All You Need to Know About Laser Tube Cutting

If you want a sharp, precise in shape, and clear metal sheet, the most versatile solution is Laser Cutting. You can cut the sheet in a fraction of seconds. But when it comes to laser cutting, it's a whole different process. Let's see how it's done.

When it comes to laser tube cutting, Trumpf laser consumables are renowned products in the market. In laser cutting, there are no standard material towers. Using the most efficient material handling options, Bundle Loaders, they feed a single tube at a given time from the bundle in the laser. But such a mechanism does not work with open profiles such as angles or channels as they interlock and don't come off easily. So, use step loaders in case of open profiles which will put sections into the order one at a time into the machine. Also, make sure the orientation of that section is correct.

Because of its nature, there is no requirement for machines with high-powered lasers. A normal flat sheet laser cutting machine is available with laser generators as powerful as 12 kW. Whereas tube laser cutting machines usually require only 5kW of power. With the product, you have to be a little careful of the opposite side of the tube you are cutting.

Another thing to take care of is the weld seam. The seam where it's rolled and welded material.

Here are the two points which need a fabricator's immediate attention:

When the laser cutting process is going on, the position of the product's weld seam has to be into the account. The weld seam mustn't face the pins or holes. For aesthetic applications, such as furniture, you should hide weld seams as much as possible. When we consider a conventional laser cutting system, there is an optical sensor to scan the product to look for the weld seam. Most of the times rust or oil covers the tubing which makes it difficult to differentiate between weld seam and the other surfaces. With the stainless or galvanized tubes, the weld seam may only be visible internally. Due to this, some manufacturers had to include cameras in the system which allow the machines to scan the product externally as well as internally. This way, the machine can detect the obscured weld seam and correct the position of Amada parts accordingly.

The weld seam is of different compositions & cut differently than the rest of the tube. Back in the time, operators had to slow down all operations which took place on a tube to account for the weld seam. In the present time, some OEMs have developed the technology and parameters to allow the machine to single out a weld seam and adjust only those sections. This way, the machine would process the Amada parts in the fastest way.

The Finishing Details

It is important to note that there is no such thing as a perfect finish. The available weld seams can extend not only in the exterior part but also in the interior. Overall, it's a challenge to treat the tube consistently and swiftly when such inconsistencies exist from one production run to another. These products are tricky things. Imagine having a put a through-hole centered on a tube. It is important to make it centered according to the actual dimension. But if it's bowed, it would make things difficult. And that's how it goes for tube fabrication.

The decision makers or purchasing department doesn't understand the consequences of buying inexpensive parts. So, it's entirely possible that the quality of the tubing is different from the previous week. To manage this, the fabricator needs to learn how to manage the variety. Also, the decision makers must know the consequences which will encourage them to invest in quality parts like Amada parts, Trumpf laser consumables.

Source: http://www.tiny.cc/all-you-need-know-about-l

How to Find The Perfect Material For Your Laser Project

It is important to consider the material for your metal project. At the time of execution, there are various things to examine like weight, aesthetic, finish, exposure to the elements and even the usage. It doesn't matter what the purpose of the project is, whether you want to hang the product outside of your house or workplace or an art piece you want to shape and hang on the wall. It is important to make a wise choice in the selection of material as well as the laser parts. Like Trumpf Laser Consumables or Mitsubishi Laser Parts are the best among the available laser parts in the market.

But before choosing the laser parts, you will have to decide on the metal for your project.

To help you make an informed decision, here's a guide to common metals you can use in laser cutting projects:

Stainless Steel:

The idea behind the creation of this metal was to create metal with corrosion resistance. And after adding chromium, you as manufacture can create a metal which encompasses the best quality. It is non-corrodible, beautiful, and strong as a metal. Here are the major benefits of using steel in your laser project:

Benefits of Steel:

• Strong and big
• Great for outdoor use
• Washable and sanitizable
• Welds easily
• Cost Effective
• Perfect decorative, durable parts

Brass

Brass is a copper-zinc alloy which comes with many uses apart from being used in the loudest section of an orchestra. Because of its gold looks, its aesthetic qualities come in use of many things like jewelry and wall art. As an added benefit it's low friction point, makes it perfect for all the types of functional uses such as locks, door fixtures, and ammunition.

