GETTING LEAN WITH LASERS

Single Head Strategies: Fabricators are turning to the higher automation in advanced laser systems to expand and diversify the services they offer to penetrate new market segments, eliminate secondary operations and reduce process cycle times, and cut their operating expenses to increase profitability. Here is a snapshot of some of the equipment and suppliers they are using.

Competition is heating up the recovery across all of the industrial sectors, pushing fabricators to get leaner in their operations so that they can deliver more products in less time, reduce waste in their operations and cut their overhead costs. Job shops that traditionally used lasers to only cut flat sheet metal are now investing in advanced systems that use higher automation to achieve the flexibility of consolidating and performing diverse operations in sheet metal, tube and pipe fabrication with a single head strategy.

Here is a brief review of some of the machinery and suppliers they are using to get the job done:

FLEXIBLITY, SPEED
Job shops that want to differentiate and diversify the services they provide should consider the Mazak STX RTC 2D laser system from Mazak Optonics Corporation (Elgin, IL). This unique machine not only laser cuts thin to thick sheets of flat material, but also has an integrated rotary chuck to cut tubes and pipes, an extended Z height for cubic components, a standard tapping head and even chamfers, all on a single machine. The rotary table cuts round pipe up to a maximum diameter of 14.76 in and square tubes up to 6 in.

The large 16.14 in range of Z travel enables a shop to laser cut preformed parts and other three-dimensional shapes requiring greater cut height. This system is available in 2,500 watt (0.75 in mild steel) or 4,000 watt (1 in mild steel) configurations and accepts up to a 5 ft x 10 ft sheet of flat material. It can be integrated and delivered with a large range of automated material handling systems, including load/unload cells and flexible manufacturing systems.

Other fabricators may consider the powerful FabriGear 220 6-axis laser system with automated load/unload functions that handle up to mill-length 8.66 in diameter round and 6 in square pipe. The FG 220 cuts a large range of tube and pipe, whether round, square, rectangular, or triangular and can completely process I and H-beams, C-channel, angle iron, and additional user-defined shapes. 6-axis laser cutting can cut at any desired angle for weld prep, plus achieve the highest accuracy for easy fit-up of assemblies – all in a single program cycle. The program-controlled loading, clamping, and unloading of the FG 220 make it an efficient fabrication cell requiring only a minimum of labor input for small to large volume part production. FG Series laser systems are also available in a 300 size with a standard capacity of 10.5 in (11.8 in optional) round and 8 in square pipe.

Mazak Optonics also offers shops a servo head with piercing detection that monitors laser processing conditions and both significantly reduces piercing times and improves cutting performance for a wide range of applications. This head is now standard equipment on HyperGear, HyperTurbo and SuperTurbo MkIII series laser cutting machines. This servo technology improves pierce time efficiency, especially in mild steel applications between 0.375 in and 0.750 in. It eliminates or greatly reduces the need for side blow during piercing operations. Sensors in the head monitor beam reflection to determine breakthrough and then automatically signal the control to move to the cutting segment of the program.

The machine quickly shifts from the pierce process to the start of cutting due to the auto focus adjustment, which is done on the dedicated W-axis. A typical nest cut time will be reduced by 30 percent utilizing this new servo head and sensor technology. The same intelligent sensors monitor the beam for poor cut conditions and to maintain the cut. The servo also improves overall edge quality when cutting mild steel plate up to 1 in.

For more information, contact Mark Lobit at Mazak Optonics Corporation, 2725 Galvin Court, Elgin, IL 60124, 847-252-4522, [email protected], www.mazakoptonics.com.

SAME TIME, MORE PARTS
Job shops that are seeking innovative technology combined with high laser power should consider the TruLaser 3030 from Trumpf Inc. (Farmington, CT). With up to 6 kW of laser power and a RotoLas tube cutting option, the TruLaser 3030 uses a single head cutting strategy that sets the standard for the future, with features that increase productivity and flexibility when cutting sheet thicknesses up to1 in. The long X axis works with a maintenance-free gearless torque motor, while the Y and Z axes are driven by wear-free and oil-free linear motors that increase the simultaneous axis speeds from 3346 ipm to 5512 ipm. The FastLine process is a standard feature that generates a flow transition between the piercing and cutting processes that reduces processing times by an average of 20 percent in thin sheet.

The result of the innovative technology found in this system is that a greateumber of parts can now be cut in the same amount of time as before. Another result is that the power usage per part is reduced, making the TruLaser 3030 an excellent example of energy efficient productivity. In fact, the laser itself also contributes to the machine’s energy efficiency. When it is not cutting, the laser turns into an optimized standby mode until it is needed again. This leads to an energy savings of more than 10 kW as soon as the machine is not in cutting mode.

