Page 30 - MetalForming April 2016

Programming for
Programming for
3D Laser Cutting
3D Laser Cutting
Complex 3D cutting directs the laser beam over angled surfaces and requires countless directional changes. The process requires a five- or six-axis motion system, and with each additional axis comes increased programming complexity.
Processing 3D parts, as compared to 2D parts, becomes more complex. Thankfully, by following a simple process programmers can make a fluid transition from 2D to 3D programming. A key task: Identifying and avoiding possible collisions.
BY CHRIS BAUR
The laser is a fascinating tool that has been used in manufacturing for decades. Whether the application is cutting, welding, marking or metal deposition, all laser processing requires delivery of the beam to the part. Depend- ing on the part and application, there are various ways to achieve this. For laser cutting, the shape of the part impacts how the beam is delivered. The part might be a simple 2D shape with all of its features in a single plane, or it might be a complex 3D form with angled surfaces and directional changes to its surfaces.
While the laser-cutting process differs little during 2D or
Chris Baur is a laser applications engineer at the Trumpf Inc. Laser Technology Center in Plymouth, MI; 734/454-7200, www.us.trumpf.com.
3D cutting, the motion systems used to deliver the beam dif- fer considerably. When cutting simple 2D shapes in flat sheetmetal using a 2D cutting machine, a two-, 2.5- or three- axis motion system gets the call. When laser cutting 3D parts, the motion system must include an additional two or three axes—a five-axis gantry-style machine or a six-axis robot gain favor.
While each additional axis comes with increased pro- gramming complexity, state-of-the-art laser-cutting machines feature advanced control systems and software that allow for more user-friendly programming than with previous generations of machines. To take advantage of these tools, programmers simply need a moderate under- standing of the programming considerations for multiaxis laser cutting. That education begins with a comparison of
28 MetalForming/April 2016
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