TPT-January-2015

Technology News

SMF enjoys faster throughput with TruLaser Tube 7000

WHEN Leicester-based sheet metal fabrication shop SMF UK had the opportunity to replace its existing Tubematic tube laser cutting and profiling machine, the company had no hesitation in returning to Trumpf. Reliability, capability and support steered the company towards a new TruLaser Tube 7000, one of the first in the UK. According to SMF, the upgrade has brought many benefits, including three to four times faster loading and set-up. SMF is a ten man subcontract fabrication shop with a good spread of work that includes everything from electrical control cabinets and machine guards, through to architectural metalwork and parts for spacecraft. Formed in 1990 by current managing director Steve Morrison and his brother, the company had been running a Trumpf Tubematic successfully for many years. “The machine was still very capable, however, the advent of the RGF (Regional Growth Fund) and 100 per cent capital expenditure allowances made the jump to the latest technology more achievable,” explains Mr Morrison. “And we’re very glad we did, it is a wonderful machine.” Whereas operators previously struggled loading 7.5m lengths of tube using the Tubematic, the TruLaser Tube 7000 can accommodate 9m lengths with ease. Add the machine’s five-axis head and its ability to accommodate tube up to 250mm diameter rather than 150mm previously, and it is easy to see the positive impact made by the TruLaser Tube at this progressive manufacturing business. Mr Morrison said: “We’re mainly using the machine to produce point-of-sale products for the retail sector, from both round and square tube, largely from mild steel with 1.2 to 3mm wall thickness. However, we also process a reasonable amount of 6mm stainless steel for the architecture market. The machine cuts all of our work superbly, and gives very good yield.” Installed in January 2014, the machine – which is able to cut tube with wall thickness up to 8mm – was selected after SMF carried out a benchmarking exercise involving a

TruLaser Tube 7000

punching machine. Also offered are waterjet cutting, forming, welding and powder coating.

number of potential suppliers. “We looked at all of the alternatives, but concluded that there wasn’t a machine on the market that came anywhere near the Trumpf tube machine for capability,” said Mr Morrison. “The machine is much quicker for programming and loading than anything else we saw. Furthermore, we can have three or four jobs done on the TruLaser Tube 7000 in the time it took to load one job on our old Tubemaster. Also, whereas adjustments to the rollers and bridge supports were done manually on the Tubemaster, they are all now completed automatically.” Stepped rollers on the TruLaser Tube 7000 that provide both support and lateral guidance for the tubes adjust automatically to the diameter of the workpiece, while the self-centring clamping jaws also adapt automatically to the tube’s geometry. Furthermore, the FocusLine regulation mechanism keeps the laser’s focal position constant, adjusting it automatically to suit the type of material being processed and its thickness. The machine’s software activates the laser parameters as necessary, depending on which tube is being processed. Three people at SMF are trained to use the TruLaser Tube 7000, which according to Mr Morrison has been extremely reliable since it was installed. “When SMF started in 1990, the company had only a circular saw, a radial drill and a welding machine. Now, aside from its TruLaser Tube 7000, the company has a Trumpf TruLaser 5030 fibre laser profiling centre, a Trumpf TCL 3050 laser cutter with 6kW resonator, and a Trumpf TruMatic TC200R

Trumpf – UK Email: sales@uk.trumpf.com Website: www.uk.trumpf.com

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J anuary 2015