Benefits of Brass:

• Lightweight
• Malleable
• Great for Outdoor Use (with a protective top layer)
• Low Friction point
• No additional process needed

Aluminum:

One of the major benefits of this metal is that even if it's in the purest form, it is very light in weight, yet strong. Plus, it is easy as you can make any shape out of it without losing its strength. And it's reactive and forms a natural corrosion resistance when exposed outdoors.

When you use it for commercial use, it is important to mix it with a few other metals. There are various industries including aerospace which rely heavily on aluminum.

Benefits of Aluminum:

• Suitable for Prototypes
• Lightweight
• Perfect for outdoor use.
• Easily shaped, brushed

Copper:

It is easy to excavate this directly from the earth. And you can also use it in its purest form. Around 8000BC, it was the first metal used by humankind. This metal comes with various advantages. It is conductive, as a result of that, it is great for pieces like bus cars and other electrical parts. It is perfect for plumbing and pipe as it is non-corrosive.

Benefits of Copper:

• Great for outdoor use but it will patina after a while
• Suitable for electrical parts
• Malleable
• No additional process required

Carbon Steel

It's an alloy made of iron and carbon. Its ductile strength makes it a go-to metal when it comes to construction of buildings, bridges, and machinery. For Trumpf laser consumables you would have a couple of options to choose from. For example, hot or cold rolled steel.

Hot Rolled Steel

Elaborating that in detail, hot rolled steel is formed when you roll steel at very high temperature. It makes steel easier to form, which makes the product easy to work with. The finished steel would have a thin layer of magnetite known as "scale". It can be reduced with a pickling and oiling finish which would leave the surface of the steel nice and smooth.

Carbon Steel Benefits:

• Creates indestructible parts.
• Welds easily
• Easy to thread, machine, drill, etc.
• Suitable for cutting thick pieces.
• Looks great painted, powder coated, or clear coated

Mild Steel

The process of making Mild Steel is a bit complicated. They roll up the steel hot, then roll it up more after it cools down at room temperature. This process allows the metal to take shapes of a thinner sheet. In comparison with hot rolled steel, it does not require further processing for a smooth, finished surface.

Benefits:

• Strong (especially in 11ga thickness).
• Welds easily
• Simple to thread, machine, drill.
• Easily Etched and cut

What have you considered for your next laser project? Do let us know in the comment section below. If you are looking to replace or change your parts, consider Trumpf laser consumables, or Mitsubishi laser parts for the quality results.

Source - http://tiny.cc/4j1j8y

A Detailed Overview About Achieving Better Bend Accuracy on A Press Brake

Compensation of the Deflection in the table of the press break and the beam is an essential thing in press brakes which guarantees proper repeatable results when you implement the load on it. Without compensation of deflection, it's likely that a workpiece would have some form of deformation on its center when bent along the full length of the press brake. In order to keep the bend angle uniform over the full length of the press brake part, it needs a crowning system.

In this age of complex parts, quick turnaround, and short batches, crowning helps to maintain efficiency and repeatability. Let's see how in high-tonnage applications crowning helps to produce straight bends in high-tensile materials.

What is Crowning?

New age modern press brakes like Amada Press Brakes use a servo-hydraulic system in which a closed-loop system controls the position of the ram. At the corner of the beam, a position measuring system monitors the movement and accuracy of the beam. It does this by activating the left and right valves at the top of the position.

During the bending period, the servo-hydraulic system makes sure that the piston at the ends of the beam reaches the programmed position in the machine control and finally resulting in the correct bend angle. Because press brakes tend to deflect under load, especially in the center of the machine between the pistons. It is an angle in the center of the press brake. Without intervention, it would cause the bend angle to vary over the length of the press brake.

For the best results from crowning, it is advisable to use quality and modern press brakes. You can get them at cheaper rates as well by searching for "Amada Press Brake for Sale."

The Origin

In order to enhance the bending accuracy, it is important to have a crowning system which forms an opposite force to offset the deflection of the beam and the table. With the crowning system, you can ensure that the ram and table are parallel during bending.

