Page 20 - MetalForming January 2016

New Laser Technology Lights the Way
...to improved productivity, quality and profitability for metalforming companies seeking opportunities to advance advanced manufacturing. Here are some of the latest-greatest new machines to hit the market, as seen at FABTECH 2015 in Chicago.
BY BRAD F. KUVIN, EDITOR
Punch/Fiber Laser Combo
with Automated Material Storage/Handling
Amada’s new LC 2515 C1 AJ combines a 22-ton turret punch press, equipped with a 49-station multipurpose turret, and a 2-kW fiber laser. The laser head, which moves in the y axis via a direct-drive servomechanism, is isolated from punching vibration to help maintain beam integrity and ensure optimum cut quality. A gap near the laser axis allows cutting gas and slag to escape without impacting processing. And, a cartridge-type lens enables timely, quick
lens changes.
Other features
include noncontact sen- sor technology to ensure that the laser beam remains focused on the sheet; three die-lift stations to facilitate upward forms and four tapping-tool stations in the tur- ret; a barcode reader for quick program loading; and a variety of automated material-handling systems, including the ASR 3015N TK that extends unattended
operation to multiple shifts and features single-part separation and sorting.
www.amada.com
New CNCs Boast Energy Savings, Improved Capabilities
Hypertherm Inc. unveiled a new generation of computer numeric controls, the Edge Connect family, which combines new software technology with modern hard- ware in a compact package. Enhancements, aimed at optimizing efficiency of the firm’s laser-cutting machines (as well as its plasma- and waterjet-cutting machines), include the newest version of Hypertherm’s Phoenix software with the company’s CutPro Wizard for rapid and simple job setup. The family also includes an intro- ductory version of ProNest CNC nesting software, which allows table operators to create a part program directly from the CNC. As Hypertherm officials explain, an
operator could accommodate
an urgent job
using an avail-
able part file
or quickly
select a stan-
dard shape
when the
offline ProN-
est software programmer is not available.
Hardware upgrades in Edge Con- nect include a large 19-in. touchscreen on Hypertherm’s full-featured unit, a quad-core processor, solid-state disk drive and EtherCat connectivity. On average, Edge Connect CNCs report- edly are more than 65 percent lighter and thinner, and use 70 percent less electricity than Hypertherm’s Edge Pro CNC line. Customers can choose from three Edge Connect offerings, including a mini-CNC and a full-featured CNC.
Also included in the line is the com- pany’s SureCut technology that report- edly simplifies 2D and 3D cutting through the automatic inclusion of optimized process parameters in sup- port of a range of applications.
www.hypertherm.com
18 MetalForming/January 2016
www.metalformingmagazine.com