Alust

Background

Alust is a precision metal fabrication business specialising in laser cutting, laser welding, bending, and shop fitting. As the company evolved, it began transitioning its brand to Craftique, shifting its focus towards bespoke steel products including braai units, wine racks, tables, and other custom metalwork.

With increasing demand for high-quality custom fabrication, the business recognised several limitations with traditional welding methods (MIG, TIG, and Stick welding):

• Slow production due to multiple post-weld finishing processes 
• Significant weld spatter requiring grinding and cleanup 
• Material distortion, particularly on thin stainless steel 
• Labour-intensive manufacturing process 
• Dependence on highly skilled welders 
• Bottlenecks within the production line reducing throughput 

After researching laser welding technology, the team partnered with FactorySmart to implement a handheld laser welding system to modernise production and improve manufacturing efficiency.

The Demonstration

FactorySmart worked closely with Alust throughout the evaluation and implementation of laser welding technology.

The objectives were to:

• Increase manufacturing speed 
• Improve weld strength and consistency 
• Eliminate unnecessary post-processing 
• Reduce distortion on stainless steel 
• Simplify operator training 
• Improve overall manufacturing efficiency 

During implementation:

• Operators adapted to the technology extremely quickly. 
• The system proved simple enough to learn in less than an hour. 
• Production became significantly faster than traditional welding methods. 
• Welds required virtually no grinding or finishing. 
• Distortion on thin materials was almost completely eliminated. 
• Internal structural testing showed stronger weld penetration than conventional welding methods. 

A Key Takeaway

Laser welding simplified one of the most skilled manufacturing processes into an efficient, repeatable production method while simultaneously improving weld quality and reducing production time.

Trial Results

1. Production Capacity & Speed

Outcome: Production accelerated significantly by eliminating grinding and reducing the overall manufacturing cycle.

2. Weld Strength & Quality

Outcome: Internal structural testing demonstrated stronger welds with cleaner, more consistent results.

3. Reduced Skill Dependency

Outcome: Laser welding dramatically reduced the learning curve while allowing operators to produce professional-quality welds.

4. Manufacturing Efficiency & Cost Savings

A major benefit experienced by Alust was the simplification of the manufacturing process.

• Elimination of grinding and weld cleanup 
• Fewer production stages 
• Faster movement into quality control 
• Increased products completed per shift 
• Reduced labour time per component 

Outcome:
Laser welding removed a complete production step, reducing manufacturing time, improving efficiency, and lowering production costs while delivering products to customers faster.

5. Product Quality & Distortion Control

Outcome: Finished products achieved higher dimensional accuracy, cleaner aesthetics, and significantly reduced distortion.

Winning Factors

Faster Production

• Significantly reduced welding time 
• Higher manufacturing throughput 
• Faster delivery to customers 

Stronger Welds

• Greater weld penetration 
• Improved structural performance 
• Reliable, repeatable quality 

Cleaner Manufacturing

• Virtually no weld spatter 
• No grinding required after welding 
• Simplified production workflow 

Improved Product Quality

• Minimal distortion 
• Cleaner finished appearance 
• Higher precision fabrication 

Workforce Efficiency

• Easy operator training 
• Reduced dependence on highly skilled welders 
• Faster onboarding of new staff 

Unlimited Design Capability

Laser cutting and laser welding allow virtually any design that can be drawn digitally to be manufactured accurately, expanding the company's ability to produce bespoke products and creative custom fabrication.

Bottom Line

By implementing FactorySmart's laser welding technology, Alust (transitioning to Craftique) was able to:

• Increase production speed significantly 
• Produce stronger, deeper welds 
• Virtually eliminate weld spatter and grinding 
• Reduce distortion, particularly on stainless steel 
• Simplify operator training to less than one hour 
• Remove an entire post-processing step from production 
• Improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce costs 
• Deliver higher-quality products to customers faster 

Most importantly, laser welding removed key production bottlenecks, allowing the business to manufacture bespoke steel products more efficiently while improving quality, reducing labour requirements, and supporting future growth.

FactorySmart's solution demonstrated that laser welding is not simply a replacement for conventional welding—it fundamentally streamlines manufacturing by combining speed, strength, precision, and ease of use into a single production process.