Plus, crowning is not something new in the business. It has been in the market since the 1970s. Each day its demand is increasing with high-tensile-strength steels. Before its existence, manufacturers had to pregrind the curve into the press brake table to offset about 75% of the deflection. In the present scenario, systems are more advanced. Operators can enter the sheet thickness, die opening, and material tensile strength data into the machine using crowning systems. By using the press brake's hydraulic system and crowning together, it can provide an accurate bend angle with minimum operator intervention.

The Process

You can utilize Crowning with the press brakes of 80-ton in weight, 8 ft or larger in size. You can apply it to lower-tonnage press brakes as well. However, it depends on the length of the press brake table and its application. If the distance is longer between the uprights, the higher the machine deflection. Simultaneously, the higher the tonnage of the machine, the more the need for deflection compensation arises. To bend the thick and thin materials, a crowning system is the best option always.

There are two types of crowning available. Hydraulic and CNC mechanical wedge-style. You can purchase a CNC mechanical wedge-style crowning system as an add-on to a press brake through a manufacturer or tooling supplier. The CNC mechanical wedge-style crowning system can also be treated as one of the LVD press break parts. Hydraulic crowning is based in the machine. At the time of selecting between these two types, keep the cost comparison in mind but give more weightage to accuracy and efficiency.

You can apply the hydraulic crowning to the cylinders which adds pressure on them during the process to maintain the machine deflection. These systems do not apply the crowning process across the entire bed of the machine. Instead, the deflection amount for which the crowning system adjusts for is dependent on the cylinder location. Some of the hydraulic systems use only a central cylinder or a three-cylinder system. It provides crowning over 60 percent of the bed.

The hydraulic cylinders use the same line. As a result of it, no cylinder receives the full crowning force. All the hydraulic cylinders experience this force regardless of the numbers.

Critical for Accuracy

Crowning systems are more precise and capable these days. They can place more crowning in certain areas of the press brakes. As the manufacturing landscape changes, the crowning system has become a critical element to have in order to achieve accuracy and operations.

Learn how you can achieve the high tensile and accurate bending results with the help of the different type of crowning processes with the press brakes. The crowning process is more critical for the LVD press brake parts , tridem, quadem which combines various press brakes of similar or dissimilar tonnage in a synchronized configuration. They synchronize the cylinders to ensure that there is a constant straight- line movement in the machine.

Source: https://www.sooperarticles.com/business-articles/industrial-mechanical-articles/detailed-overview-about-achieving-better-bend-accuracy-press-brake-1723677.html

A Layman's Guide to Computer Cooling Fans

Cooling fans are important for any computer. If you are assembling a PC system with all the modern components, at least one cooling fan is necessary. When you surf online you would find a number of varieties & brands in cooling fans such as Fanuc cooling fans and more.

But as a beginner, it is important to cut through the marketing jargon and select the right product for your computer. This guide would explain all such things in detail to help you choose the right cooling fans for your computer system.

Consider Size & Placement

One of the first concerns is their size. Because it depends on the overall system size. Most modern systems use 80, 120, Or 140 mm fans. In some exceptional cases, CPU coolers use from 40 to 200mm. So, to choose the right cooling fan, look at the system size in the manual, online or otherwise, you can measure it from hole to hole.

On the basis of that, you can consider the place where you would want to mount the fan. Vertically mounted fans are common for intake and exhaust. However, many modern cases also allow horizontal mounting as well. It causes a direct effect on the type of bearing you use.

Bearing Type

Coming to the bearing, it's a small piece(s) of metal that stays between the stationary frame of the fan and the spinning part. So, if you ever wondered why there was a rattling sound coming from the system, it was probably bearing pieces. These bearings are very important as it is the mechanism on which cooling fans spin on.

Types of Bearings:

Sleeve Bearings are affordable but they might cause noise. Possibly they can prematurely wear out if mounted horizontally.

Rifle bearings: They are probably the cheapest fluid dynamic bearings. Fit for most case fans. Also, they are the cheapest solution for long-term horizontal mounts.

Ball bearings: They are expensive, heavy-duty fan bearings suitable for tough environments.

Maglev bearings: These bearing provide a balance of power, security, and minimized noise. Best for high-performance environments.

