Product category:
CNC laser cutting and profiling machines
News Release from: LVD (UK) | Subject: Orion CNC laser profiling machine
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 13 October 2006
CNC laser cutter provides benefits at
low cost
The ability to quickly and easily produce profiled parts such as brackets and sling components is vital to a lift/elevator manufacturer, hence an investment made in CNC laser cutting.
In his business almost every job is a one-off, says Neil Dowse of lift manufacturer Bramptons so the ability to quickly and easily produce profiled parts such as brackets and sling components is vital Until recently these parts were cut using plasma, but when the time came for Bramptons to replace its ageing machine, laser cutting on a keenly-priced LVD Orion laser proved to be a much better option
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 25 Jun 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Press brake has four-axis backgauge
Formula Fabrications (UK) of Norfolk was the first company in the UK to order an 800kN LVD PPEB-EQ press brake with four-axis backgauge to accommodate multiple bend set ups.
Turret punch press suits OEMs and subbies
Following extensive world-wide market research involving the future demands of both OEMs and sheet metal subcontractors, LVD/Strippit has developed the Global 20 CNC turret punch press.
"Quality was becoming a real problem on the old plasma machine," said Dowse.
"Not only were the hole quality and the dimensional accuracy poor, but the nature of the plasma process meant that we were spending a day cleaning parts after we had cut them.
"We had been looking at another plasma machine which would have cost around GBP 100,000, but then we found out about the LVD Orion and realised that we could have all the advantages of laser cutting for just GBP 65,000 more - so we bought one." The LVD laser arrived in March this year, and he says that the quality improvement has been incredible.
Further reading
Laser profiling machine gets more productive
Expanding the advantages of its modular concept design, two new versions of the LVD Axel 'flying optics' laser profiling machine are now available with fully integrated shuttle tables
Laser moves opportunities forward
Precision sub-contractor's CNC laser cutting system purchase allows it cut 2500 by 1250mm mild steel sheet up 16mm thick, SS up to 6mm and aluminium up to 5mm in thickness.
Laser cut parts break new ground in car production
Two LVD laser profiling machines, an LVD Shape punch press and two LVD multi-axis press brakes are used at Park Sheet Metal of Coventry on work for the new Lea Francis 20/230 sports roadster
"It's unbelievable.
There is no need to clean up the parts and they are absolutely accurate.
They come straight of the laser and are ready for bending.
We draw the parts up in Solid Works and we know that if the drawing is right then the parts will fit.
We don't have to rely on making holes three times bigger than they need to be to make sure they line up - we know that they will.
Our parts have to be of a high quality so that they fit together and look good; both of these are much easier to achieve with the laser." Bramptons makes almost everything in a lift that isn't mechanical or electrical - from lift cars and doors to the steelwork that holds the lift in the shaft.
It supplies over a hundred lift cars a year, and maybe a thousand lift doors to most of the UK's independent lift companies, not just for new installations but also for refurbishment and replacement projects.
While the laser is normally used on 6mm mild and stainless steel, occasionally going up to 12mm, most of Bramptons' thinner material is normally processed on its CNC punch presses.
But even here the laser has been able to make an impact.
Every lift needs faceplates for the buttons and an indicator panel to show which floor you are on.
At one time the cut-outs in these were put in on the punch press.
In more recent years though there has been a trend for these items to become more bespoke 'architectural' items which made them almost impossible to punch.
The solution had been to engrave the holes out but they can now be cut on the laser much more quickly and easily.
Overall, says Neil, the laser is not only quicker and the quality better, but the ability to nest components means he can plan work more effectively too.
"When you are punching you have to wait until you've got the right number of jobs with the right mix of holes to load the turret up for maximum efficiency.
With the laser you can put whichever jobs you want on a sheet regardless of hole diameters or profiles, so you get less waste too." He said that anyone looking at replacing a plasma machine shouldn't just look at the initial cost of the machine.
"You should look at all the aspects of the process and assess what the laser can do for you overall rather than just looking at initial cost of the machine.
The extra GBP 65,000 the Orion cost compared to a plasma machine was certainly money well spent.".
• LVD (UK): contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Manufacturingtalk email newsletter
• Manufacturingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
