Compcut & ALS: Supporting Turkish Research
We are thrilled to announce a significant milestone in our global expansion:
ALS LABORATUVAR CİHAZLARI (www.als.com.tr)
has officially joined us as our primary distributor for Turkey. With a wealth of experience and a highly skilled team of engineers,
ALS is now our dedicated sales and support hub in the region.
We are already seeing the impact of this partnership with the delivery of a COMPCUT ACS 300 to
Yozgat Bozok University. The machine was acquired by Professor Yekta Karaduman to support his team’s
advanced material research.
Murat Serdaroğlu, Managing Director of ALS LABORATUVAR CİHAZLARI, noted:
“We are looking forward to working with COMPCUT. Their technology meets a specific demand in our market,
and we have already identified numerous opportunities to deliver these innovative solutions across Turkey.”
“The COMPCUT ACS 300 is incredibly intuitive. I am very impressed with the accuracy and the pristine surface finish it provides.
Furthermore, the service from ALS LABORATUVAR CİHAZLARI was flawless—from the initial consultation through to installation and training.”Professor Yekta Karaduman
CTE & Compcut: Driving Global Testing Standards
CTE, based in Honiton, was originally established to offer support to the aerospace industry in the accurate testing and
evaluation of composite, adhesive and other non‑metallic materials and components.
After extensive trialling of Sharp & Tappin’s then newly developing range of composite saws, the company bought its first
COMPCUT saw, as it more than met CTE’s exacting requirements as well as exceeding accepted international standards.
This was the start of a long and continuing working relationship with Sharp & Tappin.
Ten years on, CTE has experienced continual demand for its extremely high standard testing services, working with an ever‑expanding
range of industries, both within the UK and increasingly worldwide, each with its specific and varied demands.
Sectors currently supported include: Aerospace, Space, Defence, Automotive, Motorsport, Rail, Renewable Energy,
Oil & Gas, Construction and Civil Engineering.
During this period of growth and diversification CTE has continually sought to ensure that its Test Centre is equipped with
the very best in testing technology and has continued to work closely with Sharp & Tappin, helping to influence new product
development whilst adding to its arsenal of COMPCUT machining solutions to meet demand for its services.
The company currently operates two COMPCUT ACS saws and a COMPCUT PCR router, followed by another
ACS 600 advanced composite saw to ensure rapid specimen cutting throughput.
The COMPCUT machines continue to support the testing processes by consistently achieving remarkable and highly accurate standards
of machining, quickly and efficiently – qualities that first brought COMPCUT to CTE’s attention.
CTE’s success has been hard won through a proactive approach to its expanding customer base, anticipating demands as materials
technology continues to evolve, bringing new challenges. At the core of its success has been the ability to adapt to industry demands
whilst offering top quality professional testing services to the highest standards – accurate, competitive and timely.
Underpinning this is the confidence of having highly professional technical staff and investing in the best equipment to support them.
“CTE’s position as a well‑respected Test Centre is both satisfying but equally challenging and we are working to expand our customer
base and range of services through careful, measured, strategic growth – never ever losing sight of our core values.
To achieve this goal we need to ensure that our technical resources are ‘state of the art’ and ‘future proofed’.
To these ends we are delighted to continue to integrate COMPCUT machining technology into our testing processes in the knowledge
that our high standards are being continually and consistently met. Hence we have expanded our COMPCUT resources and acquired
another COMPCUT ACS 600.”Paul Yeo – Managing Director, CTE
“When the COMPCUT Composite Saw range first emerged we really put a machine through its paces, running extensive tests – in one case
machining 240 laminates into 3840 specimens, without losing a single specimen through lack of tolerance.”Paul Yeo – CTE Managing Director
COMPCUT Global Presence – Local Support
As COMPCUT continues to be adopted as the cutting method of choice by many of the world’s leading advanced engineering organisations,
we are expanding the capacity and capability of our international partner programme to ensure customers receive the world‑class service
and technical support they need and expect.
Over the last 12 months, we have welcomed new COMPCUT partners in Spain, Portugal, across DACH, North America, China, Israel and Turkey,
with additional partners expected soon in Italy and France. This growing network of local competence reflects both increasing global demand
for advanced composite cutting solutions and our commitment to supporting customers with strong, locally based expertise.
Investing in a composite cutting machine or router is not simply about selecting the most effective option, but also ensuring the long‑term
performance which can be enhanced with diligent local support once the machine is in operation.
Our local partners play a key role in helping customers integrate their systems effectively and supporting them throughout the working life
of the machine.
