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Rental and market study influenced laser choice

Edited by the Manufacturingtalk editorial team Feb 13, 2001

Following a study of all the available laser profiling machines on the UK market and a loan period using an LVD Helius machine, Spemco Group chose an LVD Axel 3015 laser profiler.

Following a study of all the available laser profiling machines on the UK market and a loan period using an LVD Helius machine, Spemco Group of Medway City Estate in Strood made the decision to purchase an LVD Axel 3015 with 3 kW laser and shuttle table to meet its expansion requirements.

And, due to very successful use of the loan machine while the Axel was being built, the company decided to buy the Helius 2513 machine as well, bringing the total order package to almost GBP600,000.

Managing Director, Steve Driver explains: "The LVD flying optics concept on the Axel is ideal, represents excellent value for money and is providing us with a 'state of the art' machine backed by excellent support." Steve Driver is well qualified to comment having been using laser profiling since 1996 for his Kent-based bureau service producing flat sheet components in aluminium, stainless and mild steel.

With the addition of the 3 kW, GE-Fanuc CO2 laser and beam compensation system on the new Axel, Spemco increases material cutting capacity to 20 mm, has the advantage of a 3 metre shuttle table to take larger sheet sizes and is able to introduce 'lights-out' cutting.

This is qualified by Steve Driver as giving his company the opportunity to expand the bureau service in cut blanks to the likes of shop fitting, general engineering and subcontract manufacturing companies.

The LVD Axel 3015 has an X-axis of 3,150 mm, Y-axis of 1,600 mm and Z-axis travel of 100 mm.

The high speed traverse operates at 170 m/min and cutting speed of the flying optics head is fully programmable up to 15 m/min.

Even at maximum rates, position accuracy is within 0.05 mm and repeatability within 0.02 mm because the work piece is static during processing.

Also the 'feed forward' software in the Fanuc 160i control predicts the trajectory required of the drive system which, in effect, 'smoothes' the profiling operation.