The Application

Most of the computer cooling fans are designed for either of the two purposes: Airflow or static pressure. Air fans evacuate as much air as possible from one place to another place. They have a grille or light mesh which allows the air to move freely and easily. And on the other hand, you have static pressure cooling fans which are used to push the air out through obstacles such as CPU heatsink. For example, Fanuc cooling fans push the air through obstacles. Fanuc is among top brands for cooling fans and you can always search for Fanuc parts to get quality products.

In most of the PC builders, it is important to choose a fan with good quality focusing on long-term reliability.

Header Connection Types

Almost all the types of fans come in 3-pin or 4-pin varieties. That also means that the wire which connects the fan to the motherboard has either three prongs or four prongs as a connection point. The connectors on 3-pin models carry three types of signals: Power, ground, and a speed sensor. They speed up or slow down with the variation of DC current on the power pin. As a result of it, 3-pins fans often run at full speed or might be achieving low speeds because of undervolting. The fourth pin on 4-pin connectors allows Pulse Width Modulation(PWM). It adds another electronic signal that controls the fan speed. It is important to note that 3-pin fans would work in 4-pin motherland headers but it won't have a PWM feature.

Pro tip: Buy 12V fan for a desktop PC. Generally, 5V fans are for routers and other small computing devices.

RGB and Fan Controllers

RGB. They are a hot favorite of most people. Most of these RGB fans come with two plugs, one for power and another for RGB addressing. You can easily plug them both into relevant places on your motherboard. Controllers can simplify the process by the daisy chaining of multiple RGB fans. There are plenty of fans with non-controllable color lighting and PWM versions are easy to control by any of the basic internal fan controllers.

If all these details are overwhelming for you, or you just want to find an adequately cool PC with minimal hurdles it is important to focus on reputable brand names. Fanuc selling Fanuc parts and Fanuc cooling fans, Corsair, CryoRid, Fractal, etc. are among top brands. Also, don't forget to check the review score.

Source - https://www.sooperarticles.com/technology-articles/hardware-articles/laymans-guide-computer-cooling-fans-1723751.html

Quick Tips to Maintain Shear Blades

Shear blades are one of the most important tools when it comes to the metal fabrication industry. Shearing, also known as die cutting is a process of cutting metal. The most common materials cut using shearing are in the form of a sheet or metal plates.

The process in which the cutting blades are straight is shearing and if there are curved blades then the process is known as shearing-type operations. There are four types of operations include blanking, piercing, roll slitting, and trimming. To improve the uptime of shear blades & to reduce the maintenance costs, it is important to keep those blades in shape.

Here are some tips to maintain your shear blade in top shape:

Understand the Root Cause

First of all, it is important for any fabricator to understand the functions, designs, and operation of each machine in the plant. One of the major causes of shear failure is the overloading on shear blades beyond its parameters. When you attempt to cut the metal beyond the recommended limits, it could possibly damage your machines as well as shear blades.

In order to maintain the shear blades, it is important to perform standard maintenance every day. Plus, using quality products is also a must. Amada shear blades are among the top market leaders known for its quality and low maintenance cost.

Inspections on Regular Intervals

Make sure to perform scheduled downtime maintenance in order to ensure the smooth operations of the machine. It is important to test all the functions used in day-to-day activities. Examine all the bearing for the emergency and safety functions of the machine as it is an important aspect.

Once done with the examination, documentation is important as well. With the help of it, you can reveal potential issues beforehand so that an immediate repair can take place by an expert. These documents will help in analyzing and prepare preventive measures in case of future emergency problems.

Set the Blade Properly

Before starting the process make sure that you fit the blade properly in the machine. When you set the shear blade properly it helps to extend the blade's life and machine efficiency. Therefore, make sure to set the proper clearance for the finer cut quality.

Additionally, it is important to clean the blades. If the clearance is high, metal would jam between the blade and machine. Hence, if the blade has no clearance, it would work smoothly. But if you set the clearance too loose, it might cause premature failure of the system.

Have a Basic Maintenance Plan

1. As per your machine requirements, you can set a basic maintenance plan to ensure the smooth working of your blade.
   
2. Make sure that the air system is working properly for cleaner air. It is important to maintain the regulators to help the pneumatic mechanism for proper functioning.
   
3. Remember to check the lubrication before starting any operations. It is a must to keep the lubrication system clean and filtered.
   
4. Whenever you wish to replace the parts, try searching "Amada Machine replacement parts", as they are the best in the market, in the search engine and you would find a number of them.
   
