High-tech, low-cost laser cutting system
The TruLaser 1030 laser cutting system from TRUMPF (Farmington, CT; www.us.trumpf.com) combines a rugged drive system and machine construction with a TruCoax 2 KW diffusion-cooled RF laser resonator, to provide a cost effective and productive laser cutting system in a small footprint. The TruLaser 1030 requires half of the floor space of a typical 5 x 10 foot machine. The system features 3-axis flying optics for high speed and accuracy: an X-axis working range of 120 in. and Y-axis of 60 in. with a maximum simultaneous XY speed of 3340 inches per minute. It will cut a maximum thickness of 5/8 in. mild steel.
Micromachining workstation for LDW
Newport Corporation (Irvine, CA; www.newport.com/LDW) has introduced a new micromachining workstation for high-precision laser direct-writing (LDW) and patterning. The flexible device can be integrated with several lasers to produce 2- or 3-dimensional patterning and writing on virtually any material. The company says it is simple to assemble and easy to couple with continuous-wave, nanosecond, and femtosecond lasers. The advanced workstation can also be used to produce submicron resolution on significantly large surface areas of the substrates.
Material storage and retrieval tower
LVD Strippit (Akron, NY; www.lvdgroup.com) introduces a cost-effective compact material storage and retrieval tower for select models of its CO2 laser cutting systems.
The CT- tower system provides full capabilities for loading, unloading, and storage of raw material and finished parts, thus enabling automated production from stored raw material to stacked finished parts, as well as providing increased storage capacity. The unit facilitates unmanned, “lights out” production in a compact cell environment.
The tower is offered in four configurations: 4-pallet, 6-pallet, and 10-pallet units. The system handles workpieces as large as 3050 x 1525 mm and material thicknesses up to 20 mm with a maximum load/unload pallet storage capacity of 3000 kg.
Flexible file transfer
The Consumable Products Group (CPG) brings the flexibility of today's file-transfer capabilities to Mitsubishi Laser (Wood Dale, IL; www.mitsubishi-world.com). The Calmotion USBCNC disk reader control acts as an interface between commercially available USB flash memory and any CNC control with an available RS-232 port. Machine tool files can be sent from CNC memory to the USB key, USB key to CNC memory, or drip fed (DNC) from the USB key. Flexible DNC firmware is built into the USBCNC unit allowing connection to just about any machine tool CNC control.
Linear actuator
The first actuator to be released in the G4 Canstack Linear Actuator line from Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions Inc. (Waterbury, CT; www.HaydonKerk.com) is the 25mm diameter. This new design utilizes optimized teeth geometry along with high energy neodymium magnets. With higher output force across the entire speed range compared with previous designs, the G4 also contains the latest custom engineered plastics and an over-sized spline resulting in a more robust and longer life product. Another enhanced feature is the use of larger bearings for greater rotor support and higher axial load capability.
10kW power/energy sensor
Ophir-Spiricon (Logan, UT; www.ophir-spiricon.com) announced the 10KW Power/Energy Sensor. Designed for materials processing applications, such as welding and metal cutting, the 10KW measures YAG and fiber lasers in the 1040–1100 nm range, and CO2 lasers at 10.6 microns. A wide aperture of 45 mm allows for measurement of broad beams. The maximum power for concentrated beams is up to 10KW/cm2. The maximum energy density for a 10 ms pulse is up to 150 J/cm2.