The 3 kW CF3000 was developed through an intensive development activity over the last few years and has been operating at pilot customers’ plants for more than six months, the announcement of last month states.
The new laser will be produced at group plants in Chicopee (Massachusetts, USA), Barone Canavese (Turin, Italy) and Suzhou (China). A 4 kW unit, the CF4000, will be also introduced during the year.
Up to now, US company IPG Photonics has been the sole supplier of fibre laser sources to the group; Prima Power maintains a strong relationship with IPG, however, it is stressed.
The development of this product offers Prima Power an alternative source for what is described as “a highly strategic component”, with this representing a winning technology for specific applications, says the company.
Prima Power adds that it expects “remarkable growth” in its laser machine business, with this built on recent developments that take in the 3D laser profiling machine Laser Next (particularly for the automotive market), the Platino 2.0 Fiber and the Laser Genius 2D laser cutters, plus the Combi Genius laser-punch combination machine.
The Group's target for 2016, the first year of the new fibre laser’s production, will see a gradual ramp-up in volumes to around 10 units per month delivered to customers.
With its own laser source, aftersales activity will be more efficient, the company adds, as it will allow Prima Power to return to a situation where the group holds sole responsibility for the delivered solution. Gianfranco Carbonato, chairman of Prima Industrie Group, says: “With the introduction of the fibre laser, we achieved an excellent result for the group, thanks to which we will be able to offer our customers from time to time the most convenient solution, having the chance to present our group to the end user as the sole supplier.”
