Manz Backtechnik

More than a decade in production, with only two on-site service visits

Manz Backtechnik introduced fiber laser cutting after years of relying on punching for its sheet-metal work. The move made production faster and gave the company more freedom to manufacture complex geometries, customized components and prototypes.
More than a decade later, their 4kW Eagle iNspire is still in operation at Manz. According to Owner and CEO Robert Häußler, Eagle has been required on site only twice during roughly 12 years of operation.

1962 Company founded
~50 Employees
3,600 m² Production area
8mm Maximum thickness of sheets processed

Built around quality

Manz Backtechnik has manufactured ovens in Creglingen, near Rothenburg ob der Tauber, since 1962. Its products range from ovens for private customers to equipment for gastronomy and commercial applications.
The company has around 50 employees, approximately 3,600 m² of production space and a further 1,800 m² of storage. The business was taken over in 2002 by the founder's daughter and her husband, Robert Häußler.
For Häußler, the quality of the finished oven depends on the quality of every production stage. And the cutting process is the first step.

Manz competes with manufacturers that have lower production costs, including companies outside Germany. Its response is to focus on product quality, functionality and durability.

““The production has to be correspondingly high-quality and very precise. That starts with laser cutting and continues through to final assembly.””

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Business impact

Business impact

Challenge

Punching was no longer enough

Until around 12 years ago, Manz handled essentially all of its sheet-metal cutting with a punching machine.
Häußler concluded that the company needed another solution to remain competitive. Because Manz mainly processes thinner sheet, up to around 8 mm, he identified fiber laser cutting as the most suitable technology for the application.
He then compared several fiber laser manufacturers, requested offers and visited machines in operation before making a decision.

Decision

Seeing the iNspire in Poland

At the time, Eagle did not yet have the presence in Germany that it has today. Therefore Häußler travelled to Poland to see the machines himself.
After looking at several Eagle models, he decided on the iNspire.
“I looked at the iNspire and it became clear relatively quickly that this was the machine we needed.”
Häußler identifies quality, speed and functionality as the main reasons for the decision.

Business impact

Faster production and greater design freedom

After introducing the Eagle laser, Manz became significantly faster in production.
The change also gave the company more freedom in part design. Häußler points specifically to geometries such as rounded external contours, which had not previously been practical for the company to manufacture in the same way.
This also affected product development. Manz could produce parts that had not been possible before and work more freely when developing new products and prototypes.

What changed after the Eagle iNspire installation

The Eagle iNspire 1540 4 kW replaced punching as the main cutting technology for many of Manz Backtechnik’s sheet-metal components. The change increased production speed and gave the company more freedom to manufacture geometries that had previously been difficult or impractical.
That flexibility is particularly useful for customer-specific production. If an oven housing needs to be adjusted to fit an existing installation, Manz can modify the required components and produce them directly with the laser. The same capability supports prototype work and the development of new oven designs.

Faster production
Häußler reports a clear increase in production speed after introducing the Eagle laser.
Greater geometric freedom
Laser cutting expanded the range of shapes Manz could manufacture, including rounded external contours.
Customer-specific production
The company can alter components quickly when an individual installation requires a different dimension.
Proven long-term reliability
The iNspire has operated for around 12 years with only two on-site Eagle service interventions.

From Punching to Flexible Fiber Laser Production with Eagle

Manz Backtechnik moved from punching to fiber laser cutting to increase production speed and gain more freedom in part design, customization and prototyping. More than a decade later, its 4 kW Eagle iNspire is still in operation, with only two on-site Eagle service visits in roughly 12 years.

iNSPIRE

iNspire

High-dynamic fiber laser cutting for precise and flexible sheet-metal production.

iNspire
Fiber laser cutting

Fiber laser cutting

Faster processing and greater freedom for complex geometries, customized parts and prototypes.

Fiber laser cutting
Eagle Service

Eagle Service

Remote and on-site support designed to keep production running with minimal interruption.

Service
Eagle Trust

Eagle Trust

Long-term support, reliable technology and direct access to Eagle specialists throughout the machine lifecycle.

Eagle Trust

What could greater cutting flexibility and long-term machine reliability mean for your production?

Use the Manz Backtechnik case as a starting point for a concrete benchmark. Compare your current cutting process, materials, geometries, production requirements and service needs with fiber laser cutting.

Compare punching or conventional cutting with fiber laser
Calculate potential throughput improvements
Benchmark thin-sheet and customized-part production
Evaluate service requirements and operating costs

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