Twelve custom-built drawers: how Eco Design keeps its laser running late
Eco Design Srl designs and builds display units for ceramic tiles, exhibition stands and showrooms in Corlo, part of Formigine, in the province of Modena. It was founded in 1992. In 2021 it bought an LME 4015 rated 4 kW, and the following year a 12-drawer storage tower built for sheets measuring 4 × 1.5 metres.
We talked it through with Riccardo Martinelli, one of the managers. The interesting part of this story is not the machine's power, which is the lowest among this year's case studies: it is the size of the storage tower. That is what decided the purchase, and what changed the way the shop is organised.
Who Eco Design are
Two families, since 1992
“Eco Design was born in 1992, founded by my father Pietro and his partner Silvano”, Riccardo recalls. “Both had two children each, and over time they started bringing us into the company, passing on the trade. That is how the business managed to keep up with the times, finding a balance between tradition and innovation.”
Where they work
“We operate mainly in Italy, above all in Corlo, part of the municipality of Formigine.” This is Italy's ceramic tile district, and it explains the product: tile display units are sheet metal structures that have to carry weight and stand well in a showroom. Two requirements that do not get along with an approximate cut.
Why an LME and a custom storage tower
“In 2021, among the many options available, our choice fell on a 4 kW LME. The following year, on the advice of Andrea Giolli, automation sales manager, we also installed a 12-drawer storage tower: a choice that turned out to be fundamental for our production. Andrea supported us willingly both during the purchase and afterwards.”
The point that decided it: the size of the storage tower
“During the evaluation we also considered other suppliers, but several factors led us to Cutlite Penta. One of the decisive points was that many did not offer storage towers in the sizes we needed: 4 × 1.5 metres, a non-standard size customised to our requirements. And above all they called for a far bigger investment.” That is their machine's format, the LME 4015: 4000 × 1500 mm. If the storage tower does not reach that size, the machine works at half capacity.
What word of mouth was saying
“We gathered information the classic way, by word of mouth, listening to opinions and weighing pros and cons. The theme that came up most often was after-sales support. With the Cutlite Penta team, by contrast, we found real availability right from the start.”
“One message is enough: within an hour they call us back, and within a day or two they are at the plant.”
Before that there was a CO₂ laser turned dinosaur
“We used to have a CO₂ laser system, but latterly it had become a real dinosaur: it had to be replaced.”
“We also have two punching machines, but the quality and the versatility are obviously not those of a modern laser, above all when extreme precision is needed.”
Why they needed the storage tower
“The need for the storage tower came from handling large batches. Sometimes I let it run on its own until late in the evening and then switch it off: in the morning the sheets are ready, stacked, cut precisely and all identical.” Put like that it sounds like a detail, but it is the point at which a machine stops costing you an operator per hour.
What changed on the shop floor
“Some small tasks changed. Before, the cycle started with cutting the single part, followed by welding, punching, bending. Now the person who used to cut hundreds of sheets by hand on the shear takes them off the laser system instead.”
“The most visible change is in lead times and in the cutting quality of the finished product, both clearly improved.” It is worth noting what did not change: the number of people. What changed is what they do.
How hard it was to learn
“Three of us have learned it. Of the three I am the one who spends most time studying the system on my own, trying out new functions, and then I try to pass on what I learn to my colleagues so that we are all on the same page.”
“In the end the interface is very simple and intuitive to learn and to use. The storage tower is even more so. The initial training given by the technicians during installation was more than enough.” The storage tower, in his words, comes down to three moves:
- Select the drawer
- Load the sheet
- Wait
The real gain: not depending on outside suppliers
“Truth is we never turned anyone down. But before, for cutting and welding, we had to rely on outside suppliers, and any problem or wait at one stage inevitably slowed the others down.”
“Now the biggest advantage is being able to manage the whole process in-house, deciding when and how to step in.” This is not about extra capacity: it is control over timing, which for a job-shop is often worth more.
The thicknesses they work on
“With this system we can cut up to 12 mm of stainless steel, although that is not our daily bread. Generally the maximum is 8 mm of carbon steel cut with oxygen as the assist gas, and the rest is thicknesses between 1.5 and 3 mm.”
The verdict, four years on
“We have never had serious problems with the laser. The few times we had downtime it came from experiments run by me or by Nabil, my right-hand man. In any case the support has always been faultless: as soon as we called, the technicians were very willing, and the next day they were with us.”
“I am recommending the company to anyone in the area looking for this kind of product, for the price-quality ratio, the range of solutions and the fast, effective support.”
Frequently asked questions
What is an automatic storage tower for on a laser machine?
It feeds the machine without an operator, so it can keep working as the shop empties out. At Eco Design the 12-drawer storage tower lets them start large batches and leave them to finish late into the evening: in the morning the sheets are already cut, stacked and all identical.
Can a storage tower be built in a non-standard size?
Yes, and it is the reason Eco Design chose Cutlite Penta: they needed a storage tower for sheets of 4 × 1.5 metres, the format of their LME 4015, and several suppliers either did not offer that size or quoted far more for it. Loading and unloading systems are engineered in-house and matched to a storage tower of the size required.
Is an automatic storage tower hard to learn?
At Eco Design three people use it. According to Riccardo Martinelli the storage tower is the simplest part of the system: you select the drawer, load the sheet and wait. The training given by the technicians during installation was enough, with no follow-up courses.
What thicknesses does a 4 kW LME cut?
At Eco Design they go up to 12 mm of stainless steel, though that is not the usual job. Most of the work is carbon steel up to 8 mm cut with oxygen as the assist gas, plus thin gauges between 1.5 and 3 mm.
Need a storage tower in the size you actually use?
Tell us your sheet format and how many batches you run: we engineer the loading and unloading systems here and match them to the storage tower you need.
