by Laureen J. Belleville, [email protected]
Laser systems in the Las Vegas spotlight
For the first time ever, the FABTECH International & AWS Welding Show is heading to the western U.S. Taking place October 6–8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, the show is the largest event in North America dedicated to showcasing a full spectrum of metal forming, fabricating, stamping, tube and pipe, and welding equipment and technology.
Two dynamic keynote speakers highlight the show. Jim Waters, VP of the Caterpillar Production System at Caterpillar, will discuss Embracing the Challenges of Manufacturing in a Global Economy on Oct. 6. Waters’ presentation will focus on how the world is getting smaller and how companies can embrace the international economy to become stronger and more successful. On Oct. 7, inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen, founder of FIRST and president of DEKA Research & Development Corporation, will deliver a presentation on Inspiring Future Generations to Lead the World in Innovation. Kamen will discuss the importance of getting America’s youth excited about careers in science, technology, and engineering and cultivating an environment that encourages creativity and risk-taking. Kamen also will assert his belief that innovation is the key to keeping U.S. manufacturing competitive in a global economy.
Show organizers are projecting an estimated 800 exhibitors and 20,000 attendees over the course of this three-day event. Below is a glimpse at some of the industrial laser related products visitors can expect to see on the show floor. Industrial Laser Solutions will be there, too. Visit us in Booth # 4122.
Vegas show stoppers
Bystronic will showcase its Byspeed 3015, 4400W high-speed laser cutting system equipped with ByTrans automated load/unload and the ByVention 3015 laser cutting system with a new 4400W resonator, patented material flow, and simple-to-operate control all within a 20ft x 20ft footprint. Responding to industry demands for flexibility and automation, Finn-Power is showing the compact LC6 coordinate table laser center with integrated loading, sorting, and stacking. This laser center integrates laser operation and part handling for fabricating high-quality components. The Rofin-Sinar 2500W diffusion-cooled CO2 slab laser enables fast, economical processing of a range of materials. LVD Strippit has expanded its line of Orion CO2 laser cutting systems with the Orion 3015Plus featuring a 4kW laser resonator and load/unload system. This system provides cost-efficient processing of a range of materials in sheet sizes up to 1500 x 3000 mm.
The new LVPLUSII from Mitsubishi Laser 40CF-R resonator technology provides a more consistent beam power during the cutting process and reportedly delivers a more brilliant and consistent edge quality. Additionally, the uniform low current discharge provides a low power stability for improved micromachining and etching. Also on display will be the company’s new NX machine with resonators available in 4kW and 6kW versions. NTC America—Laser Group’s exhibit will feature the synergy of the TLM series of 5-axis industrial lasers coupled with the latest fiber laser unit from IPG Photonics. The resulting system is well suited for both high penetration welding and high-precision cutting applications. Prima North America will demonstrate the Syncrono 2D laser cutting system with the new CV5000 laser resonator. This resonator enables high cutting speeds and provides the ability to process thicker materials and produce superior cut quality with reduced heat affected zone.
TRUMPF premieres its TruFlow 7000 laser resonator, which is available on the TruLaser 5030 NEW. The 7kW laser cuts stainless steel up to 1.88in thick and aluminum up to 0.8in thick. Cutting speed increases of up to 10% can be achieved for stainless steel 0.312 in, 0.375 in, and 0.625 in, and up to 30% for 0.75 in to 1 in. In some applications where aluminum is used, cutting speeds may increase up to 10%. The highlight of the TruLaser 5030 NEW is the single cutting head strategy, where the same cutting head can be used to process various sheet metal thicknesses. Demonstrations of the Flex Lase universal laser processing cell from Wayne Trail Technologies will be offered on the show floor. The cell is equipped with high-power, high-efficiency fiber laser technology, robot-based process articulation, and a wide variety of tooling options.
PRC will unveil the CH 4000 and CH 5000 lasers, which offer electronically variable beam propagation, improved electrical efficiency, a new touch screen control and diagnostic panel, reversible beam output, and field upgradeability. Laser Mechanisms’ booth will highlight the AccuFiber laser processing heads, which deliver accurate focusing within a modular design that supports a variety of setup and process options. The availability of various tip extension lengths provides adaptability to almost any focal length.
Using a laser to make precision cuts in metal requires a lot of nitrogen. To address this, Parker domnick hunter’s Maxigas nitrogen gas generators can provide purities of up to 99.999%, allowing for a range of metals and finishes. The systems use compressed air and strip out the oxygen, leaving clean, dry nitrogen. Among the products featured by Kugler of America will be optical gratings with submicron form accuracies, remote scan mirrors for various wavelengths, and high-power CO2 parabolic focusing heads for welding, cutting, cladding, and surface treatment.
Wolf Robotics is using this show to introduce a product that can attune non-symmetrical tools with their starting points using photographs for calibration. ToolFind makes the process of Tool Center Point (TCP) calibration more consistent and repeatable and checks for additional items such as the tool condition and wire ranges. JETCAM is showcasing its fully automatic high-performance nesting solution.