Imagine a factory where metal sheets go through three separate machines — one punches holes, another cuts with a laser, and a third feeds raw material from giant metal rolls. Each machine wastes energy and material. PRODUTECH built a single machine that does all three jobs at once, feeding metal straight from the coil, punching and laser-cutting in one pass. The result is roughly half the energy bill and up to 30% less scrap metal thrown away.
Metal manufacturers currently run separate machines for punching, laser cutting, and coil feeding — each consuming energy independently and generating scrap at every handoff. The metallurgical industry alone accounts for about 20% of all industrial energy use in Europe, roughly 51 Mtoe per year. There is no integrated solution on the market that combines all three processes from coil to finished part in a single machine.
PRODUTECH built a working EffiCOIL prototype (Deliverable D 3.2) — an integrated machine combining their patented electric coil punching with fibre laser cutting and direct coil feeding into a single production line. The prototype was demonstrated at PRODUTECH facilities.
If you are a white goods manufacturer dealing with high energy costs and metal waste across multiple sheet-forming steps — this project developed an integrated coil-fed machine combining punching and fibre laser cutting that delivers a 52% reduction in energy consumption and 20-30% less wasted metal sheet compared to standard separate machines.
If you are an automotive parts supplier running separate punching and cutting lines with rising energy and raw material costs — this project built a combined coil-to-finished-part machine that eliminates intermediate handling, cuts energy use by 52%, and reduces metal scrap by 20-30%, lowering both Capex and Opex versus your current setup.
If you are a steel furniture or electrical equipment producer struggling with material waste from sheet-based cutting and punching — this project created a single machine that processes metal directly from coil with integrated punching and fibre laser cutting, achieving 20-30% reduction in wasted metal sheet and 52% lower energy consumption per part.
The project does not disclose a machine price. However, the objective states that the integrated EffiCOIL system delivers a decrease in both Capex and Opex versus standard metal processing machinery, with an expected internal rate of return of approximately 23%.
A working prototype was built and demonstrated (Deliverable D 3.2), and the project's goal was to prepare for market launch. PRODUTECH already serves 166 customers across Europe and 22 outside the EU, so the company has proven industrial-scale manufacturing and distribution capacity.
PRODUTECH owns the IP. The coil metal punching process is already patented by PRODUTECH, and they were first to bring coil fibre laser cutting to market. Licensing or purchase arrangements would need to be discussed directly with PRODUTECH.
Based on available project data, the machine is designed for metal coil working across discrete production areas including white goods, steel furniture, lighting, electrical equipment, and automotive components. Specific material thickness and alloy compatibility are not detailed in the project documentation.
The objective states a 52% reduction in energy consumption for metal sheet production and 20-30% reduction in wasted metal sheet. A physical prototype was built and demonstrated to EC personnel at PRODUTECH facilities. These figures come from the project's own engineering analysis.
Based on available project data, the prototype was completed by month 13 of the project (around late 2018). The project closed in September 2019 with the goal of market launch readiness. Delivery timelines would depend on current production schedules at PRODUTECH.
This is a single-company project — PRODUTECH SRL is the sole partner, an Italian SME with over 20 years of experience in metal sheet working machines. While the absence of university or research partners means there is no academic validation layer, it also means all IP stays with one company and commercial decisions are fast. PRODUTECH already has 166 European customers and 22 international customers with a worldwide distribution network, which gives them a clear path to market without needing consortium partners for commercialization.
PRODUTECH SRL is based in Italy. Contact their sales or business development team through the company website.
Want an introduction to PRODUTECH to discuss the EffiCOIL integrated coil processing machine? SciTransfer can arrange a direct meeting with the team.
