Fiber laser beveling is growing in China. But do we know why? In the preparation of structural parts in shipbuilding, construction machinery, oil pipelines and other manufacturing, beveling of thick steel plates has always been an essential process before welding.
The purpose of beveling the parts to be welded is to obtain a completely welded weld in the thickness of the weld. Therefore, the quality, precision and efficiency of the bevel are a key factor in the quality and cost of the product.
Compared to ordinary vertical cutting applications, the difficulty of bevel cutting applications increases geometrically. The CNC system uses the angle of rotation and oscillation to compensate for the displacement. Thus, it is possible to adjust the axes in real time. At the same time, the capacitive height adjustment monitors the position of the steel plate. It thus feeds back the height position signal to make the cutting head complete the bevel cut at a constant cutting height. The cutting parameters must be set according to the type of bevel and the angle of the bevel. In turn, the piercing and cutting parameters must take into account the difference in thickness caused by the angle of oscillation.
Smart Prima is a smart automation manufacturer, and one of the leading high power laser machine manufacturers in China. It manufactures laser cutting machines (2D, pipe, 3D, beveling, etc.), laser welding machines, 3D laser printers, laser processing robots and automated production lines. Its machines are used in aerospace, military, oil, automotive, marine, railway and other industries.
Smart Prima, a Chinese manufacturer of laser cutting solutions, has just launched a new model of fiber laser bevel cutting machine. The machine is equipped with the Fagor Automation 8070 Laser CNC, which interpolates 5 axes (3 main axes plus a dual continuous axis head) and has a 10 kW fiber laser generator.
This model is available with the new hardware platform Q7-A. The Q7 platform is a new CPU design that unifies the size of all models, doubles the CPU cores, and does not require a fan or battery. This platform has a uniform compact design regardless of the different number of processing core options or model. These new CPUs also support the EtherCAT bus for remote IOs, and will soon support EtherCAT drives.
The LASER version of the Fagor Automation CNC is also distinguished by a series of specific functions designed to further increase processing efficiency. One example is the head distance control (GAP) function. Thanks to this function ensures a specific set distance maintained between the laser nozzle and the sheet surface (GAP), regardless of any variation of the thickness of the sheet. This feature is available both for flat laser cutting (2D) and for 4/5 axis machines (3D and tube cutting).
Thanks to its own R&D, Smart Prima has achieved a piercing technology which, together with the 10 kw fibre laser power, can achieve the rapid drilling of a 20 mm carbon steel plate in 1 second, with a piercing diameter significantly smaller than that of standard pulsed piercings. Furthermore, it allows you to enter the cutting process immediately after the piercing process, which saves 50% to 80% of the drilling time. At the same time, it significantly compresses the cutting length of the inlet line and achieves an excellent cutting quality with clean, splash-free small holes.
For technical reasons, the fibre laser bevelling cut still needs to generate unnecessary movements during the piercing process, as well as in the corners and during positioning. Smart Prima is working on minimizing these unnecessary movements to increase production efficiency.
With the advancement of major projects such as railway construction, highway construction, water conservation construction, hydroelectric power construction, power, mining construction and general construction in China, the use of laser beveling machines is on the rise in China.