Product category:
CNC laser cutting and profiling machines
News Release from: Electrox | Subject: 1.5kW Electrox Lazerblade profiling machine
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 06 November 2002
Laser profiling centre makes light work
When visiting MACH 2002 earlier this year, having already made highly effective use of a laser profiling system installed 18 months previously, a subcontractor chose a second, more powerful type.
When visiting MACH 2002 earlier this year, and having already made highly effective use of an Electrox Lazerblade profiling system installed 18 months previously, history repeated itself for Roger Willems, chairman of Penn Fabrications, who placed an order for a second, more powerful, version This second machine is now in full production at Penn's manufacturing facility in Hastings, East Sussex
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 26 Apr 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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To this end the first 1.5kW Electrox Lazerblade profiling machine was installed and quickly proved itself, in Willems's own words, as being "extremely useful at producing components for which laser profiling was not previously considered".
Now, the second machine, a more powerful 3kW Lazerblade, with its "industry standard" GE Fanuc CNC control system, has been installed, complete with an automated twin pallet-table load/unload system.
As well as producing components faster than before, the new machine is also used for a new product line which, according to Willems, "We could not have tackled in house before".
The first machine was purchased after Electrox ran trials satisfactorily at the 600 Group's Shepshed sales and demonstration centre, near Loughborough.
Willems explains that Penn have deliberately set both Lazerblades to operate below their maximum throughputs so that a single operator can run both machines in parallel and experience has shown that this is the most economical way to use them.
In fact this method of working is so flexible that the Lazerblade operator also has responsibility for other metal forming plant - press brakes etc.
- in the shop.
Both Lazerblade machines are operated on a full three shift, six days a week schedule to keep pace with worldwide demand for the company's products.
And with such a high level of usage the low running costs exhibited by their Lazerblades have certainly paid dividends for Penn.
Of particular importance to Penn are the automatic features which allow the Lazerblade to run with minimal operator attendance so that the machine can be run 24 hours a day, seven days a week during periods of peak demand without the need to recruit extra staff.
For example, the "automatic retry" option allows the machine to automatically continue cutting following a transient process problem whilst an "audible fault warning" notifies the remote operator of any problem that has caused the machine to stop.
Additionally a number special time-saving features of the controller make the operation of the Lazerblade both quick and easy.
These include, machine-resident cutting records that are synchronised with the CAD/CAM software, laser quickset pages that enable instant and rapid manual operation, the provision of instant information relating to the laser status and the ability to conduct rapid changes to setting - all of which help make the operator's task as simple as possible.
Willems reports that neither of the Electrox CO2 lasers have presented his company with any problems since they were installed and that service from Electrox, when called for, has been excellent. Request a free brochure from Electrox ...
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