Machine is capable of processing lengths up to 6 metres.
For Triangle Plasma Cutting, what may have looked like a snap decision to purchase a new CNC tube fiber laser was actually the culmination of a long process and not as a result of one big order.
Managing Director Calvin Ungerer had tinkered with the idea of buying a tube laser for years, mainly because he could move away from the labour intensive manual cutting and offer another service to his clients that would align with his philosophy of the faster service and turnaround time that you offer will help you get recognised and grow your business.
The company has been cutting, bending, rolling and fabricating metal for years, with Ungerer establishing the company in 1995 after a stint working in his father’s steel profiling shop.
Triangle Plasma Cutting’s new 6kW DNE fiber laser tube cutting machine with a 6 metre capability
“I had recognised that there was a gap in the marketplace for plasma cutting stainless steel. As we are based in the Duncanville, Vereeniging, Gauteng area it is known as the Vaal Triangle, a very industrious area for mining operations,” said Ungerer.
“Many of the engineering companies in the area were servicing the mining companies and of course Sasol and ArcelorMittal, which are two large companies within close proximity to Vereeniging. But most of these engineering shops are large, heavy engineering companies involved in manufacturing and refurbishing large components used on the mines or the equipment used in the mining operations.”
“There were very few cutting plate and sheet and none with any equipment that resembled any sort of automation or productivity. And manual labour was plentiful. But I knew that companies wanted their material processed in the shortest possible time.”
With the new investment Triangle Plasma Cutting are now able to cut tubes (round or square), U-shaped channels, L-sections, I-beams, and angles as per a customer’s design up to 240mm diameter and 6 metres in length
“I approached my father to offer the service of plasma cutting but he was not interested so I politely put the question to him ‘would he mind if I started my own company?’ That was in 1995. Of course, he wished me all the best and I was even allowed to operate from his factory until I found my feet.”
“My first plasma cutting machine was very rudimentary. I purchased a Rehm cutting torch and secured it in a profile unit that we had fabricated. Not long after that we purchased a Merkle plasma cutting torch and setup a similar cutting machine. In those days there was no such technology as CNC fiber laser.”
“The first torches were squared-off, clunky hunks of plastic that looked more like a child’s toy hammer than high-tech cutting equipment. These torches did the trick, but as plasma cutting evolved, it became clear torches needed to evolve as well to withstand harsher conditions and meet a wider variety of needs. After all, the torch that cuts perfect parts on a CNC table isn’t necessarily the torch that works well in a 3D cutting application. For hand cutting, a torch used to cut a flat piece of steel doesn’t necessarily work for someone trying to gouge out a weld on the pipeline.”
“Plasma cutting was developed in the mid-twentieth century and has developed into sophisticated plasma cutting systems. Early plasma cutting systems were used primarily for cutting stainless steel and aluminium plate from 10mm to 80mm thick. These systems are primitive by today’s design standards.”
The call to process tube with a diameter of less than 240mm is far greater and this is the area that Triangle Plasma Cutting is concentrating on
Family business: “You could say we are a true family business. Besides my son Walter (L) being very involved on the processing and manufacturing side my daughter Bianca (R) joined the company in 2013 and is key on the administration side. But the real boss – my wife Tania – has been with the business since the beginning taking control of the financial aspects.”
“In our situation and where we were situated, we were unique at the time. But as the technology developed and the company grew into other forms of metal forming, we eventually stopped using our plasma cutting equipment and eventually sold it because it was occupying very valuable factory space.”
“We had already moved in the direction of improved cutting speeds and quality, which I suppose is a service that founded the company.”
CO2 laser cutter
“It did take us until 2011 before we got into laser cutting when we purchased our first CO2 laser. We could not afford a new machine and the second-hand machine that we purchased was already 10 years old. You would not even contemplate making that kind of decision today.”
“It took us another 10 years before we made our next major purchase – a 8kW DNE fiber laser with a bed size of 6 000mm by 2 000mm. But the remarkable fact in all of this is that our CO2 laser gave 20 years of service to its two owners. I don’t think you would even come close to that time frame with today’s equipment.”
“DNE is a member of the Bystronic Group and is represented in South Africa by Cutronic.”
The investment has proven profitable for the family business that, though it operates in a relatively small footprint, still deals with significant local competition.
The 8kW DNE fiber laser with a bed size of 6 000mm by 2 000mm that Triangle Plasma Cutting purchased in 2021. DNE is represented in South Africa by Cutronic
Triangle Plasma Cutting takes great care in making sure material supplied is of high-quality
“There are a lot of small companies operating in the same sphere of flat laser. I would not say that we are a big one as we are 12 people. That’s fine. We just have a lot of experience and competent staff. Maybe that’s why we have less people than others do. There’s a lot of competition around here, but with our machinery, we are able to be more competitive.”
“Then there is the cost of the equipment. To many it is becoming more affordable to get into the market. We have lost six customers this year purely to them purchasing their own equipment. They have no chance of filling the capacity of the machine nor do they have the experience and technical know-how but still chose to go the route of purchasing their own laser. Good for the suppliers but not good for companies like ours.”
