absorb different wavelengths, with better absorption from a 10.6-m beam at the low angle the laser strikes the cut front, according to Kugler.


Automation Keeps Up with High Mix and Low Volume Jason Hillenbrand, product manager for Amada America (Schaumburg, IL) notes that lasers have another fundamental advantage to offer—versatil- ity. “Lasers material processing is always adopted by addressing the most common problem in manufactur- ing—the high-mix/low-volume scenario that everyone deals with,” he explained. He is seeing the entire spectrum of manufacturing and fabrication adopting more laser material processing because of this. “Our customers need to address quick turnover in rush jobs, which is why programmable laser equipment is so important to them,” he said. “They cannot wait a week to get parts to potential customers, they will lose the business.” There is also the continuing push to reduce inven-


tory and work-in-progress, just as important to large OEMs as to small job shops. “OEMs also assemble parts into kits [for later assembly]. They need to put together an entire assembly that contains mixed materials and thicknesses.” A single laser system pro- grammed for all the parts of a kit, suitable for all of its materials, is ideal. What makes laser cutting ideal in these situations is that it requires no special tooling, just some new programming—as long as the material is suitable.


He also notes that as lasers are getting more rugged and cutting faster, the integrated, automatic systems they live in must improve as well. “It puts a major strain on automation because the new lasers, especially fi ber lasers, are so much faster. As a result, the downstream process has really been challenged,” he said. “We have increased speeds and new features on our material handling automation to address the faster process time of lasers.” For example, Amada is


Laser Application Specialists www.gtschmidt.com 800-323-1332


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