Buckinghamshire-based Manor Signs has reported that a WidInovations Laser Cutter supplied by Graphtec GB, installed in summer 2023, has added a new dimension to its business.
After moving to larger premises in 2018, the company made some investments, including a 3 x 2m CNC router, a hybrid roll-to-roll/flatbed HP Latex printer and a BubbleJet applicator table. Joint owner Gareth Craythorne explained how the CNC router was ‘great’ but didn’t have the ‘fine-cutting’ and ‘quality finish’ that his customers asked for.
Mr Craythorne visited the Graphtec GB stand at the Sign & Digital UK exhibition in 2023 and saw the WidLaser S1000. He explained how the accuracy and sharpness of the cutter were ‘incredible,’ which convinced the company to buy the machine.
He added, ‘It has a rotary option and adjustable bed heights, so we can work with different materials with different thicknesses. It also has a larger bed size, which means it fits in neatly with some of our larger production work.’
The WidLaser S1000 Ceramic Laser is a customisable and user-friendly cut and engraving system from the Portuguese laser manufacturer WidInovations. It is claimed to be an efficient and versatile alternative to a CNC cutter, with a 1600 x 1000mm active working area.
Mr Craythorne explained the machine’s ease of use as one of its many benefits. He said, ‘We simply put the material onto the bed and line it up with the register, and the software does the rest. You can adjust the orientation points to anywhere on the substrate, which means we can minimise the amount of waste we generate.’
The machine’s ability to produce ‘classy and elegant’ work has supported the company in providing different engravings and designs for its customers, explained Mr Craythorne. He added, ‘The sheer accuracy and intricacy we can deliver with the laser is incredible. Companies want to have those sorts of touches for their customers, and we are delighted to be able to provide them.
‘The WidLaser has added a new dimension to the range of applications and customers that we now work with. We are always looking at the range of services we can offer, and with the laser cutter, we have filled a broad area of solutions that we simply couldn’t match before.’
Mr Craythorne has been particularly pleased with the help and support he has received from the team at Graphtec GB. He stated, ‘This is a complex piece of machinery that requires expert support to get up and running as quickly as possible. I felt throughout that the team were always doing their best for us.’
He concluded, ‘The important thing for us is that it is opening doors and helping us move into markets and businesses that we’ve never tapped into before. The WidLaser has been a fantastic investment, and we are looking forward to seeing where it will take us over the coming months and years.’