The TruLaser 3030 offers a high degree of flexibility during set up. The pallet changer can be configured in the traditional format or in a transverse fashion that gives the operator a view of the entire process from the control panel, whichever makes the best use of space available on the shop floor. The swivel-mounted control panel features a self-explanatory touch screen and a control system that is designed to meet the goal in as few clicks as possible. Also, all of the machine’s maintenance areas, including the broadened parallel conveyor belt, are made for easy access.

For more information, contact Melanie McMillan at Trumpf Inc., Farmington Industrial Park, Farmington, CT 06032, 860-255-6112, Fax: 860-255-6424, [email protected], www.us.trumpf.com.

LONG SIZES, SHORT TIMES
Fabricators needing large work envelopes should consider the PL 3015 from Han-Kwang USA Inc. (Lombard, IL), a long bed, 2D flying optic laser system capable of handling 60 in wide x 120 in long workpieces. With a long bed gantry arrangement less motion is required on the machine, providing greater working stability and reduced maintenance requirements. The PL 3015 features rapid single axis speed of 4724 ipm, simultaneous X-Y axis speed of 7900 ipm and maximum cutting speed of 1181 ipm, all with positioning accuracies better than ±0.004 in per 118 in of travel and repeatability to 0.001 in. A dual shuttle pallet system is onboard to maintain optimum productivity in processing.

An optional rotary axis is available for tube cutting up to 12 in OD with this laser system, along with fully automated materials handling systems, pallet towers and other equipment for production improvement.

This laser system uses a powerful Panasonic CO2 laser resonator in 2 kW, 2.5 kW, 4 kW and 6 kW versions as well as a patented beam radius control that optimizes the beam diameter for various material substrates and thickness variations, all resulting in improved part quality. Additionally, the constant beam delivery system on the laser provides better consistency in the beam quality at the focal point. These features and benefits are delivered through an S5 high-speed cutting head used on the machine. The advanced sensing board and head design improve cutting speed for all sheet metals, according to the manufacturer.

A plasma monitoring unit constantly tracks cut errors to further reduce out-of-tolerance conditions in the cutting cycle, while a built-in lens crack sensor monitors the state of lens contamination, with instant alerts through the onboard Siemens CNC that provide operators and maintenance personnel with useful and immediate alarm notifications. All machine mechanical movements and laser cutting operations are controlled by the powerful Siemens SINUMERIK 840D CNC. With its open architecture, 10 GB hard drive and plain language commands, the CNC enables faster start-up and reduced time to first part for the programmers and operators alike. For shops needing help, a remote service support feature allows online communication to the CNC manufacturer for troubleshooting assistance.

Job shops that require even larger work envelopes should take a look at the FS8025 flying-optic CO2 laser cutting system with dual 26 ft long x 8 ft wide shuttle tables. This system is powered by either a 2.5 kW, 4 kW or 6 kW Panasonic laser resonator and uses a Siemens 840D CNC, a unique Constant Beam Distance System (CBDS), automatic edge detection and sheet axis realignment, quick-piercing cross-jet system, multi-pulse piercing, high-speed cutting head and synchronized twin servo motors on the gantry with auto-focus control.

Han-Kwang states that this laser system, the largest machine it builds, is the only laser in the industry with a cutting head that covers the entire workspace without a repositioning table. All other currently available laser machines must reposition the table to process such a large area, resulting in longer cycle times and severe limitations on the cutting of very long, continuous part surfaces.  Also eliminated are the inherent inaccuracies that result from repositioning the table in process.

For more information, contact Robert Won at Han-Kwang USA Inc., 1120 Garfield Street, Lombard, IL 60148, 630-916-0200, Fax: 630-916-0300, [email protected], www.hankwangus.com.

SUBCONTRACT PRECISION
Fabricators competing in aerospace markets that need additional high precision laser capabilities and capacity without the capital investment should contact Advanced Laser Technologies (Stoneham, MA), a subcontractor that uses lasers to produce custom precision micro-drilled holes and orifices for critical aerospace, aviation, and similar components. ALT utilizes 5-axis 400 watt to 700 watt Nd:YAG pulsed lasers and 2 kW CO2 lasers to fabricate Precision Micro-Drilled Holes as small as 0.010 in diameter with ±0.0005 in tolerance in materials such as nickel alloys, Inconel and stainless steel, depending upon the material, thickness, and configuration.

These lasers produce distortion- and stress-free holes with exact repeatability that is superior to conventional hole drilling for fabricating critical components. ALT Precision Micro-Drilled Holes are approved by General Electric for laser cutting/drilling and airflow per P17TF2, P1TF78, P1TF10, ANSI-Z136.1, S-422 and E50TF217. ALT is AS9100 Rev B certified, NADCAP-approved for laser cutting and drilling, and has achieved Merit Supplier Status. Their Precision Micro-Drilled Hole fabrication services are priced according to part configuration and quantity. Quotations are available upon request.

For more information, contact Fred Moscone at Advanced Laser Technologies, 74 Maple Street, Unit A, Stoneham, MA 02180, 781-438-6374, Fax: 781-438-5932, [email protected], www.advancedlasertechnologies.net.