Page 40 - MetalForming January 2011

Tech Update
Fiber-Laser Technology at Bystronic’s Fabtech Booth
At Fabtech 2010, Bystronic, Hauppauge, NY, introduced the BySprint Fiber 3015, a high-power fiber-laser cutting machine based on the BySprint Pro platform. The machine marks the company’s first produc- tion-series model of a laser-cutting system employing fiber-laser tech- nology. Equipped with a 2-kW Fiber 2000 fiber laser, the BySprint Fiber 3015 is powerful enough to cut steel and stainless steel, as well as alu- minum and other nonferrous materials such as copper and brass. It can process thin-gauge
sheetmetal as well as plate to 1⁄2 in. thick.
The laser beam is transported to the cutting head through a passive fiber, as opposed to the deflection mirror systems employed by CO2 lasers. The result is lower oper- ating and maintenance costs, in addition to significant energy savings. The specially designed cutting head is available in several configurations, with focal lengths of 100 and 150mm. The laser source and the chiller are integrated into the equipment con-
trol console, conserving floor space.
Bystronic Inc.: 631/231-1212; www.bystronicusa.com
Need the Brawn of Chlorinated Solvents Without the Added Cost or Safety Concerns?
For fabricators struggling to efficiently and effectively degrease their products, the Safechem North America subsidiary of Dow Chemical Co., Midland, MI, developed (just in time for Fabtech 2010) the Safecare closed-loop delivery system for safely handling chlorinated and modified alcohols manufactured by Dow. Used in Europe since the 1990s, the system is available for a fixed, monthly lease fee that includes sealed solvent-degreasing equipment, waste management, technical sup- port/training and use of stabilizers, additives and test kits. It virtually eliminates work- er exposure and emissions.
Say company officials: “This is a new and unique business model for companies in the automotive, aerospace, electronics and medical industries, where the need for precision solvent-based cleaning is often critical.”
Safechem North America: 877/376-8343; www.dowsafechem.com
SolidWorks-Based 3D Die-Design Software
Accurate Die Design, Inc., New Berlin, WI, partnered with Logopress Corp., Besan- con, France, to introduce the SolidWorks-based Logopress3 2010 SP1 die-design soft- ware package, with a slew of new additions and enhancements. This latest software version can handle very large dies with several hundred different-shaped punches within the same die. It also features Logopress3 BLANK flat-blank prediction and FEA software designed to metalformers and die shops at the quotation stage and dur- ing die design. Native SolidWorks models as well as imported models can be used. The mesh is fully automatic but its size also can be adjusted. Among its key functions: manage native or imported data; manage solids and surfaces; material thickness management; customizable material database; allow defining pinched/locked areas; thinning and thickening information; and stress and strain information. Accurate Die Design, Inc.: 262/938-9316; www.accuratediedesign.com
Highlights from
Drive 5S in Your Toolroom with Custom Tool-Storage Cabinets
Tool-box manufacturer Versatility Tool Works, Alsip, IL, unveiled to visitors of Fabtech its custom-engineered cabinets for industrial tool storage—cabinets for storing press-brake and CNC punch- press tooling. We thought, “What a great concept for supporting lean-manufac- turing and 5S initiatives in any contract metalforming plant.”
Heavy-duty construction allows for drawer capacities to 400 lb.; drawers and divider systems are custom-made to fit specific styles of tooling. And, the firm has its own patent-pending drawer-inter- lock system (cleverly named 1ataTime) for preventing cabinet tip-over—a nice safety feature.
Versatility Tool Works: 708/389-8909;
www.versatilitytool.com
Ask the Expert
Plasma Arc Cutting
Roy Valentine Techno CNC Routers Sales Manager Techno, Inc.
Q:How does automatic torch height control work on a plasma-arc cut-
ting machine?
A:During cutting, the distance from the torch to the workpiece must remain
consistent—uncontrolled torch height leads to shorter consumable life and increased operational costs. Sophisticated height adjustment involves measuring torch volt- age, which is proportional to the distance from the torch to the material, at more than 1000 times/sec. Closed-loop feedback control adjusts torch height appropriately.
38 MetalForming/January 2011
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