Manufacturing Technology Centre principal research engineer Dr Sundar Marimuthu has been awarded a prestigious UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders Fellowship. Marimuthu, part of the laser processing team at the MTC, has secured a grant of £1.5m over four years to develop next-generation laser-based manufacturing processes for processing composite materials.

Most existing laser-based manufacturing technologies are for metals and alloys, and are incompatible with composites. Marimuthu will develop two laser-based technologies into fully-fledged manufacturing solutions, underpinning the large scale industrialisation of advanced composite solutions.

The first of these technologies will be a waterjet-guided laser process for cutting, drilling and machining composite materials. Secondly, Marimuthu and his team will develop a solution based on ultrashort pulsed lasers. While the capability of ultrashort pulsed laser machining is proven using low-power lasers for a limited number of niche applications, its low material removal rate limits its viability in the wider manufacturing sector. To address this issue, the MTC and its partners will be developing a high-power ultrashort pulsed laser machining process that will offer productivity and quality in line with industrial requirements.

Skills and technologies developed through this fellowship will support UK industry to exploit the widespread innovation of composite materials in a variety of fields, including zero-emissions transport. Marimuthu says that the two emerging laser technologies – waterjet-guided lasers and ultrashort pulsed lasers – have the potential to transform the use of advanced materials in UK industries.

“The exploitation of these laser technologies will have a significant impact on the ability to machine advanced materials which are essential to develop zero-emission transportation, a key aim in meeting the net-zero ambitions of the Government.”

For further information
www.the-mtc.org

Industrial services company NIKAB was founded in 2015 by Tim Marklund, at the time best known as a successful and daredevil snowmobile and motocross driver. The company has recently invested in new premises equipped with a waterjet-cutting machine from Water Jet Sweden.

Johan Ceder has many years of experience in waterjet cutting. However, for NIKAB, waterjet cutting was a completely new technique. In connection with the procurement of a new machine, Ceder contributed with special expertise and today he works at NIKAB with responsibility for waterjet cutting.

“The basic idea is that you can do most things with a waterjet cutter”, says Ceder. “We work with industry in a very expansive region, with companies such as Northvolt, LKAB and several paper mills where downtime costs a lot of money. They want their parts now and not in three weeks. With our own waterjet-cutting machine, we get short lead times and can also ensure that we deliver the best products. With our own machine, we can be more innovative and test new solutions.”

As in NIKAB’s own operations, quality, guarantees, support and spare parts were important in the choice of waterjet machine supplier.

“Everything has worked out exactly as I expected since we installed it,” says Ceder. “The machine from Water Jet Sweden always delivers according to plan. Also, I notice that the support team really knows their stuff and has been around for many years. I always get good help and the spare parts come quickly when I order.”

For further information
www.waterjetsweden.com

At the recent Blechexpo fair in Germany, Trumpf unveiled its EdgeLine Bevel solution that automatically prepares parts for welding during the laser-cutting process. Compatible with standard Trumpf laser-cutting machines, EdgeLine Bevel technology allows users to create bevelled edges for welding while cutting out the contours of each part.

On today’s shop floors, fabricators typically perform bevelling prior to welding using a milling machine, grinding machine or angle grinder, an additional process that is both cumbersome and time-consuming. Trumpf says that EdgeLine Bevel is the first solution that allows users to bevel part edges automatically on much simpler, standard types of laser cutters. The technology can also create bevels on a part’s inner contours, which are impossible for manual angle grinders to access.

“This is a truly unique way of eliminating downstream processes in the sheet-metal fabrication environment, boosting the efficiency of customer production lines,” says Trumpf product manager Patrick Schüle.

As well as bevelling, EdgeLine Bevel can automatically produce countersinks, thereby eliminating yet another downstream process. The technology is suitable for all companies in the sheet-metal fabrication sector that use joining processes on the shop floor or require countersinks for screw connections. “And thanks to quick and easy programming, EdgeLine Bevel also makes sense for companies that only occasionally fabricate parts with bevels and countersinks,” says Schüle.

Blechexpo saw the launch of the technology for the standard versions of Trumpf TruLaser Series 3000 fiber and TruLaser Series 5000 fiber machines. From spring 2022, existing owners of new-generation Trumpf laser-cutting machines will also be able to retrofit EdgeLine Bevel technology.

For further information
www.trumpf.com

The traditional methods used to remove rust, debris or other surface contamination from components typically involve either physical contact with the part through brushing, scraping, polishing and shot blasting or, alternatively, through the use of dry ice or chemical substances. All of these approaches have their own drawbacks as they are either abrasive, which can potentially damage the base material, or in the case of chemicals, somewhat aggressive.

Laser cleaning, however, offers a highly efficient, contact- and consumable-free alternative that is gaining popularity across a range of applications and market sectors. TLM Laser offers a number of laser cleaning systems as UK and Ireland distributor for 4Jet Technologies.

Recently launched, and now complementing the current 200 and 500 W variants, is the new M100 handheld unit. Based upon a fibre-coupled, maintenance-free, solid-state, near-infrared laser at 1064 nm wavelength, this compact system delivers 100 W of laser power. Weighing in at less than 5 kg, the handheld unit is ergonomic in design and optimised for manual use.

Potential applications for this technology include the cleaning of moulds, tools and fixtures, as well as paint and coating removal operations, and the pre-treatment of surfaces prior to welding, gluing or other coating applications.

Connected to the portable supply unit by a 5 m cable, it is possible to manipulate the manual unit easily using the two-handle configuration. Focal lengths range between 160 and 420 mm, depending upon lenses, while the 2D integral laser scanning head delivers a 100 x 100 mm scan-field.

For further information
www.tlm-laser.com

Euromac, a global specialist in the design and manufacture of punching and bending machines, is benefitting from NSK ball screws, linear guides and bearings in a new punching machine: the latest-generation XT with 1500 x 3000 mm capacity and new reinforced frame.

Euromac says that the XT sets the bar for innovation in the punching machine arena by being available in hydraulic, hybrid and electric variants. In each type, Euromac uses a different way of moving the main punching axis. In the electric version, for example, the technology holds its own patent. Here, acceleration of 90 m/s2 and stroke of sometimes less than 10 mm, means that impact load is a constant issue. With this thought in mind, there is a clear need for high-performance, robust and reliable linear motion products.

For the main punching axis on the electric Euromac XT, NSK therefore proposed its HTF SRD series ball screw with S1 ball spacers featuring grease-retaining attributes. These ball screws also make use of a special material named Tough Steel. Complementing the HTF SRD ball screw is the RA series linear guide with high acceleration capability.

HTF SRD ball screws take advantage of a novel end deflector recirculation system to achieve ultra-high speeds of up to 3 m/s, offering shorter cycle times and higher productivity. Importantly, this high-load ball screw ensures good rotational balance. NSK’s RA series of low-friction, high-load capacity roller guides provide high rigidity to deliver the traverse and repeat accuracy necessary in machine tools such as the Euromac XT.

After a year of comprehensive and successful testing, Euromac recently commenced volume production of its XT punching machines.

For further information
www.nskeurope.com