Boost Your Cutting Operations
Maintain your shop’s high-quality standards with machines that increase cutting speeds and reduce cycle time. The post Boost Your Cutting Operations appeared first on Fabricating & Metalworking.
Amplify your cutting operations with the latest advances including faster laser drive systems, precision plasma/shielding gas combinations, and multiple waterjet cutting heads when processing sheet metal.
Laser Cutting System Combines Fastest 3-Axis Linear Drive with Autonomous Features
AMADA AMERICA, INC.’s (Buena Park, CA) REGIUS 3015 AJe is a 26 kW fiber laser cutting system that provides high-quality processing of medium and thick plate. This laser machine combines the world’s fastest 3-axis linear drive system with a variety of autonomous features to ensure high-speed, continuous operation. The REGIUS fiber laser series utilizes AMADA’s patented ENSIS technology, which is engineered specifically for manufacturers that laser cut thin-to-thick materials. The machine features automatic laser head collision recovery, and additional autonomous operations such as lens monitoring, and nozzle change/centering.
The REGIUS 3015 AJe also features a collimation system that automatically adjusts beam diameter and configuration, ensuring efficient processing. Operators can also process thin-to-thick materials without manual setup. The i-CAS feature enables operators to set up and cut on remnant materials safely and easily.
Cutting and Nesting Performance of LS5 Sheet Laser
BLM GROUP’s (Novi, MI) LS5 sheet laser offers work areas up to 20’-x-6’, a simultaneous axis speed of 7716 ipm and is available with 3- to-12-kW fiber laser power. It has a modular, compact design that is configurable for the available floor space and allows the system to grow as production volumes increase or new opportunities arise. Expansion choices include in-line pallet changers of various sizes, as well as automatic sheet metal loading and unloading, and storage towers to automate production changeover between different materials and thicknesses.
The LS5 Sheet Laser is available in three configurations to match a range of floor space requirements. Longitudinal or Reverse Longitudinal for a thinner rectangular environment, or Transversal when a square-like shape is needed. The LS5 features Active Tools that automatically adapt process parameters, including an Active Nozzle changer that automates nozzle changeover based on cutting conditions defined in the pre-loaded database.
Adding to its versatility, the LS5 is the only sheet laser system that can be retrofitted with a tube cutting system. The tube laser shares the same laser, cutting head and axis of the sheet laser. This allows fabricators to save space with one machine for two processes, with a changeover time of as little as three minutes.
Efficient Laser Cutting with Intelligence
An impressively high cutting speed, an intelligent cutting process, and a new design: this is how Bystronic Inc.’s (Hoffman Estates, IL) ByCut Star 3015/4020 presents itself. With 30 kilowatts and an optimized cutting process, it cuts steel, aluminum, stainless steel, brass, and copper precisely and reliably.
Cutting speeds on the ByCut Star increase twice as fast compared to 15 kW and MixGas with sheet thicknesses between 0.24” and 0.59”, and more than twice as fast with thicknesses starting at 0.79”. Piercing times are shorter for sheet thicknesses of 0.59” and above. Sheet metal processors thus benefit from higher productivity at low unit costs.
Smart features on the new machine include the NCT & KerfScan package for oxygen cutting, which increases the process reliability even in low-manned operations. This feature offers process monitoring, problem solving and continuation of the cutting process in a fully automatic way. The Parameter Wizard ensures that the correct quality of the cut parts is always selected by obtaining the perfect parameter within minutes. Even for inexperienced or less experienced operators. The new feature, Intelligent Cutting Process, is a coaxial camera that films through the nozzle and looks directly into the cutting process. Functionalities include cut quality detection, cut quality protection and nozzle loss detection.
High-precision Plasma Power Source Now an Option for Plasma Table
Swift-Cut Automation, an ESAB brand (North Bethesda, MD) announced that the ESAB Precision 130 high-precision plasma power source is available as an option for its Swift-Cut XP heavy-duty plasma table, which has also been enhanced.
“By stepping up to the ESAB Precision 130 from a standard definition power source, Swift-Cut XP table users obtain fantastic edge and hole quality, outstanding parts life, up to 20% faster cutting speed, minimal secondary cleanup operations, and reduced gas consumption,” said Scott Wirtanen, vice president of sales, USA, Swift-Cut. “These factors combine to lower operating costs by up to 70%.”
