Cincinnati, OH—A Midwest steel service center found the Cincinnati CL-707 (www.e-ci.com), a linear motor drive laser cutting center with twin 8 x 20 ft pallets, a "supersize" solution to value-added shape cutting and competitive advantages at part processing. This laser improved processing capabilities three ways by replacing two conventional 6 x 10 ft lasers, taking over the processing of longer parts previously plasma- or flame-cut, and boosting productivity by cutting unattended.
This is thought to be the first linear drive laser cutter, with such a large bed capacity and dual interchangeable pallets, ever installed at a steel service center.
Part capacity was a critical factor in selecting the largest model of the CL-707 laser. The service center was flame-cutting some plate parts up to 180-in long for a customer that said it needed still better edge quality. The laser solved that particular need and has brought the service center a lot of larger parts demanding superior edge quality.
The tremendous capacity of the 8 x 20 ft pallets opened up opportunities for unattended processing with the service center usually running two eight-hour shifts and sometimes 24 hours with one shift unmanned. The CL-707's non-contact head is critical to that unmanned capability. The earlier lasers had contact heads, which frustrated efforts to run unattended because parts would tip and tear the head up.
The service center runs mainly mild steel in the 3/8 in to 1/2 in range, but also processes plate up to 3/4 in, plus some stainless and aluminum. Most of the work involves shapes and contours, at which the laser excels with its edge quality and multi-axis precision.
The supersize pallets allow the service center to use standard size 20-foot plates and go straight to laser cutting without having to cut down a plate into smaller sizes, saving on processing steps, as well as the handling and storing of unused material.
The high-speed drive, with positioning speeds up to 8500 ipm, makes a strong impression on potential customers who see it zip through a part. It definitely gets noticed and remembered.