The Super-Fast New Cutting Machine at Quantum’s Cape Town Sail Loft

Quantum Sails in Cape Town have recently made an incredible new acquisition: the Genesis 2200 combines laser and blade computer cutting table.

Supplied by Blackman & White in the United Kingdom, this incredible machine is a big hit internationally with sail makers, the clothing and apparel industry, the furniture industry and is also used, amongst other, to cut carbon strips such as those used in the manufacture of F1 cars as well as awnings and sunshades.

Looking down the length of the cuting platform

The Genesis 2200 is essentially a computer cutting table, with two cutting functions – a laser and a knife. The machine takes the geometry of the sail panels via a computer programme and the knife or laser cuts the sail fabric, laid on the cutting table, in record speed.

Alex White, Managing Director of Blackman & White in the UK, flew to Quantum in Cape Town for the installation and set up of the machine, and to monitor the first few days of production using the Genesis 2200.

According to Alex, this super-fast cutting machine takes around 10 minutes to cut out all the panels of the sail of a yacht of approximately 30 foot!

This is certainly backed up by Jannie Reuvers, Managing Director of Quantum Sails in Cape Town, who could not believe that in an hour and a half, the machine cut as many sails as would previously have taken the loft a day and a half to cut!

The benefits of the Genesis 2200 to Quantum and their customers are numerous – obviously speed, productivity, efficiency and better quality... and also a notable one being that the machine is so precise, and because of the computerisation of the geometry of any shape or logo outline, any two cut outs will always be 100% identical.

This is especially a huge advantage for the cutting out of logos, graphics and One Design sails.

The machine can cut material in two different ways - laser or knife
The laser is perfect for woven materials, such as canvas, sunshade- and umbrella-type materials, and of course in Quantum’s case is therefore perfect for all their canvas products, spinnakers and woven sail materials. The laser seals the edge as it cuts, taking out the time consuming additional step of sealing edges after cutting. It is slower than the knife as a result, and the speed at which it cuts and seals can be set.

The knife cutter is perfect for Quantum’s laminate materials and the depth of the knife can be adjusted to the material being cut

The cutting table is an incredible 25 metres long and either the laser or the knife can cut the full length of the table.

With this amazing new machine, Quantum can expect a huge increase in their productivity, speed at which sails are made, and the quality of all sail cutting…
… Another great step for Quantum Sails in their journey from strength to strength!

For more information on Quantum’s Cape Town loft and sails, contact Tony Strutt at Quantum Sails in Cape Town on + 27 21 593 1620 or tony[at]quantumsails.co.za

For more information on the Genesis 2200 cutting machine, please contract Alex White, MD of Blackman & White Ltd , in the UK on + 44 1621 843404 or Email: awhite[at]bwcutters.com or look at Blackman and White’s website: www.bwcutters.com