Bullmer increases productivity by 6% thanks to optimised CNC control from ProCom Automation

In June 2023, Bullmer GmbH and ProCom Automation reached an important milestone in their long-standing collaboration: thanks to targeted software optimisations in ProCom’s CNC controls, Bullmer machines now cut 6% faster – a significant productivity gain for the market leader in cutting and laying technology.

This progress is not only the result of technical expertise, but also an expression of a trusting, decades-long partnership between two traditional German companies that consistently focus on innovation, precision and efficiency.

The partnership: Bullmer & ProCom Automation

Two industry leaders with a shared culture of innovation

Founded in 1933, Bullmer is known worldwide as the market leader in cutting and laying technology. The company’s automated system solutions are used in industries such as clothing, automotive, upholstered furniture, technical textiles, advertising technology and aerospace.

ProCom Automation has been a long-standing development partner for almost 40 years. The company develops CNC and CAM software solutions for cutting applications and supports customers worldwide with tailor-made control technologies – from knife cutting and water jet cutting to plasma cutting.

Both companies share a common goal: to make production processes more efficient, precise and economical – especially in demanding industries such as clothing, automotive, upholstered furniture, advertising technology, technical textiles and even the aerospace industry.

Technical breakthrough: 6% more cutting power

CNC software optimisation delivers measurable productivity gains

In a six-month development process, ProCom revised the motion algorithms and smoothed the contour data – with remarkable results:

‘Tests at bullmer verified that the machine now cuts 6% faster thanks to software optimisation.’

For Bullmer customers, this translates into a direct economic advantage: a manufacturer who previously produced 1,000 T-shirts per day now cuts 1,060 pieces – with a margin of £1 per shirt, this results in an additional profit of £60 per day.

Greater precision also saves costs

The increase in performance goes hand in hand with significantly improved cutting quality – contour accuracy is noticeably improved, especially at corners, edges and curves:

‘The improved quality reduces waste and prevents rejects – a real advantage for clothing manufacturers.’

This means less reworking, lower material losses and more efficient series production.

Trust, technology & continuous optimisation

Shared values and technical expertise as the basis for success

Reiner Kast, responsible for development and production at Bullmer, emphasises the importance of cooperation:

‘High-quality machines require high-quality control systems in order to realise their full potential. With ProCom as our long-standing supplier, we can rely on receiving a solution that is perfectly tailored to our machines and is continuously optimised.’

Anette Höchst, Product Owner at ProCom, also emphasises the importance of continuous improvement:

‘We want to stay one step ahead with our control solution and make targeted use of synergies from other cutting technologies to continuously improve our product.’

Both companies see their long-standing partnership as a basis for innovation. Kast adds:

‘Thanks to our professional and long-standing collaboration, we are constantly able to identify new opportunities and promote innovation.’

Advanced features: More than just faster cutting

Zero clearance cutting & higher material efficiency

In addition to speed and quality advantages, the ProCom control system offers further functions that directly create potential savings:

• Zero clearance cutting: maximises material utilisation
• Optimised movement flow: saves time in every cycle
• Seamless integration into existing Bullmer systems

Data-driven process optimisation with Clouver

Another highlight is the connection to Clouver, ProCom’s IIoTIIoT is the internet-based networking of industrial machines, systems, and devices for data collection and process optimization. production monitoring platform. This allows machine data to be visualised and analysed in real time and used for continuous process improvement:

‘The machine operator can continuously improve their processes based on the visualised production data.’

This opens up new possibilities for data-based production control – a step towards Industry 4.0Fourth industrial revolution through digitalization and intelligent networking of production facilities. that Bullmer customers can implement in practice.

Company profile

Bullmer – System solutions for the perfect cut

Bullmer GmbH, with over 120 employees, develops and manufactures complete cutting systems – from material handling to automated sorting. The systems are used worldwide, including at:

• Fashion and textile manufacturers
• Furniture and upholstered furniture producers
• Aviation and automotive suppliers
• Advertising material and composite material processors

The cutting solutions cover all common types of materials: fabrics, leather, carbon, fibreglass, acrylic, aluminium Dibond, foams and more.

ProCom Automation – CNC and IIoT expertise from Aachen

ProCom Automation has been developing CNC and CAM solutions for cutting and separating processes for over 40 years – supplemented by the Clouver IIoT platform. The company is well established on the European and Chinese markets and offers

• CNC hardware & software
• CAM software
• Intelligent controls for knife, band knife, laser and water jet cutting
• Process monitoring via Clouver for Industry 4.0 applications

With a clear focus on efficiency, transparency and flexibility, ProCom delivers automation with added value.

Conclusion: Bullmer and ProCom Automation are setting new standards in cutting together.

The software optimisation in June 2023 impressively demonstrates how two established companies with technological excellence and close partnership create real competitive advantages for their customers.

The 6% faster cutting speed, significantly improved contour quality, zero-distance cutting and connection to IIoT systems such as Clouver make Bullmer machines more powerful than ever – with concrete benefits for manufacturers worldwide.