Efficient post-processing of laser-cut parts through CNC technology

Thread Cutting
Increase Efficiency And Process Reliability With A CNC-Controlled Thread Cutting Center

2025-10-14

A guest contribution by

Steffen Knecht * | Translated by AI


2 min Reading Time

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Post-process laser-cut parts quickly, reliably, and easily—whether thread cutting, drilling, countersinking, or reaming. The thread cutting center developed by CMA simplifies workflows and offers a variety of possibilities.

Patrick Gugel from LST247 and Steffen Knecht from Kärcher GmbH (CMA factory representation in southern Germany) are impressed by the functionality and process reliability of the FTC.

(Image: CMA)

Managing Director, Kärcher GmbH (CMA factory representation in southern Germany)

Driven by the effort to produce more cost-effectively and simply, the company LST247, based in Beuren, decided to invest in the CNC-controlled drilling and threading center developed by CMA and has not regretted this decision. As a full-service system supplier, LST247 offers its customers the complete process chain from online calculation to the finished assembly. Through the company’s own online shop, customers can calculate and directly order sheet metal parts around the clock—from batch size 1 to large series.

The FTC offers travel paths XY of 118 x 59 inches, can read 2D DXF or DWG files, and provides functions such as threading, drilling (standard / with chip breaking / hollow profile cycle), countersinking, flow drilling (with optimal feed curve), and reaming. It is also equipped with a tool probe for length measurement and as a break detector, and it offers 3D simulation and collision warning.

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CNC-Controlled Solution for Post-Processing

In an interview with Patrick Gugel, one of the managing directors of the family-run Swabian company, he explains why the choice fell on the FTC threading center from CMA. “After nearly 30 years in sheet metal processing, we know exactly where the critical points lie. The mechanical post-processing of our laser parts is extremely diverse and labor-intensive—every part requires different processing steps, precise drawing interpretation, and solid mechanical knowledge. At the same time, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find employees with this broad qualification. So we asked ourselves: how can we reduce this complexity, lower costs, and still maintain our high quality standards through automation? For this reason, we started looking for a CNC-controlled solution for post-processing.”

The requirements of LST247 were clearly defined: all important post-processing steps—threading, drilling, countersinking, and reaming—were to be completed in a single operation. Additionally, they wanted a large processing area for maximum flexibility, multiple clamping setups, and pendulum operation. “Simple, fast programming was also important to us. And the machine should be safely operable even by trained personnel. The FTC fulfills every single one of these points perfectly,” said Gugel.

Operable Without CNC Programming Knowledge

Production with the FTC enables the company to maintain consistently high quality in manufacturing. The automatic height probe ensures precise compensation measures for height tolerances of the workpieces and detects clamping errors that could lead to collisions. “Another advantage is the seamless integration into our digitized production. Programs for the FTC are generated directly from existing CAD data that customers have already uploaded via our online configurator for price calculation,” Gugel continues. Thanks to the intuitive graphical dialog programming, this can also be done easily and quickly directly on the machine by employees without CNC programming knowledge.

Overall, LST247 is very satisfied with the investment in the FTC. “It is robust, reliable, and delivers quality we can count on at any time. For us, it was a big step forward—we save costs, work more efficiently, and can deliver even better results to our customers.”