Implementing a fiber laser brings significant speed advantages to fabrication shops where cutting material is the first step of several in producing a finished part. Whether that pace carries through the final product depends on what happens next.
Evan Washington, senior applications specialist and global product manager at Flow International, is familiar with the shift that occurs in shops that add laser cutting to their workflow. Once the laser begins cutting, the next process can become a constraint: blanks need to be unloaded, sorted and transferred. Often, bending is the next step, but this process also requires planning because the right tooling, accurate programming and operator know-how can either preserve or erase the efficiencies gained with laser cutting.
“The goal isn’t just to cut a part faster,” Washington says. “It’s to get a finished part through the entire process faster. If we double cutting output but create a pile of parts waiting at the press brake, we haven’t really solved the customer’s production problem.”
Building on the company’s 50-plus years of waterjet technology production experience, Flow has expanded its range of fabrication solutions to assist customers in evaluating their unique workflows, recommending downstream technologies, installing equipment and providing ongoing support. While Flow’s new laser and press brake are the focus of this article, Washington notes that there are plenty of applications where a waterjet is the go-to cutting solution.
“Laser, waterjet and bending all have a place in the fabrication process,” Washington says. “Laser is extremely productive on many sheet metal applications, while waterjets provide you with capabilities in thicker materials, nonmetals and applications where you don’t want to introduce heat into the material. Our goal is to look at the parts the customer is producing and help build the right process around them.”
For fabricators seeking speed and precision and without heat-affected zone concerns, Flow has two new machines, the LZR fiber laser and HyperBend press brake, which can work in tandem to ease bottlenecks.
“When cutting flat parts,” Washington says, “a lot of times, the next step is to bend that part. We have a substantial option list for press brakes, so we’re able to really create a customizable solution for our customers.”
Laser fast
Washington emphasizes the importance of solid construction in laser cutting. To that end, Flow introduced the LZR (models 3015 and 4020), which includes a dual-drive gantry and AC servo motors. This design improves stability and limits vibration during high-speed movement, which helps maintain cut quality. A capacity sensor detects small variations in the material plane, helping ensure precision cuts.
Not every shop has the same power needs, so the machine is available in 6 kW, 12 kW and 20 kW. Workpieces differ, too, which is why the company offers the 3015 with a 120-in.-by-60-in. work envelope configuration and the 4020 is built for larger workpieces with a 159-in.-by-79 in. work envelope. The LZR uses a Precitec auto-focus cutting head that can automatically adjust the focal position for piercing and cutting based on the programmed parameters.
A dual shuttle table comes standard with the LZR, which means while one sheet is being cut, another can be loaded. An optional tower system brings a material handling benefit to shops handling higher volumes of material and it also allows them to stack different material types and thicknesses into the tower for improved organization. Another option is an automatic nozzle changer that automatically swaps nozzles to match the material being processed, minimizing setup time between jobs.
Washington reiterates that shops vary widely in their production needs. One might cut a single part from one material and only need Flow to dial-in that specific process before installation, while another might process a wide range of materials and rely on Flow’s expertise to establish baseline cutting parameters before fine-tuning additional material as new jobs arrive.
“One of the nice things with our system is the customer can add automation down the road,” Washington says. “They’re able to get started with the laser and then build up to a point where maybe they add automation – they can grow into that. I think that’s pretty attractive to customers.”
Breaking the mold
Around the same time the LZR system launched, the HyperBend technology was also released. The hybrid hydraulic servo press brake system has active hydraulic crowning as a standard feature, using a built-in material library to calculate the correct crowning for a given material type and thickness. The control calculates the required crowning based on the programmed material and bend parameters, and the hydraulic crowning system applies the compensation dynamically during the bending process rather than relying on manual adjustment of the crowning system.
“We have a full library built in,” Washington says. “When you put in your material type and thickness, the system knows how much crowning to add to the table for you.”
One of the perks of working with Flow is that its technicians will evaluate the parts a customer wants to bend as they come off the laser line, recommend the appropriate tonnage and work with tooling partners to establish the right tooling package.
Washington notes that dynamic or active hydraulic crowning is something often seen positioned as an upgrade or on top-tier machines. Flow includes it as a standard feature. But another feature of the HyperBend system is something it lacks – noise.
“It’s very energy-efficient and very quiet,” Washington says. “That’s one of the things we hear most at trade shows or when customers come to our technology center – they can’t believe how quiet our press brake is. The quieter the environment, the better.”
Ease of use is a requirement in most shops today, and that philosophy extends from the LZR to the HyperBend, which includes a 6-axis CNC platform and touchscreen control that offers 2-D and 3-D visualization and real-time bending calculations.
Meeting the different needs of one shop to another requires some flexibility, which is accounted for in HyperBend’s configurations. This includes different backgauges and bending supports, as well as synchronized multiple-brake arrangements and high-tonnage equipment. This allows the system to be configured around applications.
“We aren’t limited to one standard configuration,” Washington says. “We can look at the customer’s parts, tonnage requirements, flange geometry and handling needs and build the brake around the application. We do really high-tonnage press brakes, too, outside of what’s currently published in our HyperBend brochure.”
Tandem approach
LZR and HyperBend are capable machines on their own, but they also can work together as part of a streamlined fabrication workflow. Some of that integration is possible due to the software.
“Flow can help establish a connected software workflow between cutting and bending,” Washington says. “Part geometry can and should be used to develop the flat pattern and laser program, while AutoPOL provides 3-D press brake programming, bend sequencing, collision checking and backgauge positioning.”
Washington notes that visual programming helps press brake operators position the backgauge correctly while displaying the order of bends, reducing the likelihood of parts being formed incorrectly or in reverse.
“People tell us all the time, ‘we ran a whole batch of parts on another machine and when we got to the next process, they were bent backwards,’” Washington says. “We use AutoPOL as part of our software to ensure 3-D bending is accurate from laser to press brake.”
While Flow technicians try to account for all shops’ setup needs, the service and support component is still crucial.
“Having local support technicians that can drive to customers and get them up and running is, I think, most important,” Washington says. “Downtime costs money.”
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