FEATURE ON PROFILING

Alternative for carbon-based fuel gas

Maximum productivity and precision with safe working and climate protection in oxy-fuel technology optimally meshed – Messer Cutting Systems demonstrated at September’s SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN exhibition in Essen, how this balancing act is achievable with innovative developments. The focus was on, among other things, the safety system SAT (Safety Advanced Technology) and the new, environmentally friendly fuel gas alternative, HyCut.

The patented SAT system is essentially a ‘leakage finder’ that increases the safety of workplaces where hand cuttingtakes place. SAT extinguishes the torch flame and stops the gas supply in the event of damage to the hose from flying sparks, sharp objects or other workplace dangers. Additionally, setting the flame becomes completely unnecessary for users of the SAT system.

“In this way, SAT not only ensures a significant improvement in workplace safety, but also saves time and ensures more operating comfort as the flame no longer requires adjustment,” says Joachim Pauly, global oxy-fuel product manager.

Fuel gasses such as acetylene and propane have a carbon base, so there is an acute need, for alternatives that reduce CO2 footprint. HyCut(from gas to application technology) uses hydrogen as the fuel gas.

Jörg Mosser, CEO of Messer Cutting Systems in Europe, says: “Hydrogen as a fuel gas for oxy-fuel equipment can play an important roleon the path to decarbonising the economy. A joint development between Messer and Messer Cutting Systems, HyCut is the new high-performance and sustainable alternative to conventional oxy-fuel equipment. Our tests have shown that the use of HyCut gasses significantly reduces emissions of CO2, nitrogen oxides and dust.This not only contributes to environmental protection but also improves health protection in the workplace.”
For further information https://uk.messer-cutting.com

Charles Day Steelsturns to Water Jet Sweden

Established over four decades ago in the heart of Sheffield, Charles Day Steels has recently invested in a new Beveljet 60 five-axis waterjet cutting machine from Water Jet Sweden for both bevel and free-form cutting.

With typical waterjet pumps on average only producing 3000-4000 bar of cutting pressure from 50-60 hp, the new pump on the Beveljet 60 can produce 6200 bar of cutting pressure through two heads simultaneously using its sizeable 125hp of power. This capability provides customers with a time- and cost-efficient waterjet cutting process.

Charlie Day, grandson of the founder and sales and business development director at Charles Day, says: “We’re already experts in waterjet cutting and have been offering the service for over 20 years, but the addition of the Water Jet Sweden BevelJet 60 cutting head opens up a whole new market. Not only can we provide large 2D parts on a quick turnaround, we can also offer large 3D parts, again at a dramatically increased cut speed, at a competitive price.”

One of the stand-out features of the Bevel Waterjet is its cutting head, which can process parts at angles of up to 60°. This capability allows for the creation of intricate and precise 3D shapes. Furthermore, equipped with a 125hp pump operating at 6200 bar, the Waterjet Sweden BevelJet 60 cam slice through materials known for their formidable hardness, including the likes of wearplate and Hardox.

Another novel feature is its dual-head configuration (one 3D and one 2D) that facilitates simultaneous cutting at high pressure through each head. This approach reduces production times, offering expedited results without compromising the quality of the final product.
For further information www.waterjetsweden.co.uk

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