Diversification
“This is a compelling enough reason for us to diversify. The diversification properly began in 2023 when we purchased a new press brake with a 250 ton bending force with a bending width of 3 200mm.”
“However, the plan was always to set ourselves apart from the rest by offering a service that not many were doing.”
“I have been visiting the international sheet metal exhibition EuroBlech that is held in Hannover, Germany every two years on a number of occasions. It certainly is a must visit if you want to keep abreast of the new technologies and see them in action. The exhibition is truly international and it is a sure way to experience the advances in the sheet, tube and plate industries.”
“When you think of how my father processed material. He sawed everything by hand, he drilled everything by hand, he welded everything by hand. We did that as well over the years but we realised that you must invest in whatever technology that can help you stay ahead of the competition and what customers demand.”
“However, as impressive as the latest equipment is, not everyone is as excited as I am when we put it into production. That is understandable, given how much a new machine disrupts the old way of doing things.”
“Fortunately, my son Walter joined the company in 2018 and he is as passionate about the new technology as I am. He is also on the floor for the majority of the day and knows how to operate all the machines that we have and he quickly sorts out any bottlenecks that might occur. Again, fortunately this is not a frequent occurrence.”
The company has added a Bystronic 160 Express press brake to its bending department. The machine has a relatively small pressing force of 160 tons and comes with a bending length of 3 100mm
Triangle Plasma Cutting have recently purchased a DNE handheld fiber laser welding machine from Cutronic
“In fact, between all of us we are very proud that we can get more out of a machine than what the specifications say. You can have all the fancy equipment you can afford but if you are not putting it to good use it is going to hurt you.”
“We would like to have more equipment but we are limited with space. We purchased the land and custom built our offices and factory space in 2008. We have about 1 300m2 of space at our disposal and wish we had more.”
New 6kW DNE fiber laser tube cutting machine with a 6m capability
“As I said we wanted to offer something different to the mases out there and this new 6kW DNE fiber laser tube cutting machine puts the rubber stamp on that. The machine only arrived in March 2025 and, like our other equipment, it is not one of those machines that has a large capability. These machines, in the long run, are not used to their true capacity because there is not a great demand and the machine also occupies larger factory floor space.”
“The call to process tube with a diameter of less than 240mm is far greater. With this new investment we are now able to cut tubes (round or square), U-shaped channels, L-sections, I-beams, and angles as per a customer’s design up to 240mm diameter and 6 metres in length. Whether you are wanting us to process mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium or other non-ferrous metals we can cut it.”
Processed material ready for dispatch
Triangle Plasma Cutting are not limited to just cutting sheet, plate, tube and bar
“The machine also features automatic centring and clamping to ensure accuracy and reduce material sagging. The multi-chuck system helps achieve minimal to zero tail material cutting, improving material utilisation.”
“The machine also has automation options for automated bundle loaders, chain loaders, and unloading systems for high-volume production.”
“The machine is well-suited for a variety of industrial applications, including machinery manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, and general metal fabrication, where precise and efficient tube processing is required.”
“The main industries where our clients are operating in are mining, agriculture and general engineering.”
“This machine has also been supplied and installed by Cutronic.”
Bystronic 160 Express
“In between the two purchases we have made in the last 3 years Cutronic have also supplied us with a Bystronic 160 Express press brake. The machine has a relatively small pressing force of 160 tons and comes with a bending length of 3 100mm.”
Family business
“You could say we are a true family business. Besides my son being very involved on the processing and manufacturing side my daughter Bianca joined the company in 2013 and is key on the administration side. But the real boss – my wife Tania – has been with the business since the beginning taking control of the financial aspects.”
“Going forward we are probably going to investigate getting a scanner for reverse engineering. We have so many people these days enquiring about processing components and they don’t have drawings. We are certainly going to investigate a solution as we are on the rolling side. Currently we have two small manual machines.”
“Most of the metal we process we source ourselves. We can’t rely on customers supplying, although some do, as they are not as careful in material selection as we are. It is our obligation to source quality material.”
Larger gauge material that has been processed at Triangle Plasma Cutting
Besides being able to cut tubes (round or square) the new DNE fiber laser tube cutting machine allows Triangle Plasma Cutting to process U-shaped channels, L-sections, I-beams and angles
“Every new technology, from automobiles to televisions, goes through an evolutionary period. The first designs often are large and expensive and slowly become smaller, faster, more refined, and user-focused. Think back to the first computer or cell phone. Both looked nothing like the advanced tablets and smartphones of today.”
“Today’s cutting and bending systems are no different. Power supplies are smaller, more capable, and reliable, as are the cutting heads and press brake tooling. All the modern technological features have improved both cutting speed and quality over the cutting methods that were being used before. There is a lot of thinking behind all this technology and you need to adapt to it and incorporate it into your business.”
“Because the team is small and despite its floor space limitations, for the past 30 years, the company has continued to grow and stay ahead of both the technology curve and its competition. We are handing over to a new generation now and they are going to take the company even further,” concluded Ungerer.
For further details contact Triangle Plasma Cutting on 083 689 2134.
