CATEGORY: LASER
PUBLICATION: F&M Magazine, February 2005

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Laser Cutting System

The marketplace is experiencing a quick shift toward laser cutting systems as manufacturers explore ways to stay competitive with foreign competition in today's U.S. economy. The most recent shift in industry evolution has been toward Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS). Automation is paving the way to a leaner manufacturing environment by increasing output while decreasing or eliminating labor costs.

When purchasing a laser system, it is crucial for manufacturers to first determine specifically what they are looking for in a new machine. Are there specific must-have features? How important is software compatibility? Is the main goal to increase throughput or decrease scrap? The most recent technological advancements have made it easier for a machine to support manufacturers' specific needs without compromising quality.

Construction
One of the most important aspects of a laser machine is its construction; yet it is so basic it can often be overlooked. In today's 24/7 competitive environment, it is important to look for a heavy-duty single-unit machine design. A solid Dianite machine casting will ensure high rigidity. For ultimate stability, the system should incorporate machine tool, resonator and power supply onto a single platform. This system design will ensure high-speed processing accuracy, stability and strength.

Resonator
The key to laser cutting performance is simple: the better the resonator, the better the beam; the better the beam, the cleaner the cut; the cleaner the cut, the better the finished part. Diamond-Path Technology maintains a constant beam quality by fixing the system's beam path length regardless of processing head location; yielding superior cut edge quality and processing consistency over the entire work area. It provides a stable cutting beam at high speeds up to 1150 inches per minute across all processing areas. Diamond-Path ensures consistent corner-to-corner cutting of thick mild steel, stainless and aluminum materials. Integrated Beam Optimizer will automatically adjust beam characteristics for maximum processing speed. The best lasers deliver superior beam quality and a lower cost of ownership.

Resonator - Lower Cost of Ownership
Typically, a 3.6-kW resonator using traditional fast-axial flow technology sends laser-gas through expensive quartz glass tubes at rates up to 30 liters per hour. During system start-up, traditional resonators sit idle up to 30 minutes while the chamber is vacuumed down, the roots blower system restarts, and gas refills the quartz tube.

Cross Flow resonator technology reduces laser-gas consumption down to three liters per hour. Rather than dumping the gas during operation, Cross Flow fills the chamber entirely so beam-on capacity is available for a minimum of 12 hours. Since the beam-on process requires only 45 seconds to reach full power, the resonator can be shut down between shifts and during breaks, increasing uptime while dropping electricity consumption.

Traditional laser gas mixtures are composed of carbon dioxide, helium and nitrogen. Traditional systems consume each gas at a different rate from three separate bottles, based on the power requirement used. Cross Flow technology utilizes one premixed bottle of gas. This eliminates the need for a mixer system, and drops annual gas consumption expenses from $5,000-10,000 down to $300.

Resonator - Cutting Power
Output power alone does not define cutting performance or cut edge quality. It takes superior "cutting power" to achieve high-performance results. Cutting power is optimized by the perfect combination of output power, beam quality, beam stability and power control. The results are visible through superior edge quality, lower thermal effects, precision cutting ability and greater overall processing control.

CAD/CAM Software
When purchasing new laser equipment, first determine what is important in CAD/CAM software and select the system accordingly. MC Diamond Soft is easy to program and is Windows-based (Windows XP and Windows 2000) for easy integration. The software has several available modules for 2D cutting, 3D cutting, Dynamic Nesting, Rotary Cutting and Fold/Unfold Capabilities. Its advanced touch screen control provides an efficient and easy-to-use interface which can reduce cycle time as much as 50 percent. DR (Dross Reduction) Control uses real-time advanced NC program "look-ahead" technology to intelligently determine maximum processing speeds based on material type, thickness, and part geometry, resulting in reduced dross while maximizing throughput.

Automation
With the market's rapid shift toward lean manufacturing, automation is quickly becoming the hottest asset in today's laser industry. The Auto-Flex MSCIII Series is versatile and expandable, offering numerous high-productivity options in automation that can transform and expand for maximum versatility and throughput, based on specialized consumer needs. Individual material handling units can be added in any order or combination including multiple-shelf towers, material carts, product carts, break-in station, and a second laser.

A low-profile storage tower has 6,000 lb. shelf capacity and allows up to 24 shelves for a total of 144,000 lbs. of material capacity. A second tower can add 24 additional shelves, totaling 288,000 lb. capacity. Up to four material carts can be added to a single unit for 40,000 lbs. total holding capacity. Up to four product carts (40,000 lbs. total capacity) can be added to store and segregate laser cut product material in four different locations. Break-In Station provides a third pallet for prototypes and odd size sheets. Adding a second laser will maximize productivity, increasing product cart allowance to six, increasing capacity to 60,000 lbs. (Include 'Two-Laser System' image or 'Two-Tower, Two-Laser System' here.)

Argon Industries: A Testament to Automation
Jeff Gauger, president of Argon Industries, recently purchased a Mitsubishi MSCIII FMS system with 4 kW lasers and Ncell automation fed by a 12-shelf tower. Ncell and Argon created a one-of-a-kind automation system to link it with the manufacturing software already in use by the Milwaukee-based Argon. The two-way communication between the laser and Ncell software has eliminated several jobs the shop used to do manually: entering the job into the manufacturing software, pulling information together, taking sales orders to the engineering department, pulling files together with prints, and eventually sending it to the floor.

Argon's laser inventory was reduced from four stand-alone machines to only two lasers incorporated in the new automated system. Yet this massive shift increased the company's capacity by 300-400 percent. Argon's capital investment in the newest laser and automation technology is a true testament to the value added by modern technology.

Featured in February 2005 F&M Magazine.