We’ve Doubled our Busbar Production for 2026

Written By Jenna Drake

We’ve doubled our busbar production capability.

At SPF America, we’re committed to meeting customer demand with precision, efficiency, and reliability—and this year, we’ve made a major leap forward. Our progress is measured by the value we bring to our customers. This year, we made a significant investment to strengthen our capabilities and expand production capacity. To keep delivering the high-quality copper busbars and components our customers depend on, we’re continuing to evolve—investing in tools that enhance our value, capabilities, quality, and our commitment to continuous improvement.

Simply put, we're outgrowing ourselves. On top of migrating our Fort Smith facility to a bigger and better location, we're boasting two more state-of-the-art busbar fabrication machines: two VaskiPUNCH Inspirations and an additional Boschert CU-Profi. This has effectively doubled our busbar production capacity and expanded our ability to handle a wide range of jobs. This update is more than just the machines—it’s an announcement for our increased flexibility and boosted overall throughput across our busbar production lines.

 

What is a busbar-oriented machine? To us, that means a piece of equipment that is CNC assisted, auto-feeds bar material, has tooling to support a variety of processes, with the capacity for mass-production without sacrificing quality. We started this year with four busbar-oriented machines, and we ended this year owning 8 in total.

Boschert CU-Profi – Heavy-Duty Busbar Punching

Some projects demand as much power as precision. The Boschert CU-Profi delivers rugged hydraulic punching with multi-station turret tooling, handling bars up to 200 mm wide and 15 mm thick. Its combination of in-process tapping, optional automated loading, and CNC control ensures accurate, repeatable results—even on complex geometries. Paired with downstream bending and marking solutions, the CU-Profi forms a complete production cell for durable, reliable busbars.

Spec highlights

  • Material Length: ~157.480 in (4000 mm) maximum

  • Material Width: ~0.591–7.874 in (15–200 mm)

  • Material Thickness: ~0.118–0.591 in (1–15 mm)

  • Punching force: 40 ton (1 x 400 kN)

  • Auto feeder

  • Historically, we're a Boschert shop. Throughout the hundreds and thousands of jobs coming across our floor, Boscherts have been a reliable source for our company and our customers. The Boschert CU-Profi 2 enhances our copper busbar processing with powerful punching, notching, and shearing functions—all in one compact, high-speed system. Its precision control and advanced automation allow our team to efficiently produce complex components with consistent accuracy.

     

    These machines have the punching power, turret capacity, and integrated processes needed to handle thick copper bars and intricate geometries efficiently. This addition aligns perfectly with SPF’s commitment to quality and reliability, helping us reduce setup times and optimize workflow for large-scale projects.

    By bringing the CU-Profi into our lineup, we gained exactly what we needed:

    • Rugged hydraulic force for heavy-duty punching on bars up to 20 mm thick

    • Multi-station turret tooling to perform more operations in a single setup

    • Integrated tapping and CNC accuracy for precise, repeatable results

    • Optional automation to streamline material handling and waste removal

    The result? A production cell built for durability and versatility—delivering power, precision, and reliability for even the most demanding applications.

  • Boschert’s have always been reliable machines, and have stood the test of time in our shop. From this addition, you can expect:

    • Parts made with the same consistency

    • Same reliable results

    • Lower lead times with an added workstation

VaskiPUNCH Inspiration – High-Speed, Automated Busbar Punching

The VaskiPUNCH is a fully electric, servo-driven punching system designed to meet growing needs for speed, efficiency, and environmental responsibility—all without sacrificing precision. For high-volume, repeatable jobs, the VaskiPUNCH Inspiration sets the standard. This servo-electric, fully automated flat-bar punch drives throughput up to 250 hits per minute while maintaining exacting tolerances across every bar. Its automated tool magazine, integrated marking, and quick-change capabilities reduce setup time and keep production flowing—perfect for demanding applications.

Spec highlights

  • Flat bar compatibility

    • Width: ~0.59–7.87 in (15–200 mm)

    • Thickness: ~0.12–0.63 in (3–16 mm)

  • Punching force: 50 ton (500 kN)

  • Reduced material waste 

  • Servo-electric energy efficiency (lower power usage than hydraulic systems) 

  • Highly customizable tooling to meet unique production needs 

  • Automated operation for consistent, high-quality results 

This investment aligns with one of our core goals as a company: to create smarter, more agile processes that deliver better outcomes for both our customers and our environment.

  • Before the VaskiPUNCH, our setup included traditional hydraulic systems with limited tooling flexibility and higher energy consumption. While effective, their position in our shop not only limited our production time, but also limited our flexibility and adaptability, something that the Vaski line rightfully prides themselves on.

    By working closely with the Vaski team, we were able to configure a machine setup that addressed our exact pain points:

    • Faster punch cycles with minimal repositioning

    • Expanded tool capacity to support rapid changeovers

    • Reduced downtime and maintenance

    • More sustainable operations through energy-efficient design

    The result? A machine that fits seamlessly into our workflow while offering higher value to our customers.

  • Since installation, the VaskiPUNCH has already shown measurable improvements across key performance indicators:

    • Increased throughput in high-volume jobs

    • Lower scrap rates = less material waste

    • Even higher consistency in punched parts

    • Reduced setup times between jobs

    Most importantly, it’s helping us meet our customers with higher speed and precision—giving us the flexibility to scale production without compromising on quality. This directly supports our long-term strategy of investing in leaner, smarter, and more sustainable manufacturing.

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12kW Amada ENSIS 2015AJe – Precision Laser for Thick Material

Our new Amada ENSIS 3015 AJ 12kW fiber laser takes laser cutting to a new level. With advanced beam modulation and ultra-fast cutting speeds, this machine handles a wide range of materials and thicknesses with superior edge quality.

The increased wattage provides more power, ultra-fast cut times, and greater efficiency, directly translating into shorter lead times and exceptional product finish. Complete with a material auto-feeder and a 9KW sister laser, our precision capabilities have only grown stronger.

Spec highlights

  • 12KW powered laser

  • Automated material loader

  • Stores 60,000 lbs. for 24-7 production capability

  • Max. Material Size: 120 x 60 in (3048 x 1524 mm)

  • Max. Material Thickness: 1 in (25.4 mm)

  • Max. Speed: 7.724 in/min (~196.190 mm/min)

  • Max. Material Weight: 2,000 lbs (~907.185 mm)

  • Our 9kw laser has served our company very well, in both Fort Smith and Matamoros. With the addition of a new sister laser into our repertoire, our capabilities for precision parts has just drastically increased. On our shop floors, we also use the Amada 2D Planar scanner (alongside the Inspecvision) to get accurate reads for quality on every batch. We're very excited about this addition and what it means for our customers.

  • Right now, we're in the middle of moving our lasers around to share the wealth, but whenever our lasers are operational again, this means incredibly precise cuts, and the availability to laser through thicker metal than ever before with the same precision.

    • Increased manufacturing speed

    • Guaranteed precision on thicker materials

    • Faster lead times thanks to the high speeds and high capacity auto-feeder

 

Looking Forward 

With this investment, our equipment base is now balanced across locations. As a contract manufacturer with 50 years of experience this February, we understand that staying competitive means never standing still.

Whether it's investing in new technology, refining our processes, or working alongside customers to develop tailored solutions, we're dedicated to building a more agile, efficient, and sustainable future for copper busbar manufacturing. We continue to deliver on our promise: utilizing our values—service, passion, and fortitude—to create the reliability and long-term value we need to empower our customers through precision fabricated products.

At SPF, growth isn’t just about adding machines—it’s about building the capacity to electrify the future.

 
Jenna Drake
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