TPT November 2021

T E CHNOLOG Y

ESAB launches SquareCut technology to improve plasma cutting efficiency

unacceptable amount of grinding or milling for a flush fit. “SquareCut Technology lets you cut 12mm steel all the way up to 400 amps at 4,700mm/min, which is 75 per cent faster than usual, while maintaining an acceptable bevel angle,” added Mr Zlotnicki. “From thin to thick plate, SquareCut Technology enables users to cut at the maximum amperage of their system.” In applications where the squarest edge possible provides more value than faster cutting speeds, users can choose SquareCut Technology’s quality mode. Cutting speeds will be slower than in high-speed mode, but edge angle will be in the range of 0 to 1 degree. SquareCut Technology also further improves ESAB’s Enhanced Hole Technology by using the tilting capability of the DMX to improve hole cylindricity. A ‘bolt-ready’ hole can eliminate post- cut drilling or reaming. With SquareCut, some holes can be cut smaller than a 1:1 diameter-to-thickness ratio.

“SquareCut Technology increases productivity significantly,” said Steve Zlotnicki, global product manager, ESAB Cutting Systems. “Using the high- speed mode, an ESAB plasma system can cut faster than any competitive system. It’s the fastest, easiest and most intelligent way to increase plasma cutting profitability that we know of.” SquareCut Technology works with ESAB’s Columbus ® CAD/CAM software, Vision T5 CNC, the DMX 5-axis beveller and iSeries high-precision power source. It works at cutting outputs from 100 to 400 amps when cutting mild steel plate from 6 to 40mm thick. SquareCut integrates all bevel compensations into the CNC. The technology simplifies making square cuts and allows any fine tuning to be done quickly and easily at the machine. As an example, standard-precision technology cuts 12mm steel at maxi- mum of 200 amps and at speeds of about 2,690mm/min. Even if a user had a 400 amp system, trying to cut at higher outputs to improve travel speed would increase edge angle to 4 or 6 degrees, and the cut surface could then require an

ESAB has launched SquareCut Technology with the aim to improve the productivity of automated plasma cutting operations. The new technology tilts the torch to compensate for the 1- to 3-degree edge angle inherent in high-precision plasma cutting to provide three benefits: a high- speed mode which cuts up to two times faster without increasing bevel angle; a quality mode which creates a cut surface with a 0 to 1 degree bevel; and improved enhanced hole technology which cuts smaller holes with better cylindricity. The new technology tilts the torch to compensate for the edge angle inherent in high-precision plasma cutting

ESAB www.esab.com Cutting, bending and socketing of pipes

the pipes are brought to the bending station where they are blocked by the clamps (if they do not have to be socketed) or by socketing mandrel at one or both sides. The sockets that can be obtained are smooth or with gasket, that can be for sewer or pressure use. The socketing process is simul- taneous with the bending: the pipe pieces are folded between moulds and the angle and radius of the bends are obtained, while low pressure air is blown inside the pipes to maintain their shape. After cooling by water, the final product is ready, and it is ejected from the machine. Using the same process it is possible to produce special products, cross-over bends and double joints.

PVC PLASTIC pipelines often need to have small pipe bends to complete the installation. The long pipe bars extruded from the line, have to be cut into smaller pieces, and then bent and socketed. IPM has developed a fully automatic, offline, bending machine that also performs the cutting and then the socketing simultaneously with the bending process. An exclusive IPM product, the IPM bending machine CT63/4 can bend PVC pipes of diameter 16mm to 63mm, with length up of 150mm to 600mm and every production parameter can be set, such as the angle and the radius of the bends, that are obtained after heating of the pipe pieces with infrared ovens. The machine can follow a very high production, working up to 4 pipes/cycle, and it is compact and easy to use.

The bending unit CT63/4 works in the following way: PVC pipes are stocked in a feeding unit, that sorts the pipes and brings them to the cutting group, that with an electrical programmer can cut the pipes by millimetric precision, into shorter pipe pieces that have to be bent. The pipe pieces are heated in the infrared ovens, accordingly to the production’s settings. After the heating,

IPM www.ipm-italy.it

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NOVEMBER 2021