PRODUCT REVIEWS
Lasertube LT12 for rapid processing
BLM Group ’ s Lasertube LT12 is a new laser cutting system , designed to meet the challenging needs of companies in the tube and profile processing industry . The new Lasertube , presented in the second half of 2023 at the Innova Open House , offers versatility and high performance . LT12 was also showcased at the Tube trade show in Düsseldorf , Germany , supported by an innovative application of artificial intelligence which intrigued booth visitors .
“ The goal of this new system is to fill a gap in our Lasertube system offering , which is manifested between two products : the LT8.20 , which focuses on flexibility and performance , and the LT14 , which is dedicated to processing long and heavy profiles . LT12 is the solution for processing tubes , profiles and beams , keeping the focus on versatility and productivity . Many times , customers have asked us for a product larger than LT8.20 , but the jump to LT14 was too great both in terms of footprint size and performance across the lower range . LT12 was created precisely to give many customers the opportunity to process ‘ light ’ tubes with great performance , but also to be able to process larger tubes when needed ,” explained product manager , Gianbattista Mazzoleni .
An interesting sector for the Lasertube L12 is agricultural machinery .
“ This is a vibrant and dynamic world , but one in which laser tube cutting technology has not yet shown its full potential as it has in other sectors . We see great opportunities since square tubes ,
The cutting head . rectangles and even open profiles ( including ‘ C ’, ‘ L ’ and ‘ H ’ profiles whose size easily comes to around 300mm diameter ) [ fit ] the size range of the LT12 . There are also many structural assemblies in this sector that would benefit significantly in terms of reduced manufacturing cost from the use of a Lasertube system . Of course , this new product is also very interesting in light construction architecture , for making canopies or small sheds , with tubes or beams of up to 6-8mm thick and lengths typically longer than the traditional 6m ,” added BLM Group .
The machine concept is similar to the LT8.20 with a mandrel in the tail and a chuck to support the tube in the cutting zone . LT12 integrates the interpenetrating mandrel in the chuck , so that minimal scrap is guaranteed without the need for chuck or mandrel movement . Particularly on large tubes , this results in time savings in the scrap reduction stage and is consistent with the desire to have a larger machine but with strong processing time performance . LT12 is equipped with a chain-loading system for tubes from 8.5m up to 12.5m ( fully automatic unloading is possible for lengths of up to 12.5m ).
A special inverted smart template has been added that operates from above to hold the tube in place , reducing wear and tear on the support itself . There are also Active functions that characterise Lasertube systems and , in particular , the Active Scan , which quickly allows the correct position and size of the tube being cut to be verified .
The focusing head is another special feature consisting of a Tube Cutter with a longer focal length that allows it to process higher thicknesses than the LT8.20 ( the machine can process tubes of up to 62kg / m in weight ) and is able to tilt up to 50 ° from vertical , a full 5 ° more than the LT8.20 and LT14 . Active Piercing and Active Focus are also available .
“ The machine offers excellent accessibility and a relatively small footprint compared to the LT14 . It is equipped with four cameras , which are necessary to see the cutting area that is inaccessible due to the fibre source , allowing complete visibility of the entire workpiece being processed ,” added the company .
LT12 is equipped with a mechanical machining unit capable of making threaded holes from M4 to M12 . A 16-tool magazine with tool integrity control allows these machining operations to be fully automatic , programmed directly in the CAD / CAM design phase with ArTube . n
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The Lasertube LT12 .
ISMR July / August 2024 | ismr . net | 65