From plasma cutting to a 30 kW fiber laser: Fratelli Pelandi chooses Cutlite Penta
A metal fabrication company near Bergamo with more than a century of history retires its plasma equipment and moves to a 30 kW fiber laser: 13 meters by 3, with bevel cutting.
Fratelli Pelandi has been working metal for generations. Founded in the Bergamo area in the early 1900s, today it supplies components for automotive, construction and mechanical engineering to customers across Italy. Its latest step is a Cutlite Penta PLUS laser system rated 30 kW, taking the place of its plasma cutting equipment.
More than a century of metalworking
The business started in the early 1900s as a family operation collecting and trading ferrous materials. After the war Fratelli Pelandi took part in rebuilding the country and, from a specialized metalworking center, widened its scope to steel processing and the production of industrial components.
In the 1950s and 1960s the first metal cutting machines arrived: the turning point in the company's growth. In the 1990s the first plasma cutting systems came into the shop, and they carried production through to today.
Why Fratelli Pelandi moved from plasma to fiber laser
The decision came down to two specific needs:
- The Transizione 5.0 program, to stay competitive in a market that keeps raising the bar.
- Optimizing energy consumption, with the cost reduction that follows.
In the comparison run in-house, against plasma the fiber laser proved more efficient in consumption, with less cutting scrap and far shorter processing times.
Hence the investment in the 30 kW PLUS system, with a 13 m x 3 m working area and bevel cutting.
What changes on the shop floor with a fiber laser
The switch is part of a broader modernization project within the Transizione 5.0 plan, the Italian scheme that ties incentives to measured improvements in process energy efficiency.
On the plant side the effect was concrete: by replacing the old equipment, Fratelli Pelandi was able to cut the number and the power rating of its fume extraction systems, and with them the running costs.
The other front is precision. Fratelli Pelandi's customers ask for components that are increasingly precise and ready for assembly, on substantial thicknesses too: the PLUS system works up to 50 mm. The concrete gains measured in production:
- Better cutting quality, with cleaner edges.
- Fewer burrs, so less secondary machining.
- Lower energy consumption, with the savings that follow.
- Higher production efficiency, with shorter processing times.
- Less production scrap, so less material thrown away.
The next five years
Over the next five years Fratelli Pelandi aims to consolidate its position by working on three fronts:
- Continued investment in processing technology.
- Strengthening the sales network.
- Training specialized operators.
The goal is to expand the machine fleet with higher-performing solutions and to have people on the floor able to run them. In a market that is anything but easy, the company looks ahead betting on quality, innovation and efficiency.
On our side, we will keep supporting it with fiber laser systems built around the work that actually comes through the door.
Frequently asked questions
Why move from plasma cutting to fiber laser?
A fiber laser works faster, with cleaner edges and fewer burrs, so it reduces secondary machining. It uses less energy and produces less cutting scrap: these are the reasons that led Fratelli Pelandi to replace its plasma equipment.
Which machine did Fratelli Pelandi choose?
A Cutlite Penta PLUS fiber laser system rated 30 kW, with a 13 m x 3 m working area and bevel cutting capability.
What thickness can the PLUS system cut?
At Fratelli Pelandi the system cuts up to 50 mm thick, with the option of bevel cuts.
Does the move to fiber laser fall under the Transizione 5.0 plan?
Fratelli Pelandi's investment is part of a modernization project set within Transizione 5.0, the Italian scheme that ties incentives to improved energy efficiency in production processes.
Thinking about moving from plasma to fiber laser?
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