Oxy-plasma cutting head launch
PRODUCT REVIEWS
At this year ’ s EuroBLECH trade fair in Hanover , Polish manufacturer Eckert launched its Dual Flex 3D cutting head for plasma-oxygen cutting , with two exchangeable torches .
“ Do you need a tool allowing users to cut and bevel various types of metal , in a wide range of thicknesses , for welding preparation ? With Dual Flex 3D , you can cut and bevel material of up to 100mm thick using plasma or oxygen torches ( even for advanced contours ). Dual Flex 3D is a universal production tool ,” commented Eckert , a 30-year-old manufacturer which has installed over 1,800 CNC cutting machines in 36 countries .
“ Material utilisation ; energy consumption ; noise levels and pollution during welding preparation are reduced to a minimum , compared to manual work . Dual Flex 3D can also cut profiles and even tube ,” added Eckert .
For 3D plasma cutting , cutting head angle deflection of +/ -52 ° provides a powerful bevelling tool in three dimensions . The ability to machine at an angle of +/ -45 °, and the revolutionary oxygen cutting system , provides extra wide ranges of welding preparation for oxygen cutting . Dual Flex is available in two versions ; 2D and 3D with Kjellberg and Hypertherm plasma power sources . Assembly options are limited to Eckert ’ s Jantar , Sapphire , Chrome and Onyx oxygen-plasma cutting machines .
New sheet-metal processing app
Optimate GmbH presented its app of the same name , with a new design and extended functionalities , at the EuroBLECH exhibition in Germany ( 25-28 October 2022 ). The new version of the Optimate App was introduced to a broad professional audience in Hanover on the TRUMPF booth .
Optimate aims to play a key role in the digitalisation process relating to Industry 4.0 in the future . In addition to feasibility analysis , the digital features of the cloud-based Optimate app for sheet-metal processing also feature AI-based potential recognition – and optionally offer automated part optimisation with integrated redesign .
“ If all you need is the feasibility analysis to detect and eliminate design warnings , our basic package is entirely sufficient ,” said Optimate CEO , Jonas Steiling . Following the design warning analysis , the designer can improve the bending part to the extent that it can also be finished on the bending machines . The potential for the bent part is displayed and described to the user in the app . Potential recognition shows whether a part can be optimised
Optimate CEO , Jonas Steiling , with optimised metal parts .
and , if so , to what degree . The user can decide whether they want to exploit this potential . In the future , one click will take them to the app upgrade with integrated and automated part optimisation .
“ For highly optimisable sheet-metal parts with a potential cost saving of up to 40 per-
Optimate presented its new app for feasibility analysis and potential recognition on the TRUMPF booth at the EuroBLECH exhibition in Germany .
cent , it may be worth taking a closer look and thinking about an upgrade ,” explained Jonas Steiling .
“ Depending on the batch size , it may be possible to benefit from huge cost savings , for example by reducing material or even eliminating entire work steps ,” he added .
To make it easier for users to get started , the app can now be accessed via a direct upload . Whereas feasibility analysis and part optimisation could be selected separately in the previous app , they have now been merged .
The first step is to upload a part , which is then analysed in real-time . The result is a display of design warnings and optimisation potential .
Founded in mid-2020 as a start-up based in Stuttgart , Optimate GmbH originated from an internal innovation programme at TRUMPF . The founders have years of experience in sheet-metal processing and have incorporated this expertise into a digital solution for part optimisation . In addition to manufacturers and contract manufacturers , web stores and online marketplaces also use the cloud solution for analysing and optimising sheet-metal parts . n
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