Product category:
CAM and software for sheetmetal, punching, profiling, EDM, etc
News Release from: Lantek Sheet Metal Solutions | Subject: CAM software - sheet metal working
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 14 April 2006
One CAM system programs three different
machines
Fabricator acquired Lantek CAM software for its flexibility and its ability to program a Strippit CNC punch press, a plasma cutter - and a new Trumatic L6030 4kW laser - in one system.
Fabricator acquired Lantek CAM software for its flexibility and its ability to program a Strippit CNC punch press, a plasma cutter - and a new Trumatic L6030 4kW laser - in one system Blagg and Johnson has been located in Newark since 1921, producing cold rolled and pressed metal sections and fabricated assemblies
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 21 Apr 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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This should produce a 12.5% growth in turnover by offering superior accuracy and finish on sheet metal components in sizes which few other subcontractors can match.
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It is anticipated that this will open up new opportunities with its existing customers and new markets in the petrochemical industry.
The company already has a plasma cutter and a Strippit punch press programmed by Lantek Expert, both capable of cutting sheets up to 6m long.
Oliver Daniels, technical manager for Blagg and Johnson, said, "We replaced our existing software with the Lantek Expert system three years ago, choosing it for its flexibility and its ability to program the Strippit and the plasma cutter in one system." The choice of Lantek for CAM is still valid for the investment in the new Trumpf Laser.
Daniels added, "The Lantek laser installation for the Trumpf worked 'straight out of the box', while the Flex 3D module has enabled me to start programming end profiles and cut-outs on tubular components." Blagg and Johnson takes full advantage of the nesting capability of Lantek Expert.
Its automatic nesting processes approximately 200 tonnes of steel per month and due to the highly varied nature of the company's work, the component mix is continually changing.
Daniels creates 2-3 new programs and nests in Lantek every day to meet the variations in demand, grouping together parts with the same material thickness and specification.
Daniels said: "Automatic nesting coupled with manual optimising of the nest enables us to achieve 90-95% material utilisation." Most of the nesting is in full sheets, but Lantek also keeps track of offcuts, enabling the creation of further nests to use up waste material, finally generating a nest printout for easy identification of parts as they are completed.
To work with its customer's designs, Blagg and Johnson use SolidWorks CAD.
Close integration allows Lantek to be launched from inside the CAD software, passing the unfolded design straight into the CAM software, where it can be nested and programmed for one of the three machine types.
For simple shapes the company uses the drawing capability inside Lantek, bypassing Solid Works.
Blagg and Johnson is also implementing a new ERP system to control the complete factory and keep track of costs as manufacturing progresses.
The Lantek system will be linked to it so that it can automatically retrieve information about production requirements and the parts to be nested, further improving productivity and data flow on the shop floor.
Tube cutting is a useful addition to Blagg and Johnson's capability.
The Trumpf is able to cut wall thicknesses up to 10mm.
Lantek's Flex 3D module will generate standard shapes such as mitres and allows non standard profiles to be wrapped around a tubular section.
During cutting, the laser head moves in 5-axes, keeping the laser normal to the tube.
Daniels said, "This module will be particularly useful for trailer manufacturers, reducing drilling and sawing, and enabling slots to be cut around corners." The company appreciates the technology built into Lantek Expert's cutting routines.
Daniels commented, "Features such as the ability to cut one end of a sheet and then move to the other end to allow for heat dissipation, and collision avoidance which drives around parts which may tip up are particularly useful." Ease of use is also important, allowing the company to carry out its own in house training.
Additionally, support and service from Lantek has provided trouble free operating - assisted by remote diagnostics, its engineers can quickly resolve programming questions.
The investment in the new Trumpf is of major importance to Blagg and Johnson.
Gordon Wright, Sales and Marketing Manager, concluded, "The 6m bed size differentiates us from our competitors, while Lantek provides the flexibility to program all our machines effectively.
The software is of crucial importance to the company, we would not be able to function without it." * About Lantek Systems - Lantek Systems, formed in 2000 is the UK arm of Lantek Spain, which has its headquarters in Vitoria-Gasteiz near Bilbao.
Lantek specialises in the creation and delivery of software to optimise the performance of sheet metal and fabrication machines; products to maximise economy of material usage; and software for effective production control in a fabrication environment.
Lantek has offices in France, Spain, Italy, UK, USA, Japan, Germany and South Korea.
More than 4,500 licences of the software are in use around the world, providing improved productivity and profitability for companies using oxyfuel, plasma, waterjet, punching and combination machines.
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