Jena, Germany--Jenoptik Automatisierungstechnik GmbH announces a cooperation agreement with Frimo Viersen GmbH a company it has worked with since 2007. Frimo Viersen is the technology center for punching and flexible cutting within the Frimo Group, a worldwide systems provider of tool and plant technologies for processing plastics, primarily in the automotive industry.
This arrangement will enable Frimo to expand its technical expertise in the field of laser cutting technology, an area in which the company is working in conjunction with Jenoptik. Frimo will equip its worldwide production lines exclusively with the laser robots and other components manufactured in Jenoptik. Combining the systems expertise of the Frimo Group in all aspects of plastics processing and Jenoptik's expertise in the laser material processing of plastics will enable both companies to set new standards.
In the future, Frimo will be able to supply its clients with production lines equipped with Jenoptik’s innovative laser cutting technology. Frimo’s client base includes almost every major automobile manufacturer and automotive supplier. This cooperation arrangement will enable Jenoptik to increase its worldwide presence in the laser materials processing market.
The advantage of the laser cutting technology from Jenoptik is the integrated laser beam guidance through each of the robot axes that enable the laser to be mounted in a stationary position separate from the robot which in turn will have a positive effect on the useful life of the laser. The total integration of the laser beam guidance within the robot will remove any limits on its utilization. This will result in a reduction in the cycle time and enable the robot to achieve repetition precision of plus/minus 0.1 mm even for complex three-dimensional components.
The special structure of the laser beam guide does away with the need for mirror changes and facilitates the assignment of various laser power levels so the laser power can be readily increased to meet changes in production.
In addition, Jenoptik is also able to use CO2 lasers with an output of up to 2500 watts. Cutting procedures will therefore be carried out at high speed even when using materials with extreme properties such as glass and carbon fiber-reinforced materials, allowing for further reductions in the cycle times. This represents significant savings in time and therefore cost benefits for the client.