Trumpf Open House gets artistic and more

UK industrial heritage and tourism, plus modern laser profiling technology were brought together in a novel way at the Trumpf Open House last week (14-16 May), in the form of a 1/75th scale, 1 ¼ tonne model of the Blaenavon Ironworks. Of course, there was much else on show – laser welding, profiling and marking launches – but the model, made from 12-6 mm mild steel plate and 3 mm Corten, on a Trumpf laser profiler, was a strong visual element. The artwork, brainchild of artist Rubin Eyon, was produced by Wales-based subcontractor Southern Machine Fabrications on its recently acquired 2D TruLaser 3030 Fiber with 3 kW source. (The Open House was the UK launch of the machine, in fact - see video, above.) Image: Southern Machine Fabrications' managing director Ron Groom, left, and manager Roger Miles, right, behind the model made from parts machined on the company's recent acquisition - TruLaser 3030 Fiber Image: Blaenavon Ironworks model close-up Image: Blaenavon Ironworks model close-up - another view The Bridgend firm only acquired the machine a couple of months ago and manager Roger Miles said that it had been a key element in the company being able to produce the fine detail in the 2 by 1.5 m site 'signs' depicting various scenes associated with the model. Compared to the company's previous elderly 3.5 kW CO2 laser of another make, the 3030 is "staggeringly quick; awesome", according to Mr Miles. Blaenavon is a world heritage site, having secured some €90 million of European funding over four years, which is match funded by a further €90 million from Cadw (the Welsh Government's historic environment service). The Blaenavon ironworks opened in the year 1789 and produced for some 80 years, supporting Britain with armaments such as cannon balls, used in numerous wars of the time. The 3 kW TruLaser 3030 Fiber, featuring the TruDisk 3001 laser unit, cuts mild steel up to 20 mm, stainless steel and aluminium up to 15 mm, and copper and brass up to 6 mm. Process-reliable cutting of film coated sheets without the need for pre-vapourising is also possible. Axis travels are 3,000, 1,500 and 115 mm in X, Y and Z axes. Turning to welding and the compact TruLaser Cell 3000 can be used for welding, cutting or powder deposition tasks, and for 2D or 3D applications. Changing between processes takes just minutes. A patented twin-core fibre delivery system allows this fast change between cutting and welding. With the optics set to a single focal length of 150 mm, the spot size can be set from 100 micrometers for cutting and to 400 micrometers for welding, eliminating the need for manual tool change. The system is able to use Trumpf TruFiber, TruDisk, TruDiode or TruPulse solid-state lasers, with output of up to 8 kW. No other standard manufacturing system can offer this high degree of application optimisation, it is claimed. An optional beam splitter allows two beam sources to be connected in parallel for different applications; for example, a TruFiber laser for finishing and a TruDisk laser for welding. The source is simply selected by push-button; there is no need to change the optical cable, preventing damage to the optics and again reducing unproductive time. Another feature that contributes to the machine's flexibility is the modular worktable that can be adapted to different component geometries in just a few short steps. At the Open House, a part was cut by the TruLaser Cell 3000, bent on a TruBend 7036 press brake, welded on the TruLaser Cell 3000 then marked on one of the company's laser marking machines. Image: The TruLaser Cell 3000 is compact and versatilke Also a talking point for Trumpf this Open House is the TruMatic 6000; claimed to be a world first, based on a sophisticated machinery concept and combining the strengths of both laser and punching technologies. TruFlow 2000, 2700 or 3200, with 2, 2.7 or 3.2 kW of laser power, respectively, can be supplied. The laser can cut any desired pattern while the punching head can produce standard contours and forms. With its numerous innovative functions, "this system sets new standards in punching and laser processing", says Trumpf. Underpinning high process reliability is the Smart Punch Monitoring function. This determines whether a hole is actually created, providing safety during unmanned night shifts and on weekends, avoiding rejects and scrap. Supporting process reliability further, TruMatic Assistance Systems senses if a completed part should, unexpectedly, fail to slide across the part removal flap. The machine rectifies this unplanned situation itself by vibrating the flap, tapping with the laser guard, and lowering the descending die. It simply shakes the part off and continues the work. The descending die feature means that sheet can be positioned in the machine without it touching the die, preventing scratching on the sheet's lower surface. The upper surface is kept free of scratches during machining, too, since the laser guard has its own NC axis. Thus it can be regulated separately and, for instance, lifted to provide sufficient clearance for raised areas. Part removal flaps can optionally be fitted with brushes to avoid scratches when the part is discharged. This makes the entire processing cycle easy on the material. As in all its punch presses, the punching head can be rotated to any angle. In addition, Trumpf brings together as many as 10 punches and