Fiber Laser Cutting Complements Stamping Operations
January 1, 2019Comments
At FABTECH, Trumpf featured the TruLaser Cell 5030 as an ideal fiber laser-cutting solution for stamping operations, providing the necessities at a price point that makes laser edge trimming and hole cutting economical on stamped and deep-drawn parts. The setup reportedly is ideal for smaller volumes and batch sizes where laser cutting is a better investment than costly hard tooling.
“After the stamping or deep-draw process,” explains Pierson Chang, production manager of laser systems for Trumpf North America, “the laser can be used to trim edges or cut holes. For prototypes and lower volumes, 3D laser cutting is an excellent alternative.”
The cell’s software provides everything needed to program and make adjustments, according to Chang, and it already has found use in low-volume, high-variety appliance applications. Here, a common die can create a general shape, with laser cutting used to add different holes or features based a particular product model. And, the cell reportedly provides smaller heat-affected zones and higher-quality cuts than mechanical sawing or laser cutting.
See also: TRUMPF Inc.
Technologies: Cutting