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ARKU’s FlatMaster 140 can level workpieces, sheets and plates up to 1.8 ” (45mm) thick. This before-and-after photo shows two steel plates. The one on the left has been leveled and now meets flatness specifications. It is also relieved from stress. The right plate shows the curved nature of the material before the leveling process took place.
Situation
Located near Toronto, Brannon Steel supplies carbon steel parts to more than 40 OEMs and manufacturers in industries such as off-road construction equipment, power generation and rail. As a one-stop-shop for carbon steel, Brannon covers the entire process of steelmaking, from cutting, chamfering, forming and machining to assembly and leveling.
When founder Tom Brannon started his flame cutting business in 1968, he was a pioneer in Ontario. He quit his job, sold his house and moved into an apartment with his family so that he could open a 2,000 square foot lot. metal workshop employing four people. This bold decision paid off: today, the company employs 200 people in a 200,000 sq. Ft. Space. ease.
For over 40 years, Brannon Steel has used sheet rolling for leveling parts. But over time, what was once the latest technology has become a hindrance rather than an accelerator.
“With the plate roller, you essentially eliminate the deformations in the flatness of the parts. It takes several races to get rid of it. It takes time and a lot of work, â€said Kirk Brannon, Tom’s cousin and current president. “As our orders increased, the pieces started to pile up in front of the plate roll. “
The need for a more effective solution has grown urgent. On top of that, technological advancements on the client side have necessitated a technological surge on Brannon’s side. However, Kirk is not the type to act recklessly.
First, he carefully assessed the options for the new machines, always carefully weighing their potential added value. “We were looking for a machine that would really be an asset for our processes. But we were skeptical about the performance of most equipment on the market, â€he added.
Resolution
In 2019, Brannon decided to purchase ARKU’s FlatMaster 140 precision leveler. “We were convinced that the machine would keep its promises. Today it has been confirmed: the FlatMaster adds significantly to the quality of our products, â€said Kirk.
The machine’s large, alternating leveling rollers bend the top and bottom of workpieces multiple times in one go. “It really removes the flatness deformations. In addition, this technology relieves internal stresses on parts, which in turn increases the efficiency of downstream processes, â€he explained.
To assess the leveler’s performance, Brannon closely monitored its output. In eight months, the machine had leveled more than 25,000 pieces from 300 different pieces. Compared to previous machines, Brannon has seen a 40% reduction in production times without compromising its versatility in forming parts of all shapes and sizes.
But according to Kirk, there’s another factor that took production at Brannon to the next level. With the plate roll, the company could characterize its parts only as “being flat or not flat,” Kirk recalled. The leveler, however, allows the flatness tolerances to be adjusted, which has significantly increased the leveling accuracy of the company. “Now we can even ask our customers, ‘How flat do you want it? ” “, he added. In addition, the simultaneous stress relieving of parts, sheets and plates makes downstream processing much more efficient.
(Left to right) Kirk Brannon, President of Brannon Steel; Stephen Alfieri, Director of Sales at Brannon Steel; and Nathan Brown, Director of Sales at ARKU Inc., discuss how the store’s new leveling capabilities will affect its business.
For the company, this is not just another fancy tuning option, but a major asset in its metal processing portfolio. As the team observed, robotic welding has increasingly taken hold in the workshops of Brannon’s OEM customers. “He’s doubled in the last two years,” Kirk said. “In order for our customers to take full advantage of the advantages offered by robotic welding, the parts must have the highest precision in terms of flatness and stress reduction. This is something that we can only offer with the FlatMaster.
His newfound leveling expertise has contributed to Brannon’s business on many levels. One of its products, for example, is a massive chassis for tow trucks. This heavy part must be formed with precision to provide maximum stability to the vehicle. “We used to have refusals from our customers in the past,†Kirk explained. “Now we can level the pieces more precisely before forming them. “
In addition to improving the existing business, the machine has another advantage: While leveling was a one-off step in an internal process, Brannon now also offers it as a stand-alone service. “No one previously offered leveling services for carbon steel in Ontario. We are happy to fill this gap, â€Kirk said.
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