Allslade’s superb new structural facility, plans
to boost production capability by 300%

A perfect example of the level of machine tool investment that
the more advanced steel construction companies are adopting

View from the saw input end of the structural processing system at Allslade, Portsmouth.		KBS1301 bandsaw and HDM1432 circular saw combine, for highly flexible efficiency.
View from central control console, on bridge that traverses conveyor lines.		Gietart GW1500 shotblaster on left; KC1201, 7-axis, robotic coper on right.

The UK Steel Construction Industry has seen significant investment in recent years to ensure that it remains one of the most
efficient structural steel producers in the world, with sawing, drilling, coping, shot blasting and painting being the typical
process mix. Kaltenbach have continued to make advances in all these processes, giving fabricators increasingly greater
levels of production efficiency.

A perfect example of the level of machine tool investment that the more advanced steel construction companies are adopting, is that at
Allslade PLC*, the Portsmouth based structural design, fabrication and construction company. Key decision factors that lead to their new
state-of-the-art Kaltenbach structural steel processing lines were the planned improvement in production by a staggering 300%, while
reducing material handling by some 70%, leading to a significant increase in tonnes-per-man output efficiency. Other benefits were a 35%
saving in paint by using the latest Gietart water-based coating technology. The new line can process the largest of typical structural steel
columns, beams and tube.

The new 250m long Kaltenbach installed lines at Allslade, follow a typical structural process sequence of saw, drill, cope, shot blast,
fabricate and paint. Batch deliveries of steel to the site are normally made in loads of approximately 20 tonnes and batch processed
to help maximize quality control. The lines are fed froman externally linked raw material holding and conveying system, which brings
material directly into the building, though two specially designed hole-in-the-wall entry points, to feed each of two, parallel positioned
Kaltenbach saw lines.

The two new saw lines comprise a Kaltenbach HDM1432, 1400mm diameter blade, heavy-duty circular saw and KBS1301 heavy-duty
bandsaw. The HDM is the latest model of what has become the most popular heavy-duty structural saw in the UK over several
decades. It can rapidly cut through the heaviest of columns and beams up to 1200mm wide x 450mm high, achieving 90° or
incremental mitre cuts, left/right of 45°/35° repectively. The KBS1301 bandsaw provides a very versatile option for various sizes of
materials up to 1300mm wide x 700 high, enabling highly accurate straight and mitred cuts left/right of 40°/30° respectively. Both
saws incorporate CNC controlled cut-to-length measurement via length-stop pusher systems, which achieve constant levels of high
accuracy, enable straight-from-the-cut fabrication.

From the saws, cut material is transported via motorized conveyors and crossways some 100 metres to a new Kaltenbach KDX1215
CNC 3-axis, 5 tools per spindle, drilling system. Material is then conveyed onward to either a new Kaltenbach KC1201 plasma and
oxyacetylene robotic, 7-axis coping machine, or directly to an adjacent Gietart GW1500, 6 turbine shot blaster. The entire inter-linked
system is CNC controlled and operated from each Kaltenbach machines touch-screen control desk, or centrally controlled via a master
console, positioned on a bridge that laterally traverses all the conveyor lines.

On leaving the shot blaster, material is loaded onto one of several adjacent, new fast-flow, manual fabrication lines and then into
the very latest Gietart automated, multi-gun, 360º coverage, water based paint line. Material then exists through a 25m drying tunnel,
to be immediately ready for site delivery and erection.

The overall Kaltenbach system process reduced Allslades average handling rate from 9 to just 3 times per piece.

Allslade use 3D modeling software, in combination with other software, including Kaltenbach PROFICUT, which interprets and
transposes DSTV files to achieve direct, automated downloaded instructions to each of the line machines. Total process control is
managed from the production-planning department throughout every stage of the process to finished output, all of which enables
a JIT logistics philosophy.

Allslade started business in 1984 and having seen continual growth, finally outgrew their facility's production capacity and methods
and so decided to invest in a totally new state-of the-art Kaltenbach production line, which went live early in 2008

“Having started the business 24 years ago, says Roger Slade, Allslade PLC, Managing Director,” We have had continued success
in providing structures of typically up to 1000 tonnes. The efficiency of our new system enables us to be even more competitive
and importantly quickly handle and readily process steel projects beyond the 1000 tonne level. Our aim is to also make this new
site the most efficient and environmentally friendly fabrication shop in England”.

Allslade projects include Portsmouth FC, Milton and South Stands, various London schools and Southern England shopping mall.
Their investment also marks for them the beginning of an expected expansion of the company’s work force.


* Allslade PLC became part of Melham Group Holdings in January 2009 and continued trading as Conder Allslade Limited.