Groundbreaking laser cutting and drilling machine delivered

The order has gone to an existing customer of Winbro, a company that produces and repairs complex fabricated turbine components for aircraft engines, and which has three Wimbro systems, incorporating Nd:YAG lasers. This fourth system, however, breaks new ground, as this will be the first time that a CO2 laser system has been used by the customer for cutting operations. Winbro and laser manufacturer Rofin worked together to the develop this latest system, which is capable of up to a ten-fold increase in cutting speeds, compared to previous systems. At the heart of the Winbro 'Delta' laser machining system is a 2 kW Rofin DC 020 CO2 slab laser, which is claimed renowned for high uptime, low maintenance and excellent beam quality (K> 0.9). Average cutting speeds have been increased from 250 mm/min to 1,700 mm/min, with speeds of greater than 2,500 mm/min deemed achievable by Winbro. The 'Delta' system is built upon a monocoque chassis, which acts as the mounting platform for the positioning axes and the laser. The Rofin DC 020 laser is mounted above the system and outside of the cutting environment, with the laser beam delivered to the cutting head via a series of mirrors. Components up to 1,900 mm in diameter by 900 mm high and weighing up to 500 kg can be processed within the machine, and its 5-axis configuration allows complex profiles and contours to be machined. Accuracies of 0.015 mm and repeatability of 0.010 mm or better are achieved across the working envelope. As a high variety – low volume manufacturer, with some 900 different component part permutations, rapid changeover from part to part is a key element in maintaining high productivity. The 'Delta' system incorporates a number of advanced features to minimise the amount of time spent getting new parts into production. For example, a brand new programmer interface features, the (LFE) 'Laser Front End' system, which provides a range of geometric input methods, directly from the user's CAD output. The system also uses an innovative and patented probing system to determine fixture and component position and alignment, and generate any offset data required for the part programme. Once running, capacitive focus control is used to maintain the optimum gap between the nozzle and the work-piece. Winbro, Incorporating M J Technologies and Amchem, is a specialist in the manufacture of machines to produce cooling holes in turbine blades and has some 50 years' experience. In April, the company received a Queen's Award for Export in recognition of its export growth of over 70 per cent, taking in more than 15 countries, including China, US, Japan and Russia.