April, 2023- Mass manufacturer uses automated fiber laser to stay ahead of growth curve while meeting customer demand.

Thomas Edison collected a record 1,093 patents for inventions that included electric light and power, the phonograph, the telegraph and storage batteries. He observed, “If we all did the things we are really capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.”

It’s a principle that Co-Line Manufacturing has practiced for the last 44 years. In 1979, Dale and Tana Brand started a welding and repair shop south of Sully, Iowa, to service the local farm community. The two-person shop has grown into a sprawling 300,000-sq.-ft . facility with nearly 200 personnel. Co-Line welds, stamps, laser cuts, CNC and tube bends, machines, saws and finishes steel parts for industries ranging from health care, automotive and utilities, to outdoor recreation, construction, heavy trucks, racing and communication. The ISO 9001- 2015 certified company also has an inhouse tool and die department. “There is virtually no limit to what we can do with steel,” says Eric Brand, co-owner [and son]. He shares ownership of the second-generation company with his wife, Faye. He credits Co-Line’s meteoric rise to its workforce and a long-standing partnership with equipment supplier Mazak Optonics Corp. “There is one word that drives us,” he says. “It’s yes. We find a way. That attitude has driven us since our doors opened.”

ACCELERATION

In 1988, the company introduced Sure-Latch, a proprietary gate closer for farm, commercial and residential use. “The first order was sold to a hog-buying station,” he says. “Its success launched CoLine into mass manufacturing and expanded our operations for stamping, tool and die, and robotic welding.” The Sure-Latch product line was followed by Goalsett er Basketball Systems, the first adjustable hoop to go to market. The product line dictated the need for additional space, employees and a fullservice tool and die department.

     Co-Line Manufacturing’s welding team.

      Co-Line automated its Mazak fiber lasers for optimal processing.

In 1999, the Co-Line funny car racing team, led by Dale Brand, won their first Iron Man championship. In 2001, the team set a new world record of 5.722 seconds at 242 miles per hour on a ¼-mile track. Customer demand for value-added services that could take a part from prototype to delivery prompted Co-Line to look at new technology. “We needed to be able to laser cut blanks and threedimensionally trim prototypes,” Eric Brand says. “To keep the operation moving forward and maintain on-time deliveries, we needed to bring processing in-house. We wanted to do something that set us apart from our competition.” Co-Line installed a Mazak Space Gear 3D 2500 laser cutting system in 2003. In addition to reducing processing time for applications typically processed with traditional equipment, Mazak’s 3D cutting systems also offer intelligent monitoring, setup and cutting functions. “The Space Gear 3D cutting system was the first of its kind in Iowa,” Brand says. “After participating in a short training program, we were able to roll right into production. We’ve been depending on Mazak lasers for the last 20 years.”

LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP

Repeatable machines, reliable support and service from a local distributor led Brand to purchase Mazak’s high-speed tube cutters. In 2018, the need for greater capacity prompted Brand to install a Mazak 7 kW Optiplex Nexus 3015 Fiber S7. “The Optiplex Nexus S7 fiber laser was a game changer for us when it came to processing plate,” Brand says. “It significantly improved productivity. We reduced piece timing by one-sixth when compared to a CO2 laser. We were impressed with the machine’s beam shaping and diameter control capabilities.” Because Mazak engineered the fiber laser to be intuitive, he says, “we were able to cut parts on it without training. Like a Swiss Army knife, the Optiplex Nexus S7 is an indispensable tool.”

With more than 10 Mazak machines on his shop floor, Brand recently added three Optiplex 3015 NEO 2D 15 kW fiber lasers. The machines give Co-Line increased beam and diameter control. Advanced variable beam fiber technology for high speed, quality cutting, intelligent functions, camera- assisted part nesting and large front and side access doors also support optimal part processing.

     The Mazak laser processes 2D sheet metal.

Each Mazak machine is also automated. “With the level of investment you make in a laser, not to keep the machine running is foolish,” Brand says. “We won’t buy a laser without automation.” Mazak’s advanced technology, aftermarket service and support, and its “can do” attitude make the equipment supplier a good fit for Co-Line’s future growth plans. “The performance of the equipment and its ability to boost throughput has opened new business opportunities for us,” he says. “We cut parts on our Mazak machines that our customers won’t cut on their own lasers.”

Co-Line Manufacturing, 641/594-2953, http://colinemfg.com/

Mazak Optonics Corp., 847/252-4500, http://mazakoptonics.com/