dies in a single tool via its MultiTool system, further reducing the frequency of tool changes. Tool change is rapid, however, taking just 3.2 seconds. There are 23 tool slots available for the medium-sized format, with two clamps, and 22 positions for large-format units, with three clamps. And, courtesy of the new integrated tool changer, 40 additional tools can be employed and automatically changed out. The machine can also be automated using a SheetMaster technology. Image: A combined laser profiler and punch press, the TruMatic 6000 Running in parallel with the UK Open House was biennial Laser World of Photonics, Munich, and at which Trumpf unveiled a plethora of developments, including: [] TruFiber 1000 fibre laser source – previously 400 W was the top power for Trumpf's true fibre laser (where the laser is generated within a glass fibre), now it is up to 1,000 W, due to a choice of 20 or 50 micron fibres. [] TruFlow 10000 – a 10 kW unit, it offers a 25% energy saving, is more compact (1 m sq) and has high beam quality (K=0.5). [] TruMark 1110 laser marker – a small, all-in-one box marking solution, lower in cost, easy to integrate and an entry-level system. [] TruMark 5070 – higher power, able to ablate coatings and paint, high production/high throughout, able to make deep marks. [] A mobile laser marker – when light-tight and in contact with metal, the system can mark parts that are too large to bring to the marking machine itself. [] TruMark 6350 – employing a different wavelength, this is intended for marking plastics. [] TruMicro 2000 – a compact picoseconds system able to support true black marking. [] TruMicro 5000 – a femto second (10 to -15) system (5080, 5360, 5050 models) able to support 'cold' marking. [] TruDisk 2000 – a small compact 2 kW Disk laser unit on wheels. [] TruDiode – intended for brazing, cladding and hardening duties, often in the auto industry; 3-6 kW range. On the software side, with TruTops, development has been focused on keeping up with the release of Trumpf's fibre laser profiling machines, offers TruTops sales/support engineer Neil Smyth. But scheduling system TruTops Fab is pointed up as successful, with three large installations currently ongoing and soon to come to fruition, he says – future news of these is promised. A particularly interesting feature of TruTops Fab is the fact that it "talks directly to Trumpf machines, feeding back actual cut times". This is something that no-one else offers, it is stressed, and it is a feature that is being exploited in one of the above installations. The importance of this is that any tweaking of programs via feedrate can be seen and tackled. The first instinct of laser operators when any problems occur is to change the feedrate. And once changed, this might then remain reduced, if the program is not updated at the end of the job. "The Trumpf technology tables that TruTops uses have to be 100% reliable," Mr Smyth offers. Indeed, if the job isn't complex, the chances are they are on the conservative side, it is suggested. Typically, the problem is one of material or gas, but the feedrate is reduced and, quite possibly, stays reduced. Says managing director Scott Simpson: "We have recognised this and have introduced, as standard, 'Adjust Line 1' and 'Adjust Line 2' for CO2 machines, which reduces feedrate without the need to edit the program." These call up different Trumpf parameters to tackle poor quality material or gases, for example, that impact cutting speed. In addition, all latest Trumpf laser profilers can have their technology tables returned to default at the touch of a button, adds Mr Smyth. Turning to services, and the UK is upping its efforts in this area, with Mr Simpson emphasising the company's 'one-stop-shop' nature, taking in machines, tooling, software and after sales services, including applications, training, programming and, latterly, sheet metal part design advice. The benefit of such a single point of contact for multiple areas is, he suggests, one of time. "What could be better for customers than only needing one discussion each year to set out requirements for the whole of the year? It is better to have one discussion than multiple meetings. We will be emphasising that more and more, now that we have the infrastructure in place here to support that." Of the recently introduced design advice service, Mr Smyth offered this explanation. "Sheet metal design is not a subject taught anywhere, it is very much learnt on the job. This is true for Germany as well as the UK. We are running courses for OEMs, and subcontractors, with these proving very popular in Germany." This can see designs reduced from many parts to a single profiled, pressed and welded item, for example. Trumpf has even taken its own medicine for parts on its machines, Mr Smyth reports, reducing cost by 35% for a door bracket where welding was actually eliminated. "We try to work towards making things cheaper and also build in features that help avoid error." To kick the sheet metal design improvement process off, Trumpf visits a customer to take a look at components, with this followed up six to eight weeks later by a workshop at Luton, supported by solid models of redesigned parts. One course has already been run, but it is still a new offering here. "Feedback from Germany has been that companies have got payback from the course in three months on one part alone," Mr Smyth underlines.