Tube cutting system paves the way to new applications

The Trumpf TruLaser Tube 7000 laser cutting system processes tubes inside a tunnel-like safety enclosure and then, depending on size, moves them forward to the brush table or ejects them to a parts container behind the machine. Its heavy-duty drives are engineered for heavy tubes, a broad chucking range, and a high degree of flexibility. This new machine can cut tubes and profiles with large diameters and wall thicknesses without sacrificing productivity. It is able to process tubes up to 30 ft long and can handle a maximum weight of 496 lb. The system's 0.6 to 10 in. clamping range enables new applications. Available with up to 3.6 kW of laser power, it is ideal for a wide range of applications. When combined with the LoadMaster Tube, featuring a tube magazine that can hold up to 8000 lb of raw material, the TruLaser Tube 7000 can be fully automated.
Trumpf
Farmington, CT
www.us.trumpf.com

Posted by C. Settino, www.laserfocusworld.com

________________
PRESS RELEASE

TRUMPF's new TruLaser Tube 7000 tube cutting
system paves the way to new fields of application

A tube inside a tube. That
might be your initial reaction when you see the new TruLaser Tube
7000 in action. This laser cutting system processes tubes inside a
tunnel-like safety enclosure and then, depending on size, moves them
forward to the brush table or ejects them to a parts container behind
the machine. With this high-end modern designed machine, TRUMPF
offers a laser cutting system featuring heavy-duty drives engineered for heavy tubes, a broad chucking range and a high degree of flexibility.

This new machine can cut tubes and profiles with large diameters and
wall thicknesses without sacrificing productivity. It is able to process
tubes up to 30 feet long and can handle a maximum weight of 496
pounds. The system's 0.6 to 10 inch clamping range enables new
applications. Available with up to 3.6 kilowatts of laser power, it is ideal
for a wide range of applications.

Compared with conventional processes like sawing, drilling or milling,
selecting a TruLaser Tube 7000 machine can boost productivity
significantly. One example of a productivity enhancement is the short
set-up time when changing programs. Nearly all of the adjustments
depend on profile specifics. Values that have to be entered at the
machine and the loading unit can easily be handled by the parts
program. The self-centering chucking jaws do not need to be changed
and the rollers that provide support and lateral guidance for the tubing
automatically adjust to the diameter. Even the integrated scrap
container in the feed station is emptied without operator intervention.

The FocusLine function automatically adapts the laser focal position to
the material type and thickness. The machine's software independently
adjusts to the focus parameters given in the technology table,
eliminating any set-up effort. Also new is the slender cutting head with
a 6 inch lens and new style clutch, designed for flexibility and process
safety.

When combined with the LoadMaster Tube, featuring a tube magazine
that can hold up to 8000 pounds of raw material, the TruLaser Tube
7000 can be fully automated. Its pivoting feed support holds a number
of tubes and keeps them at constant orientation. The loading unit
performs a feasibility test to compare the tube geometry with the parts
program. Special profiles and small batches can be fed by a conveyor
section. The LoadMaster Tube measures the pipe length and adjusts
the position of the grippers accordingly.

The TruLaser Tube 7000 works with a new version of TruTops Tube
software to make sophisticated processing strategies available. This
software is built around a database that contains all of TRUMPF's
technical knowledge. With this new software, complex tube designs
can be fabricated more easily, precisely and reliably. It is now possible,
for example, to position one 3D tube on another instead of designing
and programming individual tubes. This saves time since parameters
such as length, width, height, wall thickness and spacing between
cut-outs can readily be modified to generate any number of variations.