The Precision 130 can cut using all popular high-precision plasma/shielding gas combinations, including Air/Air, O2, N2, H35 and the H20 (water mist secondary process) to optimize non-ferrous cutting. It has a cutting output of 130 amps at 100 percent duty cycle. It cuts ¾” steel at 52 IPM and ½” steel at 85 IPM. Diameter Pro
cutting technology produces “bolt-ready” holes, even with a 1:1 metal thickness/diameter ratio.
New features of the Swift-Cut XP include a 360° breakaway head to protect the torch in the event of a part collision, Ohmic height sense for more repeatable cut quality and increased consumable life, laser crosshairs for faster and more accurate set-up and a fully enclosed cutting head and torch assembly for durability. Swift-Cut XP cutting tables are offered in sizes of 5’-x-10’ or 6.5’-x-13’.
Multiple Cutting Heads Reduce Overall Cutting Time
Flex Machine Tools (Wapakoneta, OH) offers multiple cutting head solutions for its FlexJet waterjet line. Providing increased efficiency, multiple heads cutting parts at one time reduces overall cutting time and cost per part. The multi-head standard package options have two and four cutting heads and can be expanded on.
Also, depending on the application, the multi-head solutions can be paired with higher horse power pumps so there is no performance loss at the individual cutting head. For consistent abrasive delivery, each head has its own dedicated mini hopper, and each head can be turned on and off independently so only those needed are engaged in cutting. An auto spacing feature makes adjusting the cutting head spacing fast and simple with 48” maximum and 5.5” minimum spacing between heads.
FlexJet’s waterjets are designed to tackle intricate jobs effortlessly with a user-friendly design that prioritizes workflow, increases productivity, and delivers exceptional cutting power. Engineered and built in the USA, the waterjets are reliable for the most demanding cutting applications. Flex Machine Tool can customize waterjet solutions to match application requirements, and provide stellar service and 24/7 remote response
Affordable Laser Format is Available in Three Different Power Levels
The OPTIPLEX Ez is Mazak Optonics Corp. (Elgin, IL) affordable laser solution suited for first-time buyers and is available in 4 kW, 6 kW and now 8 kW power options. The versatile machine is also available in 3015 and 4220 machine size options. OPTIPLEX Ez achieves optimal part quality when cutting thin- to medium- thickness material. Ez integrates affordability with the accessible design of Mazak’s flagship flat sheet laser, the OPTIPLEX NEO. Large doors on the front and side of the machine minimize work area restrictions by offering complete access to the cutting table for easy loading and unloading of material. The next-generation MAZATROL Smoothlx CNC is designed with new operators in mind and is simple to operate, requiring minimal training. Featuring a 21.5” touchscreen display, the control provides a comprehensive view and intuitive control of machine functions. One-touch operation allows quick access to necessary information regarding machine status, programming details, cut conditions, and assist functions. OPTIPLEX Ez is equipped with several intelligent functions, including Automatic Nozzle Changer and Nozzle Centering Camera. The Automatic Nozzle Changer command performs nozzle replacement by automatically selecting the appropriate nozzle for each laser-cutting job while prioritizing reduced assist gas consumption. The Nozzle Centering Camera function provides visibility of nozzle location while manual adjustments are made on the torch. Intelligent setup, monitoring and cutting functions available on the Ez machine support optimal laser-cutting performance.
Powerful Waterjet Machine Technology
Hypertherm Associates’ (Hanover, NH) versatile OMAX® MAXIEM® 1530 JetMachining Center equipped with A-Jet cutting head and a MAXIEM 40 hp (30 kW) direct drive pump that generates output pressure of 50,000 psi were on display at IMTS 2024. With a cutting envelope of 10’-x-5’ 2″ (3.045 m-x-1.57 m), the MAXIEM 1530 cuts complex parts out of most materials, including metal, plastic, glass, ceramic, stone and composites. Like all abrasive waterjet machines, the MAXIEM 1530 cuts smooth surface finishes and eliminates the need for secondary machining. It comes standard with the company’s exclusive IntelliMax software suite.
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