Page 35 - MetalForming November 2015

Prima’s Laser Next three-dimensional five-axis cutting system is seen cutting a hot-stamped B pillar, of AHSS.
tion-support engineering services. Prima introduced two new machines to the market in 2014, and laser-sales sup- port specialist and senior manager Massimo Sinopoli explained to us their significance to fabricators.
First up was a look at the Laser Next 3D five-axis fiber-laser cutting system developed primarily for the automotive industry, specifically to address the fast-growing hot-stamping market. Customers are using the Laser Next to trim stamped advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) parts. Introduced to the global market at the EuroBlech 2014 exhibition in Hannover, Laser Next machines reduce cycle times by as much as 25 percent, says Sinopoli, compared to previous technology.
“The cycle-time improvement comes from two major developments,” he says. “First, we introduced linear motors to the 3D-cutting system, to increase trajectory speed. And then, we increased machine stiffness by 50 percent compared to the previous model, allowing increased speed with- out sacrificing accuracy.”
The demonstration Andy and I wit- nessed put the Laser Next through its
Coprauto, a prototype/production metalforming and fabricating job shop, employs a Prima Rapido 3D laser-cutting machine to trim stamped parts, enabling the company to expand its offerings to its metal-stamping customers and to attract new customers for prototype development.
paces cutting a hot-stamped B pillar, of AHSS. To make a total cut of 1.5 m around the part periphery, the 3-kW took 42 sec.; on the previous model of 3D-cutting machine, says Sinopoli, the same cut took more than 1 min.
Also introduced last year was the Platino 2.0 Fiber flat-sheet cutting machine, with laser sources from 2 to 5 kW and highlighted by advanced pierc- ing technology to optimize throughput.
“We see the greatest opportunities to decrease cycle times for our cus- tomers,” says Sinopoli, “by continuing to develop the piercing process. The three new pierce profiles specifically address three different applications— thin-sheet (to 5 mm) cutting, thick- sheet (5 to 25 mm in mild steel) cutting, and unattended or lights-out cutting.”
For piercing thin sheet, Prima offers the Smart Cut mode. Here, explains Sinopoli, the laser head need not pause when transitioning between piercing and cutting. It’s one smooth process
and, he says, yields as much as a 30- percent cycle-time reduction compared to traditional piercing.
For thicker sheet, fabricators will opt for the Max Cut pierce mode, fea- turing a hefty flow of nitrogen delivered to the workpiece material. This cooling effect reduces what can be a pierce time of 3-4 sec. down to less than 1 sec.
Lastly, Sinopoli explains the lights- out or unattended piercing mode, called Night Cut. “For this mode,” he says, “we developed a wider parameter window to ensure reliable and safe pierces, necessary when fabricators operate machines unattended. Pierce times may be a little longer than when in the other two modes, but we have to ensure the pierce cycle ends before we start cutting.”
Sinopoli then led us to its customer, Coprauto, in San Valeriano, a proto- type/production metalforming and
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