LASER WELDING BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE EFFICIENT
German tradeshow highlights how modular designs increase flexibility and 3D laser welding robots with unrestricted mobility save energy and costs.
Posted: June 9, 2010
The laser is the key tool for material processing. It really appears to be unbeatable when it comes to the cutting, welding, drilling, labelling, marking and structuring of the most varied of materials. It works clearly and accurately, without the need for contact. And the innovative thinkers behind these laser processing systems will be present at LASYS 2010, the international platform for system solutions in laser material processing, from 8 to 10 June.
The unique LASYS concept is predominantly aimed towards the user and addresses a wide range of industries, whether it be the processing of wood, metal, plastics, paper or semiconductor materials. Taking place at the state-of-the-art trade fair grounds in Stuttgart, approximately 200 exhibitors from 16 countries to date are also expected to attend the event.
"The development of a laser system tailored specifically to customer requirements is a complex process and requires plenty of technical expertise and, above all, experience", says Jens Bleher, Managing Director of TRUMPF Laser and System Technology. The universal spectrum of laser applications, according to Bleher, means that there are plenty of integrated applications out there to discover. Many users work with all-purpose laser systems. For example, Trumpf will be one of the exhibitors at LASYS 2010 who will be presenting the modular-designed TruLaser robot cell for 3D material processing. According to the manufacturer, it boasts a high level of flexibility when it comes to processes and provides users with the opportunity to switch between the applications of welding, cutting, remote and build-up welding, as well as soldering. The TruLaser Robot 5020 is specifically tailored to the demands of sheet metal finishers.
"Machine systems for flexible manufacturing, in particular with fluctuating quantities and/or of great variety, are highly regarded by manufacturers in the automotive supplier industry and the electrotechnology industry as proven manufacturing concepts", explains Michael Lau, Head of Sales at SITEC Industrietechnologie "We are setting standards here in the area of highly flexible laser systems with the LS LaserStation modular system", he explains.
The LS Laserstation, a new generation of machinery, will be presented at LASYS 2010. It is designed for 3D processing and allows for the integration of fibre-guided solid-state and direct-beam laser systems. The most varied of processing tasks, such as welding, cutting, hardening or drilling, can be adapted here to suit the requirements of the user.
BUND Automation has concentrated on providing products with a high level of flexibility. And this is what they will be presenting for the first time at LASYS 2010 with the newly developed LASER PIR 90-750 laser welding machines and their flexible modular design. "It is our aim, with a completely new design and the use of energy-saving components, to provide users with a solution that results in cost savings of up to 50 percent during both purchase and operation", says Wolfgang Wieland, Project Manager of Laser Welding at BUND Automation. And the special feature? A fixed laser source. The laser beam always beams vertically downwards. "Here, we have achieved a high level of safety", continues Wieland, "and we are also saving enormous costs when compared to systems whose lasers beam in all directions."
By using a 6-axis industry robot, the system is extremely flexible despite the fixed laser. The most varied of components can be moved by the robot to the required position (welding, soldering). The welding seams are closed off in this way too. A further plus: "The fibre-coupled diode laser boasts approximately 40 percent efficiency, compared to the more conventional technologies which have just three to four percent", he continues.
"Laser welding is becoming increasingly more efficient. This is contingent on, among other things, the superb quality and dimensional accuracy of the welded components with very little reworking", says Markus Krütten, Head of the Laser Technology Division at Reis Robotics. The company will be presenting the laser welding robot RV16L-FT and its modular MWO welding design, developed by Reis itself, at LASYS 2010. According to the manufacturer, this package is designed especially for laser welding with fibre-guided lasers.
"What makes this invention unique is the laser beam guide in the robot hand which is used for the directed supply of process gases and additional wires, as well as the adaption of the light conducting cable in the compact robot arm structure. With this solution, the flexible 3D ability of the robot can be utilised to great benefit", explains Krütten. This is frequently not possible, he continues, using simple industry robots. Due to the improved accessibility, fewer adjustments need to be made during setup which means a major saving of time for users of large components and/or smaller lot sizes.
"The welding of variable butt joint positions is a challenge that not every welding head can deal with", says Dr. Daniel Wildmann, Head of Marketing and Business Development at PRECITEC. The tool of choice as he sees it is the intelligent welding head which measures the position of the butt joint in order to correctly place the welding seam while, at the same time, optimally adjusting the width of the welding seam to the application and permitting the highest possible welding speed. The high-performance welding head YW52 from PRECITEC, which the company will present at LASYS 2010, meets these requirements.
"The integrated WobbleTracker welds to the exact position and only as wide as is necessary", explains Dr. Wildmann. All functions, he continues, are fully integrated into the new YW52 welding head without the need for additional external sensors, cameras or external positioning axles. The YW52 welding head, according to the manufacturer, is suitable for use with fibre, disc or diode lasers for high-performance processes.
At LASYS 2010, it will not only be exciting exhibits featuring laser applications, product solutions, laser production systems for micro and macro material processing and precision engineering that will be presented but a top-class programme of accompanying events for the national and international visitors to get stuck into. And it all kicks off the day before the trade fair starts when the 11th International Symposium on Laser Precision Microfabrication (LPM) will be taking place to promote the exchange between research and industrial applications in the area of micro laser technologies. The LPM forum is organised by Messe Stuttgart together with the Japan Laser Processing Society (JLPS).
An additional event is the Stuttgart Laser Technology Forum (SLT' 10) which will be taking place for the second time at LASYS. It is organised by the Institut für Strahlwerkzeuge (IFSW) at the University of Stuttgart under the leadership of Prof. Thomas Graf as Head of the IFSW. For the first time, SLT'10 will be a three-day event with daily themes presented. This is also an event to promote the collaboration between research and field work.
Basic laser knowledge from one source will be provided with the short course "Basics on laser and laser material processing", organised by the Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft für Lasertechnik (WLT) under the leadership of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andreas Ostendorf. The basic course is primarily directed towards visitors who have little to no previous experience of lasers. However, any experts looking to refresh their memories are also welcome to attend.
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