PRODUCT REVIEWS
The EdgeBreaker ® 6000 has an intuitive user interface for quick and easy operation . The core element of the EdgeBreaker ® 6000 is the rotary brushes for edge rounding .
The right finish
Numerous laser job shops primarily rely on lasers for sheet metal processing . However , burrs are inevitably created during the laser cutting process and , if a customer orders burr-free parts , a deburring machine is indispensable . The machine must be able to keep up with the laser in terms of flexibility and handle an equally large variety of parts . For these ever-changing requirements , ARKU Maschinenbau GmbH presented the new EdgeBreaker ® 6000 deburring machine at the Blechexpo exhibition in Stuttgart .
“ In addition to laser-cut parts , the deburring machine is also capable of processing punched parts , regardless of whether they are small or large . If required , the EdgeBreaker ® 6000 can handle material thicknesses far beyond the thin sheet range . The machine also covers all processing requirements : deburring , edge rounding and surface finishing , from individual parts to large quantities – the passage width of 1300mm turns processing dreams into reality ,” it told ISMR .
The core element of the EdgeBreaker ® 6000 is the rotary brushes for edge rounding . The brushes make contact with the material from various directions . Parts therefore receive very uniform results on their inner and outer contours . If necessary , a 2mm radius is possible .
“ In addition to the rotary brushes are a grinding belt and a finishing unit . These three units make the EdgeBreaker ® 6000 the most universal deburring machine in the EdgeBreaker ® line-up . This enables an attractive surface finish for parts , as is often required for high-quality stainless steel sheet for example ,” ARKU explained .
A quick-change system for the consumables adds flexibility and reduces set-up times , which is particularly
important for small batch sizes . ARKU also placed great emphasis on easy cleaning and maintenance when developing the EdgeBreaker ® 6000 .
Unlike double-sided deburring machines , the EdgeBreaker ® 6000 has a vacuum table as support for the parts . This enables the machine to securely fix even small parts onto the conveyor to process them with repeatable accuracy .
The ARKU FlatMaster ® 55 precision leveller .
The automatic calibration of consumables also contributes to the accuracy of the deburring machine ; these consumables inevitably wear out over time . The EdgeBreaker ® 6000 can detect this wear and compensate for it automatically .
“ Like all our other deburring machines , the EdgeBreaker ® 6000 has an intuitive user interface . It supports the operator in setting the machine based on part parameters and required results and provides appropriate settings . Tips for operation or maintenance can also be accessed by the operator . This supports efficient work without errors ,” concluded ARKU .
At Blechexpo 2021 , ARKU demonstrates how the right tools can be used to process sheet metal parts faster , saving costs .
“ When processing sheet metal edges , the results are often a compromise between part throughput and material
removal . For example , if you increase the speed at which the parts pass through the machine when rounding , the edge radius decreases . By contrast , you have to decrease the processing speed if you want to increase the edge radius . In other words , sometimes more and sometimes fewer parts run through the machine in the same time period . With the new tools , we have succeeded in doubling the processing speed while retaining identical rounding results . This leads to process cost savings of up to 30 per cent ,” it told ISMR .
ARKU has also further enhanced the interaction between tools and the machine . The ARKU Wizard on the new machine now handles this process using intelligent software in the machine . This takes place by factoring in the part , tool and processing adjustments . To ensure that this works even as the wear on the tools increases , the EdgeBreaker ® 6000 features automatic wear measurement . The control interface takes the wear of the tools into account and compensates for it to spare the operator the task of re-measuring and adjusting manually .
ARKU also presented its FlatMaster ® 55 precision leveller on its booth at Blechexpo in Stuttgart . This is designed to ensure flat and ‘ virtually tension-free ’ workpieces .
With its headquarters in Baden-Baden , Germany , and ISO-certified facilities in Cincinnati ( USA ) and Kunshan ( China ), the company operates in nearly 30 countries worldwide . Its product range comprises precision levellers , deburring and edge rounding machines for parts ; automated parts handling via robots ; in-line levellers ; cut-to-length lines ; press feeding lines and coil entry lines for roll formers . n
62 | sheetmetalplus . com | ISMR November 2021