Trumpf introduces smart laser system

This year’s Euroblech sees the German high technology company "Trumpf" present a major milestone on the road toward autonomous machines: Active Speed Control. With this new feature, the system looks straight through the nozzle right at the cutting zone, monitoring it in real-time and autonomously controlling the feed rate of solid-state laser machines. This new function ensures a more reliable process for both flame and fusion cutting, reducing scrap and saving on rework. Active Speed Control also responds immediately to any changes in the material being processed. The system allows users to achieve tangible gains in productivity with their machines, significantly lowering part manufacturing costs. Active Speed Control monitors numerous different process parameters. One example is the position of the laser beam in relation to the center of the nozzle during the entire cutting process. The system informs the operator of any deviations, helping to avoid scrap. Additional functions for automated laser cutting can easily be added to the system in the future thanks to the software update feature. "Trumpf" is well ahead of the curve when it comes to investing in digitally connected, autonomous factories, and this year’s Euroblech sees the high-tech company showcasing numerous other innovations for the smart factory in addition to Active Speed Control.

The kerf reveals all sorts of information about part quality and process stability. The easier it is for the molten material to escape from the kerf, the smoother the cutting process. Active Speed Control keeps a careful eye on this flow of molten material in mild and stainless steel plates that are four or more millimeters thick. The sensor system looks straight through the nozzle to observe the radiation that is emitted as the material melts. This “process radiation” allows the system to determine whether the molten material is emerging as planned, to identify the fastest possible feed rate, and to make any necessary adjustments – a process it repeats many hundreds of times a second. In this way, Active Speed Control maintains the optimum feed rate even in cases where the thickness of the material varies within a single sheet, or where the top of the sheet is contaminated with rust or paint. In conventional systems, these kinds of variations and changes in material would typically lead to slag formation or interruptions in the cutting process.

source and photo: Trumpf Gruppe