FEATURE ON PROFILING

Laitila invests in punch-laser combination machine

Laitila Coating already had two turret punch presses, but now arrived the need for a machine that could combine punching and laser technology, with the company opting for a Combi Sharp 1225 from Prima Power with Compact Express automation.

Managing director Kai Salo and production director Petri Kallio from Laitila Coating Oy visited Prima Power’s Seinäjoki factory prior to the purchase.

“We wanted to see what the machine is capable of and what its limits are,” explains Salo.“Tests confirmed the ability of the machine to cut burr-free 6 mm copper, which we use in electrical conductors, for example. Initially, the discussion focused on 1kW fibre model, but after more assessmentwe upgraded to 3kW, which is better suited to our purpose.

“This machine investment will be the missing piece we have needed for a long time,” he continues.“In recent years, we’ve been determined to push a strategy whereby our company offers customers a more versatile and wider package under one roof: mechanics as finished products with surface treatment. The sheet metal side has needed an update to make us even more credible. Now we can offer both punching and laser cutting for sheet-like products alongside the already existing waterjet cutting.”

The work situation in Laitila has grown steadily and the future looks very promising.”

“We know that our company’s service capability and efficiency will improve, and we have all the conditions to do well in the market,” says Salo.“We want to grow profitably and continue to invest as much as possible. We’ll continue to be a credible and significant partner in sheet metal work, alongside the former busbar production.”
For further information www.primapower.com

New laser cutting and software from LVD

At last week’s Blechexpo international trade for sheet metalworking in Stuttgart, LVD unveiled its new large-format Phoenix FL-6525 laser cutting machine and CADMAN-Flow software solutions for optimal process flow.

The Phoenix FL is LVD’s flexible, all-around laser cutting system. The company says the machine offers top-of-the-line versatility and capacity with a large cutting range up to 6510 x 2600 mm, and a bevel-cutting option. Its large-format configuration makes cutting oversized sheets easy and efficient, while high dynamics ensure consistently high-quality cutting results in thin-to-thick materials. The bevel-cutting head provides precise control of the angle and depth of the bevel to cut intricate contours or weld preparations.

LVD’s Phoenix FL-6525 is available with 6, 10, 12 or 20 kW laser power, while the bevel-cutting option is available for 10 and 12 kW systems.

The company says that its new CADMAN-Flow empowers the smart factory. CADMAN-Flow is a single point of entry to LVD’s complete software suite: software for smart drawing importing, laser cutting, punching, bending, robotic bending and MES. Via one entry, users can import and verify parts and assemblies, create smarter CAM programs, import production orders, reduce tooling set-ups, and retrieve production information from the touch controls. The result? Improved speed and flexibility of the process flow from 3D file to machine code to final product.

At the core of CADMAN-Flow is the new CADMAN-B v9, the next generation of LVD’s flagship CAM software. According to LVD, CADMAN-B v9 calculates bending solutions faster and more efficiently than ever before, even optimising and reducing tool changes to maximise throughput.
For further information www.lvdgroup.com

Duright looks to the future with tube lasers

The latest machine investments at UK tube cutting and processing subcontractor Duright Engineering are two BLM LT7 fibre laser tube machines.

“The pandemic proved to be some of our busiest years and, in part, drove our decision to invest in our first BLM LT7,” says managing director Ross Taylor. “It provided a step-change in technology regarding how easy and quick it was to set.”

Pleasantly surprised by how quickly operators adapted to the new technology of the BLM LT7 fibre laser, Taylor placed an order for a second machine within 12 months.

“At Duright, we run an extremely tight production system, with every job and operation barcoded so everything has an allocated time, whether that be set-up or production,” he says.“Our target is to achieve 80% efficiency on a daily basis, with 80-84% being the typical figure. The new BLM LT7 machines are achieving 93% efficiency, even with 10 or 12 changeovers in a 24-hour period. This is a big benefit as we operate 24/6, pushing machines as hard as they can go.”

BLM Group has been a supplier to Duright Engineering for many years, a relationship built on trust and machine quality, alongside robust technical support. As Taylor suggests, the machines work hard and the LT712 laser tube that the LT7s are superseding has been at Duright for 14 years and still produces parts efficiently and to high quality. However, the LT7 brings added benefits.

“The LT7 cuts so much faster than the old machine,” states Taylor. “Fibre laser technology has come on leaps and bounds and the speed at which we can change from one job to another, with limited operator input, is major step forward.”
For further information www.blmgroup.com

Hurco sets date for open house

Hurco’s annual Christmas open house exhibition will take place at its High Wycombe showroom on 5-6 December from 09:00 to 17:00 each day. Lunch will be available, as well as light refreshments throughout the event. In addition to a showroom full of new Hurco CNC machine tools under power and cutting metal, many of Hurco’s primary suppliers will be in attendance.

As a highlight, the event will showcase four different five-axis machining centres, including the trunnion-type VMX30UDi-60ATC to emphasise large tool magazine capacity. The 60-station option is now also available on the SRTi range of swivelling spindle-head machines. Among many other machines at the open house will be a pair of Hurco CNC turning centres, including the TMX10MYSi driven-tool lathe with Y axis and sub-spindle.
For further information www.hurco.co.uk

Partnership drives industrialisation of laser texturing

The laser processing group at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) has joined forces with 13 research organisations and leading companies across Europe to design and deliver the next generation of laser texturing systems.The SYNTECS project is driven by sustainability and digitalisation principles to ensure maximum efficiency and productivity, and aims to increase the uptake and industrialisation of the technology among European manufacturers.

Component surface treatments offer a valuable way of improving the end results in areas such as roughness, scratch resistance and microbial resistance. Although used in manufacturing for decades, increased industrial demands for more complex, customised and better performing components have resulted in a growing need for multi-functional surfaces.

Laser surface texturing techniques provide an alternative way of achieving functional surfaces, but the full potential of the technology is limited due to the scanning technology and the digital architecture used.

MTC laser processing technology manager Tian Long See says the SYNTECS project will address these challenges by developing a versatile, low-cost laser texturing approach to generate surfaces with multi-functional performance responses, combining the two most promising scanning techniques – direct laser writing (DLW) and direct laser interference patterning (DLIP) into a single module.

“The hardware development will be supported by a sophisticated digital design module that will accelerate the design and optimisation of functional surfaces by considering the sustainability aspect of the component during the design stage,” he explains.“This will enable greener manufacturing fit for the future.”

Supported by funding through the EU’s Horizon Europe Framework Programme for research and innovation, the project consortium will develop a fully integrated versatile laser texturing system that reduces design and production time with a ‘right first time’ approach.
For further information www.the-mtc.org