The Kongsberg X24 delivers productivity and flexibility, combined with reliability for which it is renowned. FASTSIGNS® of Murray (FASTSIGNS) has invested in the latest Kongsberg digital cutting technology to drive accuracy and efficiency at its Utah facility, and to boost the company’s ability to quickly respond to customer demands.
Owner Dave Peabody said the new Kongsberg X24 table, which includes the powerful water-cooled Kongsberg MultiCUT-HP tool, had the power and precision to deliver the accuracy needed to handle complex signage and display jobs at optimum speeds. ‘Our previous table was getting a little old, the parts were no longer available, and we couldn’t get support for it,’ said Peabody, who also owns FASTSIGNS® of NE in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ‘We had a little bit of a scare when it malfunctioned, and where would we be if our cutting table is suddenly out of commission? I’d been talking to another business owner who’d had a similar issue and he had been very happy with his Kongsberg table.’
Installed just a few weeks ago, the Kongsberg X24 is already fully bedded in running at the heart of production. Peabody said he was drawn not only to the Kongsberg’s power and precision, but also its upgradeability, with the X24 designed to allow additional components and tools to be added to meet the changing needs of an evolving business.
‘The increased speed helps with our responsiveness – which our customers are reliant on – and the accuracy is also a huge benefit for that,’ he said. ‘On our previous machine, the registration wasn’t always 100% accurate, but this has been about perfect from day one. While the accuracy is pretty amazing, we also benefit from the power of the router, which at 3kW is three times what we previously had available. Even when faced with some hefty ACM, it doesn’t even hesitate.’
‘It’s not overkill as a base model, and you can also add things to it as you grow, which is what I was looking for,’ added Peabody. ‘During the demos I was really impressed with the quality of the cuts – especially on materials like the half-inch acrylic, while the conveyor table was also really impressive.’
As FASTSIGNS produces a huge range of banners and large decals for its customer base, Peabody said the conveyor is a huge benefit to the business. ‘Producing one hundred banners might ordinarily take a full couple of days for two individuals to tackle, but this machine can get through those in less than a day, so the efficiency gain is huge,’ he said. ‘We work mainly on ACM, which it really cuts fantastically, as well as acrylic and vinyl.’
Peabody added that he had also been particularly impressed by the hold-down power and chip collection of the Kongsberg X24. ‘In terms of hygiene, health and safety, it collects the debris and keeps the dust to a minimum,’ he explained. ‘When you’re in a tight workspace with a lot of expensive printing equipment around that doesn’t like being clogged up with dust, that’s a real benefit. The strength and accuracy also help because it keeps the consumable costs down, which when you’re as busy as we are can really add up over the year.’
Connie Adams, Kongsberg PCS Territory Sales Manager for Southwest USA, said she was delighted that Dave Peabody and the FASTSIGNS team were enjoying their new Kongsberg table. ‘The X24 can be equipped for any application and is ready to grow with Dave’s business, without any compromise on performance,’ she said. ‘Delivering speeds of 50m/min with acceleration of 0.56G, together with the combination of oscillating High Frequency knife and Straight drag knife tools that FASTSIGNS opted for means it can handle the full range of display and signage materials, from kiss cutting vinyl to heavy duty milling.
‘The MultiCUT-HP (High Power) is equipped with a super-strong, liquid-cooled milling spindle, which delivers several times higher productivity than less powerful alternatives,’ she added. ‘This is particularly useful for businesses like FASTSIGNS, that might need extended milling duty cycles or that work extensively with heavy-duty materials.’
As well as being impressed by the power of the hardware, Peabody said the software made the Kongsberg X24 very easy to use. ‘The software interface is so simple, which is vital in a busy workspace,’ said Peabody. ‘Whenever we’re onboarding a new employee it makes it easier to train them, and being easier to use means we can all be trained in case of absence or any sudden needs.
‘The Kongsberg X24 brings true scalability to the business and we can add things as we grow,’ said Peabody. ‘It is certainly going to expand our capabilities as far as HDU goes, and it will enable us to do a lot of things that I’ve wanted to try, including work with multiple layers and more multi-dimensional work.
‘When we do need a new machine at our Albuquerque facility, we’ll definitely look to get another X24,’ he said. ‘I like the work to be standardised so that if there’s ever an issue with one production site we can very quickly shift it to the other without any drop off in quality.’
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