Laser-punching machine optimises use of raw materials, production time and workshop space
The EU-funded Efficoil project helped to address a problem raised by the market: obtaining metal parts through complex processes with a simple, economical and space-saving system. A system is needed that eliminates demanding set-up and laborious operations for loading and unloading work parts on several machines.
Two production technologies, one machine
To meet this need, Efficoil designed a system that is coil-fed and joins the two main technologies for producing metal parts in a single machine, namely punching/forming with mechanical tools and optic fibre laser cutting. “The system is compact, takes up little space, and is cost-efficient and easy to use,” says Fabrizio Mologni, CEO of project coordinator Produtech. “It can produce metal parts of any type, from the simplest to the most complex, without subsequent restarts.” Project partners designed and manufactured a line for metal sheet forming. It’s equipped with two compact and independent working heads (electric punching and optic fibre laser cutting units) that run aligned thanks to an innovative electronic system. The units are perfectly synchronised and run on the same work area. The machine is unique because it cuts and forms coil sheets within a single line. The Efficoil team successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the interaction between the two production technologies installed in the solution. “This already enhances all the benefits derived from making complex processes to obtain final parts, without tooling different machines and moving the parts on several working stations,” explains Mologni. “We also confirmed a remarkable advantage – coil sheet feeding avoids any previous work for cutting sheets and obtaining single sheets, which are normally used for production with traditional machines.”
Producing metal parts in a novel way
During the sheet cutting and forming processes with mechanical tools, the line leverages an electrically fed mechatronic device that modulates the tools’ working speed. This results in less sound emissions, noise pollution and tool wear. Sheet cutting is made through a laser source with an optic fibre, leading to less energy consumption, lower environmental impact by avoiding CO2 emissions, better cutting quality and fewer requests for maintenance interventions. The coil-fed, combined laser-punching machine promises huge raw material savings. Coils are extremely long, so they allow the cutting of several parts by arranging them with nesting programmes, thus avoiding scraps on the coil end and beginning. Coils require less space on the production area, since the space occupied by one coil is far less than the space needed by the same sheet quantity in the case of metal sheets on a pallet. “Users can produce parts – even complex ones – with automatic work cycles that don’t need operators’ constant supervision,” adds Mologni. “Also, higher production flexibility means working even with just-in-time mode, which is requested more and more by sheet parts producers.” The design and production of the first punch laser technology prototype offers high efficiency rates with reduced environmental and economic impact. “Thanks to Efficoil, we’re ready for the market launch of a new machine for metal coil working that combines the flexibility of coil metal punching – a process already patented by our company Produtech – with the precision and speed of coil fibre laser cutting first brought to market by us,” concludes Mologni.
Keywords
Efficoil, coil, cutting, production, punching, fibre laser cutting, metal parts, laser-punching machine, metal forming, sheet cutting