Purchasing consultations typically include a detailed product introduction, live demonstrations and proof‑of‑concept trials, development of a
machine specification aligned to operational needs, and a clear business case outlining the benefits of COMPCUT technology.
This includes analysis of potential return on investment and objective comparisons with alternative cutting and machining solutions,
enabling informed decision‑making.
Once a machine is installed, support continues through certified COMPCUT engineering services. Our partners deliver preventative maintenance
programmes and provide technical troubleshooting, helping customers maximise uptime, maintain cutting accuracy and protect long‑term
asset value. The result is smoother integration, predictable performance and reduced operational disruption.
By strengthening our international partner network, we combine global experience with local accountability — ensuring that wherever COMPCUT
machines are installed, customers benefit from responsive support and long‑term partnership.
If you are interested in representing COMPCUT in your territory, please contact International Director
David Bone at david.b@sharpandtappin.com.
Ben Sharp – CEO, speaking at AITC China
TU Delft Enhances Materials Lab with ACS600 Technology
The Delft Aerospace Structures and Materials Laboratory at TU Delft recently installed the
ACS600 cutting machine for cutting various composite materials.
The machine has been operational for a few months now, and it has proven to be a real blessing in terms of ease of use,
cutting speed and cleanliness compared to many other machines on the market.
Accurate cutting of fibre‑reinforced composites with low tolerances, parallel cutting lines and without delamination is crucial for
further processing of the cut material, whether in manufacturing or testing operations.
The clamping method and automatic cutting of multiple coupons from a laminate are very handy and help reduce the time spent at the machine,
since the less time spent cutting, the more time can be devoted to conducting research.
The fully enclosed system ensures safe operation for various operators, including researchers and students in the lab.
So far, the team is very satisfied with the results and expects to continue benefiting from the machine in the future.
SHD Composites from 2018 to 2025 and Beyond
SHD Composites, based in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, are leading developers of advanced composite prepreg materials and technology.
Part of Cambium Biomaterials Inc, the company operates multiple sites across the UK, Slovenia and the US.
The application and development of sustainable materials remains firmly at the core of the company’s activities and SHD has continually
invested in ensuring that its Technical Centre facilities are able to fully support various characterisation techniques including
mechanical testing, thermal analysis and rheology – vital elements for R&D, product development and prototyping.
As part of the drive to maximise the application of the best available technology in its materials testing processes, in 2018, after
critically assessing its capabilities, the company installed a COMPCUT 200 composite saw manufactured by Sharp & Tappin.
The aim was to produce fine quality test specimens across a wide range of cured composite laminates.
An early customer for this unique machine, SHD almost immediately found the COMPCUT 200 was meeting both expectations and the vigorous
practical demands of SHD’s busy Technical Centre.
“In less than a month, the COMPCUT 200 had already delivered a measurable transformation in our production output and efficiency.
In short, the COMPCUT 200 quickly enabled us to easily and consistently produce high quality test samples, which all have an exceptional
cut, perpendicularity and parallelism. We were able to test our samples straight from the saw without needing to deburr or polish them first,
saving us a significant amount of time and effort every day.”Alix Sauget – SHD Research & Development Director
Since that time the COMPCUT 200 unit has established itself as a vital tool at SHD’s main testing facility.
In addition to the original COMPCUT 200, SHD has also, in 2025, installed the new and enhanced COMPCUT ACS 300 model at its
Sleaford Technical Centre, as well as acquiring a further ACS 300 unit for its facility in Krško, Slovenia.
“We have been highly satisfied with the performance of our original COMPCUT 200, backed by Sharp & Tappin’s excellent customer service
and training. As demand grew, expanding our capabilities with the new COMPCUT ACS 300 was the natural next step.
Its working area just over 300 mm × 300 mm and compact footprint make it an ideal fit for our high‑traffic Technical Centre labs.Both machines are the workhorses of our facility, primarily tasked with cutting test specimens from cured composite laminates such as
carbon, glass, aramids and natural fibres. It has been rewarding to see our feedback from the COMPCUT 200 integrated into the ACS 300’s
development; the new model offers even greater accuracy and significantly enhanced operator usability.The advanced control software on the COMPCUT machines has been a genuine game‑changer, allowing us to create and apply programmes with ease.
This, combined with fast cutting speeds, has drastically improved our overall efficiency. Having two machines now ensures we can meet high
demand with constant, reliable throughput.Furthermore, our new ACS 300 unit in Slovenia is now fully operational with ongoing support from the COMPCUT team.
While our Sleaford site continues to handle R&D, the Slovenia facility allows us to be more reactive to specific customer requests,
significantly strengthening our international service.”Alix Sauget