5. Check machine clutch and brakes for thickness, lining, clearances, and signs of failure. In any case, they've worn out, replace them immediately to avoid costly repairs.
   
6. Keep in mind that air leaks or failure of the counterbalance cylinder need your immediate attention. They ensure the proper operations of shear and its tooling.

If at any stage you feel that the shear blades need immediate assistance, you would find a number of Amada Machine replacement parts or Amada shear blades online for the same. Other than that, it is advisable to contact the experts quickly if you find something unusual in shear blades or any machine in general.

Source:- https://www.sooperarticles.com/business-articles/industrial-mechanical-articles/quick-tips-maintain-shear-blades-1723775.html

The Best Examples of Laser Cutting in Electronics Projects

Laser cutting is relatively cheaper than 3D printing and injection molding and for engineering projects, it is best to go with the cheaper option. In the field of electronics & engineering, you often require precise cuts to ensure the proper functioning of the prototypes or products. And Laser cutting is known for delivering such accurate results that too at cheaper rates. Moreover, you can also achieve a level of consistency if you are making the cut many times.

And just writing it won't give you a proper idea.

Let's see some of the electronics projects executed using a laser cutter and why did the inventors use laser cutting:

Nixie Clocks

RobG, a leading market leader adopted the laser technology to cut the clear acrylic to mount the nixie components and let all of that electronic design come together. For this use case, the design was easy to achieve with laser cut parts. There are only two simple pieces, a back and a front. No sides. Basically, this is a tabletop clock. Therefore, it does not need much coverage as regular electronics. This leads to fast cutting time which eventually is an important consideration while creating a product to sell.

Nightlights

Jakob Griffith created a set of simple plugin nightlights. He created everything, from the printed circuit design to the artwork attached in the acrylic, and the final assembly. He started the project keeping the laser cutting tech in mind rather the other way around. With the help of laser cutting, he was able to do all the detailed art-work in a few hours which might've taken days with 3D printing and other alternatives.

WITCH-E Emulator

Harwell WITCH is a renowned instrument to teach computing and a milestone in computing history. The WITCH-E project started by Dave Anders studies the engineering characters of the Harwell WITCH and try to extract its educational value. The team has a common motto to accumulate informative materials in a form of videos, writing, and tools such as WITCH-E replica and emulator.

So, when Dave was working on a prototype he used laser cutting in order to make numerous iterations of custom designs in an inexpensive way. It was important to have the proper layout as electronics were to be mounted on it.

Pro Tip: You can also start your very own small project in your basement or garage and for the success make sure you are using quality parts e.g. Mazak Parts, Prima Parts, etc.

Music Devices

Nathan Walker thought of building devices that makes it easy to perform and record music in a better way. After facing hurdles in the initial stage, he started looking for the available options. When he didn't find an appropriate option, he came with a solution. Which was a headless Linux box with a DAW which starts working as soon as you turn it on. You can plug in any type of keyboard with USB or traditional MIDI output. This way, you can instantly access great synths and piano sounds. In this, there are faders and knobs to control anything in DAW. Therefore, it is a kind of dynamic change. While installing the faders, knobs, and buttons, Nathan wanted a lot of fine details. He wanted them to fit perfectly through the holes. To make it possible, he chose the laser cutting rather than an injection mold.

Fri3D Biped Robot

This biped robot is one of the main projects at Fri3D camp located in Belgium. Based on Otto bipedal design, its face is the animal shaped badge given to attendees that perform double duty as the brains for the build. The version is laser cut out of MDF but imagine this cute badge in different acrylic colors.

MeArm Robotic Arm

The MeArm Robots Arm is considered as the world's most accessible learning tool when it comes to engineering with the smallest and coolest robot arm. This robot arm comes as a kit and its parts are given proper shapes using laser cutting. With the help of a screwdriver, you easily gather its scattered parts and build yourself a robotic arm. A great source of information for anyone new in the world of programming, electronics, robotics, and engineering.

You can also embark your engineering journey with a project using laser cutting technology and the ideas mentioned above. It's a cost-effective solution with cutting-edge results. You can try searching Mazak parts, Prima parts to find suitable components for your engineering project!

