the Paarl area with breakdown parts, and over time we started getting bigger orders and we hired more staff.”

“The laser cutting department grew to a point where it made sense to split it from my dad’s manufacturing business and run it as an entity itself. And that we did in September 2022.”

TheTrumpf TruLaser 2030 fibre laser is equipped with a pallet changer and has a Schmalz material handling vacuum lifter for loading sheets

“We still do a lot of work for my dad’s business, but it is actually less than half of our work now. About 90% of the work we do is for machine builders in the food and beverage industry, and 80% of this is stainless steel.”

“We also have two Safan bending machines. Both are servo-electronic press brakes that were supplied by CML Machine Tools. One is a 100 ton machine with a 3 000mm bending width and the other is a 40 ton machine with a 1 500mm bending width. They don’t make a lot of noise and the services are very quick and easy. We did not purchase hydraulic machines because they are very noisy and with them being hydraulic they could start leaking oil as they get older.”

“We can laser cut up to 16mm in stainless steel and up to 20mm in mild steel, but the majority of our work is done in the 1.5mm – 2.5mm range. These are mainly panels as the machine builders that we are producing components for require a lot of covers for their machines.”

“We can laser cut up to 16mm in stainless steel and up to 20mm in mild steel, but the majority of our work is done in the 1.5mm – 2.5mm range. These are mainly panels as the machine builders that we are producing components for require a lot of covers for their machines.”

“I want to say that this business was built from a position of knowing what is needed from our clients. The finish is very important for them, their components can’t have any sharp edges, and we knew this. Aside from any deburring work we have also got a stroke sander. We give a brushed finish to the steel on that machine. A lot of sheets or the sheets that we buy come brushed on one side and we have clients that want the part brushed on both sides. Also, some of the thicker grades of sheet, from about 4.5mm up, don’t come brushed, so that’s an extra service that we offer.”

“We also have a tumbling machine where we are able to give components a great finish. Another finishing operation that we offer is the use of a small bead blasting cabinet where we do glass bead blasting. Sandblasting is typically more aggressive, can remove thicker coatings and surface contaminants and is better suited for heavy-duty applications. Whereas glass bead blasting is more suitable for achieving a smoother and more polished surface finish without damaging delicate surfaces.”

“We work mainly with the various grades of stainless steel including 3CR12, 304 and 316, but we also work with aluminium and stock thin gauge spring steel.”

“In the past we have done night shifts for specific jobs, but about two months ago, I decided to make the two-shift system permanent. Whether we’ve got a lot of work or not, the night shift goes on, and it’s brought us back to where we started – the ability to service clients quickly by decreasing our lead times.”

“I don’t want to say you get less mistakes because people don’t have to rush that much on the night shift. Mistakes do happen. But there is a better workflow because no one is rushing the other person.”

“We work mainly with the various grades of stainless steel including 3CR12, 304 and 316, but we also work with aluminium and stock thin gauge spring steel.”

The company has two Safan bending machines. Both are servo-electronic press brakes that were supplied by CML Machine Tools. One is a 100 ton machine with a 3 000mm bending width and the other is a 40 ton machine with a 1 500mm bending width

“We now employ 16 people and have 700m2 under roof. I understand laser cutting and bending, and I know that’s where I can help people the best. And we want to stick to that. We have a good client base now in the food and beverage industry mostly, but if someone walks in off the street, of course I am going to help him.”

“Investment in new and extra equipment is very likely in the future as we grow. We want to be known in the area as the service centre with the quickest turnaround time.”

For further details contact QPLaser on TEL: 087 163 1822 or visit https://qplaser.co.za