The new XPR300 plasma-cutting system from Hypertherm is said to represent the greatest leap forward in mechanised plasma cutting ever – and the first place it can be seen in action in the UK is at Esprit Automation’s Nottingham facility.
The XPR300 performs at its best when mounted on Esprit machines, says the company. Cut speeds some 15% faster than the next equivalent system mean production parts can be manufactured at a more rapid pace than ever before. Furthermore, the system offers 20% thicker piercing capacity on stainless steel.
The XPR300 is also fitted with advanced power supply technology that provides active, moment-to-moment system feedback and automatically intervenes to prevent errors that can adversely impact consumable lifespan, improving the machine’s lifetime running costs. Features such as this mean that the XPR300 has half the running costs of its nearest equivalent, says Esprit.
Additional features such as vented water injection ensure good results on aluminium cuts, while connection systems like EasyConnect and QuickLock mean both torches and consumables can be switched-out rapidly. Esprit machines provide an operational base for the XPR300 to work from, whether it’s the flexible Multibevel machine, or the large-scale, multi-headed Viper.
Esprit Automation and Hypertherm’s partnership goes back nearly three decades. In 1990, Esprit chose Hypertherm as its exclusive supplier of plasma cutting technology, allowing both companies to specialise their hardware to complement the other.
For further information www.espritautomation.com

Hot-stamped parts are increasingly replacing traditional metal-formed parts in the manufacture of vehicle frames. For instance, among the trends gaining momentum is the adoption of a new door-ring concept, whereby an element is hot stamped as a single part rather than the usual four parts. With this in mind, Prima Power has released a laser cutter that is focused on this specific application: Laser Next 2130. According to Prima Power, the new model maintains the performance of the existing 1530, but offers increased working volume in the Y-axis to suit the cutting of large, hot-stamped components.
Laser Next 2130 has a working volume of 3050 x 2100 x 612 mm, with a 5 m turntable. To suit throughput in automotive industry applications, this capacity is supported by a trajectory speed of 208 m/min and 2.1 g acceleration. The machine can be equipped with a 3 or 4 kW high-brilliance fibre laser developed and manufactured by Prima Power. Direct motors and transducers are used for the machine’s main axes and focusing head.
Prima Power says it is the only laser machine manufacturer to develop all essential elements of its products in-house, including the company’s new CF series generators.
“We could already offer the best and fastest solution for the cutting of standard sized hot-stamped components,” explains Marco Pivanti, 3D laser product manager, “but we needed an evolution of the Laser Next 1530 featuring an increased Y-axis stroke to allow the processing of larger components, such as the door ring.”
For further information
www.primapower.com

Amada’s latest series of LCG-AJ flat-bed laser cutters is equipped with the company’s own 2, 3, 4, 6 and 9 kW oscillators. Amada says it was the first manufacturer of laser machines to develop its own fibre-laser source, with production and testing taking place at the company’s Fujinomiya factory in Japan.
Most models in the LCG-AJ range incorporate an automatic nozzle changer for uninterrupted processing, and all are compatible with Amada’s Digital Support System (ADSS), which not only facilitates the delivery of service support but allows customers to analyse and compare machine performance.
The working range across the LCG-AJ series extends from 3070 x 1550 mm (LCG-3015AJ) to 4070 x 2050 mm (LCG-3015AJ), which is served by positioning speeds of up to 170 m/min – said to be the fastest in its class. According to Amada, using individual high-power diode modules allows for high beam quality, giving the end user higher cutting speeds compared with systems offering a lower beam quality. Furthermore, each machine has a lightweight Y-axis carriage with a low centre of gravity that provides a 30% weight reduction.
Amada’s latest AMNC 3i control ensures simple operation with its smartphone-type 21.5” screen, including on-screen nesting, program scheduling and one-touch set-up features.
LCG-3015AJ machines are fully compatible with Amada’s latest part-picking system, the TK L, which is said to offer high-speed removal and stacking of finished components. All LCG-AJ machines can be equipped with load\unload systems.
For further information
www.amada.co.uk

Ballymena-based Arcon Engineering has recently invested in a RUR3500P machine from Kerf Developments that features a Lincoln Electric Spirit 400 Amp plasma unit with Ultrasharp technology. Arcon says that the machine is powerful enough to cut through material far beyond the scope of a laser. In addition, the system incorporates a water reservoir that keeps the cutting torches cool and extends the life of consumables.
“We wanted the quality of laser without the cost; Kerf gave us the alternative with their new RUR3500P with Ultrasharp technology,” says managing director Paschal McLoughlin. “The cut quality and precision was outstanding, while the cost wasn’t anywhere near the price of a laser machine. Furthermore, the Kerf RUR3500P is more flexible as the high-definition unit is powerful enough to cut through material far beyond the scope of a laser.”
The design and technology built into the Lincoln Electric Spirit system incorporates a water reservoir that keeps the cutting torches cool. Among the benefits of this technology is that torch and consumable life are said to be extended considerably. Furthermore, the high-powered system has a lower gas consumption. The result for Arcon is a more powerful machine with significantly reduced operating and consumable costs. For a business that is sometimes running its machines 24 hours a day, the savings over the life of the machine are expected to be sizeable. In fact, trials by Kerf have shown that this technology uses up to 78% less plasma gas than competitor machines.
From a capability perspective, the 400 Amp system can cut plate up to
75 mm thick, which gives Arcon the potential to extend its workload beyond existing plate thicknesses.
For further information
www.kerfdevelopments.com

The liquid-cooled cutting head on Haco Kingsland’s latest-generation FL series fibre-laser cutter features the ability to apply ‘Parallel Kinematics Technology’ for dynamic 5G cutting processes. The technology is said to save users time, space and money.
Offering 3 or 4 m capacity, the machines can be supplied with either 3 or 4 kW laser resonators together with an integrated loading and unloading system. The result is a compact laser-cutting cell with a footprint of less than 11 x 6 m that is suitable for unmanned operation.
Thanks to the ability of modern fibre-laser cutting processes to reduce cycle times, especially for thin materials, automation of loading and unloading processes has become a must. The automatic loading station for the FL series contains a novel gripper concept. Exiting out of a vertically-moving frame, the gripper is equipped with intelligent suction cups, a separator unit, double-sheet detector and separation air-blow. In combination with the automatic scratch-free unloading system, this allows efficient unmanned production for improved cost per part ratios, as well as enhanced profitability and return on investment, says the company. Sheet stability is assured via the deployment of three CNC retractable clamps.
According to Haco Kingsland, FL series laser cutters are highly suitable for continuous nesting operations on different sheet sizes and thicknesses.
For further information
www.kingsland.com