Source:- https://www.sooperarticles.com/business-articles/industrial-mechanical-articles/best-examples-laser-cutting-electronics-projects-1723750.html

How to Achieve Burr Free Laser-Cutting

If you work at the laser cutting shop, you would notice that operators often offload the metal sheet of cut parts. After that, they would pick up the cut pieces from the nest for clean edges to make the sheets ready for the next operation.

Mostly right? But sometimes, you would notice that burrs on the surface still remains. It may vary from minor to major in size but with some precautions, you can reduce it. In order to discover the perfect setting, it is important for operators to know about the process in which a laser cutting beam, support gas, and workpiece get in contact to create perfect cut edges in the product.

Achieving a burr-free laser cutting is no longer a magic. It’s a strategy that revolves around the proper operation of laser parts which you need to understand thoroughly to resolve it. Let’s see how. 

Which Parameters to Check?

In general cases, the modern machine controls the laser beam elements. Like the beam profile and beam power. The beam focus consists of a particular grade, thickness based on optical focus.

To match the true focus position on the workpiece, automated technicians usually check a number of parameters including beam alignment, delivery system, centering the nozzle, focus position, etc.

If the operator observes a burr at the bottom of the cut part of the stainless-steel sheet, then firstly the operator needs to slow down the cutting speed of the laser beam. You can justify the reaction because in his perception, cutting speed is too high and the problem might have arisen from that. 

Once the operator has slowed down the cutting speed and the gas pressure, he would find a bigger burr. Therefore, the creation of burr depends on how the beam, material, and gas interact. And once you understand their interaction, you would understand the creation of burr.

The Burr Formation Process

While you work with the laser machine, there’s an intense amount of energy emerging out of the laser beam. That brings the metal’s temperature above its melting point. Hence, metal exceeds the melting temperature, during this, a strong force of gas removes the metal from the kerf. When you use nitrogen, the cutting procedure totally depends on the beam’s energy to melt the metal. But when you use oxygen gas to cut the carbon steel, it seems that hot metal interacts with oxygen that creates an exothermic reaction with added heat.

In such cases, they form the burrs due to the molten metal which solidifies before removing. That solid material would remain tougher at the bottom of the kerf, eventually forming a burr.

But what hardens the metal before you remove it?

Gas Kinetics

The operator should ideally alter efficiency, quality, and cost when nitrogen gas is concerned. Nitrogen can reach up to 50% of the variable costs. Therefore, it is important to control the consumption of such gas in laser cutting. Consider using Trumpf laser parts in order to maintain quality outputs. Make sure to select the smallest Trumpf laser nozzles to attain the desired quality of performance.

It is important to note that when it comes to supporting gas flow, nozzle size and diameter would make a big difference. When deciding, go for the smallest Trumpf laser nozzle size as they will get you a good quality of laser cutting without any burrs. Eventually, you can increase your flow rate with good molten metal separation without going high on pressure.

Slow is never better

The logic of “lower and smaller” diameter of nozzle and gas pressure is not applicable to the cutting speed. Hence, while you slow down the cutting speed, you would end up welcoming more heat than required in the kerf. Along with this the temperatures also rises and cause vaporization which disturbs the gas flow. As a result of it, this disturbance creates more burrs which make the quality even worst. You need Trumpf laser nozzles to ensure the proper interaction of cutting beam and gas which is the best way to avoid burrs.

Additionally, the operator can also save the material from burrs by increasing the cutting speed precisely. This increase in speed would minimize the heat and the ablation while restoring the gas flow dynamics to its appropriate state.

Carbon Steel Cutting by Assist Oxygen Gas

While shifting to oxygen cutting for carbon steel, the exothermic reaction needs to be at an accurate level because here, the oxygen purity level will play a crucial role. It is common that oxygen-cutting carbon steel benefits from a higher level of oxygen gas purity. We can increase the cutting speed by 30 to 40 percent if we work with 99.95 percent of oxygen global purity.

Concluding

Burr-free laser cutting is all about ensuring that the beam parameters and gas dynamics work in synchronization. Moreover, you also need to ensure that you are using superior quality laser parts like Trumpf laser parts for the best and burr-free laser cutting.

A detailed guide to eliminate the creation of burrs in laser cutting and achieve a stable process to produce smooth cutting edge results.