February, 2026- The first Bystronic purchase Brandon Metzger made for his contract manufacturing company was back in 2017. “It was an older CO2 laser,” recalls the owner of Phoenix-based MetzFab Industries, which provides full-service manufacturing from design to fulfillment for a range of customers. Soon he switched to a Bystronic fiber laser. That was the start of a symbiotic relationship between MetzFab and Bystronic.
“Once we saw the power of the Bystronic software running the equipment, we have not hesitated to upgrade to more Bystronic machines,” notes Metzger. “Now, pretty much if Bystronic offers it, that’s what we’re buying.” Today, the MetzFab website is a literal yearbook of Bystronic equipment; the company relies on Bystronic software such as BySoft Business and BySoft Shop Floor.
With this powerful software in his shop, Metzger has increased confidence in his hiring decisions and the confidence to say yes to most fabrication projects.
A RANGE OF INDUSTRIES
Metzger started the company in 2011, turning his passion—metal working for motorsports—into a vocation. “We grew by having a willingness to conform to customer needs and constantly innovating, reinventing and investing in new equipment and software,” explains Metzger.
MetzFab provides custom metal fabrication and CNC-automated machining for a range of industries including aerospace, oilfield, military, medical (non-internal components), automotive and industrial. For these industries MetzFab offers a range of fabrication services: bending, braking, deburring, laser and tube cutting, waterjet cutting, CNC machining, welding and finishing.
A RANGE OF EQUIPMENT
While his customer base grows, Metzger keeps adding and upgrading equipment. “At least once a year we invest in a new piece of machinery,” he notes.
Today, the MetzFab shop floor is home to a Bystronic Xpert 40 8-axis CNC hydraulic press brake; a Bystronic BySmart fiber 3015 laser system; a Bystronic ByTube 130 fiber laser; and a Bystronic robotic welding cell.
SOFTWARE SECRETS
Why all the loyalty to Bystronic? “It’s the software that keeps us coming back. It’s tremendously powerful software for what we pay for. The software works very well,” notes Metzger.
The user interface for Bystronic software is intuitive for operators.
Plus, the Bystronic software does what it’s supposed to do, without making things more complicated, says Metzger. He specifically cites Bystronic nesting and sorting software. “A lot of other equipment manufacturers don’t even make their own nesting software. This is something a laser needs for every single project.
“The Bystronic software sorts complex, nested parts in a matter of minutes,” notes Metzger. He compares this speed to the way nesting was performed 15 years ago. “Back then, nesting was an expensive, high-level automation programming job. The process becomes less stressful with Bystronic software. It helps eliminate bad decisions on the part of the operator,” Metzger adds.
MetzFab Industries has been using Bystronic products and software since 2017.
SAYING YES
A hallmark of the MetzFab business is complex, custom metal fabrication. The Bystronic machine interface software is one key to the company’s ability to say yes to complex projects. “We could not do what we do without Bystronic software. We use the software to validate the bendability on a potential project in advance of a purchase order or before the project goes into engineering.
“We used to be able to do that computation in our heads. With more complex projects, the Bystronic software does the calculations quickly and without any collisions,” states Metzger.
“The machine interface software will also fold the part, display in three dimension on a touchscreen, show how to load the piece and indicate where each tool goes,” explains Metzger. The shop uses this software to generate cutting and bending time for project estimating. “It’s the most used piece of software at the company.”
HIRING CONFIDENCE
In Arizona, a few other global equipment manufacturers have a stronghold in the market, says Metzger. “We rarely hire someone with previous Bystronic experience. The brand is less common in our area. So we train new operators on the software. The Bystronic software is very intuitive, so it’s easy to teach new hires,” Metzger reports. “With Bystronic, I have more confidence in our hiring decisions.”
Metzger also points out that with the elevated level of automation at his company, he is able to process more jobs with fewer people compared to 15 years ago.
In early 2026, MetzFab will begin using the newest Bystronic ERP and shop floor management software (BySoft Business and BySoft Shop Floor). Metzger has his sights set on future growth and more complex projects. He knows he’ll need a software partner by his side to achieve these higher goals. “Pretty much everything at MetzFab starts with Bystronic. Without this software, we couldn’t build most of what we build.”
Bystronic, 847/214-0300, bystronic.com.
MetzFab Industries, 602/962-2434, metzfabindustries.com.
