Lankapaja Corporation, one of the biggest and best-known sheet metal subcontractors in Finland, has invested in Prima Power’s Night Train FMS automated storage solution for its Nummela facility. The solution includes a new Combi Genius 1530 combi laser machine, which brings together laser cutting and punching technology with an automatic LSR loading and stacking robot.

“With automation we could reduce the number of different machines, increase production efficiency and lower costs,” explains R&D manager Christian Öberg.

According to Öberg, automation is one of the elements perceived as a guarantee that a supplier will be able to offer its customers competitive prices now and in the future.

“We do a lot of small runs, making shift times important,” he says. “This is why we chose the most flexible sheet metal machine on the market: Prima Power’s combi laser. It can run even small batches efficiently.”

Lankapaja runs the machines in two shifts, totalling about 8-12 hours of effective operating time per day, per machine. With the help of the automated storage solution, the goal is to reach 15-20 operating hours per day, per machine: a huge increase in productivity that will not trigger the additional costs of manual alternatives.

Jon Törnwall, IT manager at Lankapaja, goes further into the details: “This requires a new kind of thinking for programming and job queue planning. We investigated this at length and noticed that most waste in production comes specifically from the picking, loading and unloading of sheet metal. We believe we will reach our goal by automating these steps and that in the future, with the help of the storage solution, we will manage the same amount of work with two machines as we do now with three machines.”

For further information
www.primapower.com

Flow International, a developer and manufacturer of ultra-high-pressure waterjet cutting systems, is releasing its next generation of intensifier pump technology, the MotoJet X. The company says that MotoJet X features state-of-the-art technology advancements focused on maximising customer uptime, improving usability and nearly eliminating hands-on customer maintenance.

“Our engineering team has invested significant effort in designing, testing and refining intensifier pump technology to achieve a 95% uptime guarantee with a pump that outlasts and outperforms the rest,” says Tim Fabian, vice president of marketing and product management at Flow.

The pump is a full-service solution. Flow’s trained technical service personnel will conduct all maintenance at needed intervals, keeping customers up and running with minimal effort on their part, and allowing them to focus their attention and resources on other areas of their business.

“This white glove, comprehensive service is somewhat new to the waterjet industry, but it’s not new in the world of convenience we live in,” says Fabian. “Having an expert team available to service your equipment is a benefit that makes a huge difference in customer operations, and once you have access to it, you realise just what a difference it truly makes to your business.”

The MotoJet X features ultra-quiet operation with a sound-deadening design. Furthermore, the design includes easy access points with quick-remove side panels, an air-assisted lid and an automatic interior light. The MotoJet X has a status light built directly into the lid handle, providing quick visibility to the operating status of the pump, and comes IoT enabled and smart connection ready.

Flow’s MotoJet X operates at 60,000 psi (4136 bar) with both 30 and 50 hp (22.3 and 37.2 kW) options, and is compatible across the entire Flow Mach series of waterjet solutions.

For further information
www.flowwaterjet.com

Trumpf will be showcasing a new laser cutting technique at its InTech in-house trade show, which will take place on 17-20 May in Ditzingen, Germany. Offering improved efficiency and even more reliable processing, the ‘nano joint’ method holds parts in place using tiny supporting tabs created at points where the laser does not cut all the way through the sheet. These tiny tabs, or nano joints, prevent the metal from shifting or tipping while the laser is cutting parts.

Nano joints reduce costs and material usage by allowing users to nest parts closer together and minimise how much metal remains in the skeleton. Depending on the shape of the specific parts, users may even be able to nest parts in a way that eliminates raw material waste completely. Nano joints also make it quicker and easier for workers to break parts out of the nest.

Trumpf offers nano joint technology on its TruLaser 5000 fiber, TruLaser 3000 fiber and TruLaser 1000 fiber series machines. Furthermore, it is possible to retrofit the technology to existing machines by means of a software update.

Currently, fabricators typically hold cut parts in place during laser cutting using tabs known as ‘micro joints’. Workers then break these tabs when they remove the parts from the nest. Trumpf says that its nano joints have many advantages over conventional micro joints. For instance, they speed up the process because it is so much faster to produce tiny retaining points rather than conventional micro tabs during cutting. Nano joints also allow the operator to break parts free from the nest with much less effort, saving time and making life easier for workers.

For further information
www.trumpf.com

Nelson-based Pendle Engineering is a subcontract supplier of steelwork, a description that covers its main focus on tube and flat sheet manipulation, as well as turning, milling, welding, painting and design. Along the way the company has also branched into the manufacture of bicycle racks, trailers and storage products for its sister company, Pendle Bike Racks.

To meet business growth with improved efficiency, the company has invested in Elect 52 and E-Turn 32 tube benders, as well as a Laser Tube LT-Fiber Evo fibre-optic, fully automated laser tube cutting system, all supplied by BLM Group.

“Business has been increasing, especially with increased orders for Pendle bike racks, so we knew we had to upgrade our existing tube processing capacity,” says managing director Chris Smith. “We had a history with BLM for tube bending over many years so when it came to upgrading our 15 year-old tube laser it made sense to talk to them and put a bending and laser package together. A big advantage in doing that was the ability for the controls on the BLM benders and the Laser Tube to communicate with each other, while the ease of use of the BLM software and offline programming was also a significant factor. The less time a machine is idle the better.

“We’re already seeing the benefits of increased productivity, even though we’re not running at 100% yet with the BLM Laser Tube,” adds Smith. “It’s faster and the nesting capability brings a reduction in waste. Furthermore, we can cut more complex components, yet the operation of the machine and software is much simpler.”

For further information
www.blmgroup.com

Amada has launched its Ensis 6225AJ fibre laser cutting machine into the European market. With the ability to process 6.2 x 2.5 m sheets, the new machine is available in 6, 9 and 12 kW variants, with all powers able to cut up to 25 mm mild steel, stainless steel and aluminium.

Being able to process larger sheets, or multiple sheets in a large cutting area, leads to several benefits, such as more efficient material utilisation and higher production flexibility. Previously, Amada Ensis fibre lasers were available in 3 x 1.5 m and 4 x 2 m variants. Now, the series has been expanded to incorporate 6.2 x 2.5 m capabilities.

Utilising Amada’s established variable beam control technology, first released in 2014, the Ensis 6225AJ automatically adapts the laser beam mode (not just the focal position and spot size) to each material and thickness combination. This technology also allows the beam mode to be changed between the pierce and the cut, providing a high-power density beam shape for high-speed piercing, then instantly changing to the optimal beam shape for providing high-speed, high-quality cutting. Notably, a single lens can process all materials and thicknesses.

Amada has also added several new laser integration system features to the Ensis 6225AJ that provide more autonomous functionality, rather than relying on the operator to carry out certain checks.

For instance, the i-Nozzle Checker automatically checks the nozzle condition and changes it in conjunction with the standard 16-station nozzle changer if damage is detected, thereby removing any subjective operator decision. This system also incorporates automatic beam to nozzle alignment, significantly reducing start-up times and processing issues.

For further information
www.amada.eu