Intuitive software and versatile tooling boost productivity and growth
How FASTSIGNS DTC increased speed and accuracy, expanded its range offering and opened up new product possibilities with the Kongsberg X24.
The results
What changed on the floor
Increased speed and accuracy
Increased speed and accuracy boosts productivity.
Expanded range offering
The versatility of the table and extensive tool combination has enabled FASTSIGNS to expand its range offering.
From three days to a couple of hours
Something that would take three days on their old machines can be done in just a couple of hours on the Kongsberg.
10 to 15 jobs each day
The Kongsberg X24 runs a full shift from 7am through until 6pm, delivering an average of 10-15 jobs each day. With several small order jobs, it can easily crank through 30 of those in a day.
The story
From a production bottleneck to new possibilities for growth
The challenge
Replacing a critical production machine
FASTSIGNS had its previous machine for 18 years, but it was declared obsolete and replacement parts were no longer available. A cutter/router runs in the business almost 80% of the time, so it was critical to make a wise choice when selecting a new machine.
FASTSIGNS routes more than it cuts, so having a robust routing module was essential. The company was looking for a solution with a bigger, more powerful router motor.
The old machine also had lots of nuances, which made training staff really challenging. If one strange little thing was forgotten, it could do serious damage to the blade or material and set production back even further.
The solution
Intuitive software, powerful routing and versatile tooling
The power and speed of the Kongsberg X24 caught the eye, but it was the software and ease of operation of the table that impressed FASTSIGNS.
They found that the Kongsberg software was a huge upgrade from their previous machine. It is intuitive and very powerful, which is hugely important and often overlooked when comparing just router motor specs and cutting speeds.
FASTSIGNS acquired a number of Kongsberg tooling solutions with the X24, including the Braille tool, Kisscut tool and High Frequency Oscillating knife, as well as the Straight Drag tool, Creasewheels, Ballpoint Pen tool and Box Kit.
The result
Greater productivity, versatility and room to grow
The versatility of the table and extensive tool combination has enabled FASTSIGNS to expand its range offering. Customers had requested custom packaging, but the previous machine was a bottleneck. With the new setup and the water-cooled MultiCutHP, FASTSIGNS is able to make custom packaging, sample kits and get creative.
Something that would take three days on their old machines can be done in just a couple of hours on the Kongsberg.
FASTSIGNS is working to around 10% growth year on year, producing a volume that would simply not have been an option with the previous machine. The ability to field upgrade to different speeds also enables the table to evolve with the business.
Derick Courtney
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Design and Production Manager, FASTSIGNS
“It's easily my favorite machine in our shop, and we have a lot of equipment that we love, if that tells you anything!”
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