From automotive, aerospace and recreational vehicle components to office furniture, exercise equipment and HVAC materials, small to medium-size tube processing can be big business for metal fabricators. According to a recent press release from Bystronic Inc., 85 percent of the tube processing market is focused on the small-tube segment. Because the equipment often has a smaller footprint than large tube cutters and because the material itself is smaller, less floor space is required for tubing inventory and processing, making entry into this market more feasible.
In some cases, an investment in tube laser cutting equipment can eliminate other machines on the shop floor, too, further freeing up floor space. Examples of equipment that could be rendered obsolete include saws, drills and deburring machines.
So, for fabricators looking to expand or enhance their operations to accommodate small to medium-size laser tube cutting, the team at FAB Shop Magazine reached out to fiber laser equipment manufacturers to learn about the tube laser machines they currently offer in this size range.
The machines highlighted in this roundup can process a range of tube sizes – up to 8.66 in. OD. Typically, tubes considered small to medium size are those that measure up to 6 in. OD.
AMADA’s ENSIS 3015 RI
The ENSIS 3015 RI from AMADA America Inc. is equipped with a 3-kW fiber laser and an integrated rotary index that’s located on one of three shuttle pallets, making it extremely easy to switch from flat sheet cutting to tube or pipe cutting in as little as 2 min. The machine’s innovative design expands process range capabilities to cut a significantly wider variety of shaped materials.
AMADA’s ENSIS technology utilizes a variable beam control unit that automatically adjusts the laser beam’s properties to precisely cut a wide array of thin to thick materials without a lens change. Optimal beam control also enables the ENSIS RI to process thin materials up to four times faster than a CO2 laser.
Continuous high-speed and high-precision cutting – combined with the ability to process round, square, rectangle, C-channel and angle iron – make the ENSIS RI an incredibly versatile rotary index laser cutting system.
Maximum OD: Round up to 8.66 in., square up to 6 in., rectangular up to 3.54 in., C-channel up to 6 in. and angle iron up to 3.54 in.
Maximum raw material length: 20 ft.
Maximum material weight: 2,000 lbs.
Maximum tube weight: 441 lbs.
Fiber laser power: 3 kW
Footprint: 9.33 ft. by 32.75 ft.
Add-on options: Material handling systems from AMADA come in a diverse assortment of flexible, modular automation options.
BLM’s LT5.10
The LT5.10 tube laser from BLM Group is billed as having the best of technology while being the smallest member in the company’s tube laser cutting family. Examples of this technology include automatic focus, integrated laser parameter management and automatic weld seam detection, all of which deliver high-quality parts with no need for operator intervention.
Further cutting-edge technology, found in the company’s BLMelements software suite, allows fabricators to program, import, draw and modify single or composite pieces with ease. The software can also create detailed customer estimates, including accurate batch times and costs. And it provides the ability for remote planning and real-time monitoring of work in progress.
Piercing is automatically monitored and managed, which increases processing time while improving process reliability – especially helpful if the material has inconsistent quality or thickness. Smart nesting also comes standard, giving fabricators the best yield from each tube.
Operators also benefit from ergonomic material handling features. Loading of large batches is standard, and BLM’s grippers deliver adjustable clamping force to accommodate heavy and light tubes accordingly. Unloading and sorting is also simplified thanks to smart programming that transfers processed parts to front or rear unloading tables or a metal conveyor. Finally, an integrated vacuum device removes dust and cutting residue from the inside of the tube to eliminate secondary cleaning operations.
Maximum OD: Round, square and rectangular tubes up to 4.75 in.
Maximum raw material length: 21 ft. 3 in. or 27 ft. 10 in., depending on machine configuration
Maximum weight: 9 lbs. per ft.
Fiber laser power: Up to 2 kW
Footprint: 44 ft. 3 in. by 11 ft. 5 in.
Add-on options: Can be equipped with high-performance dry air or nitrogen generation systems.
Bystronic’s ByTube Star 130
Understanding the opportunities afforded to fabricators that adopt tube processing capabilities, Bystronic released the ByTube Star 130, a fiber laser cutting system that offers easy entry into the tube processing market. The new fiber laser is able to process a range of material types and thicknesses and do so quickly, efficiently and with the high level of precision customers have come to expect from the company’s equipment.
According to a Bystronic press release, 2-D cutting accounts for 90 percent of the market, so the ByTube Star 130’s 2-D cutting head was an important addition to further allow fabricators to process varying types of customer orders. Furthermore, the tube laser offers intelligent material handling, fully automatic setup, an additional linear axis and an intuitive user interface to ensure precise and rapid results.
In terms of the touchscreen interface, the tube laser is driven by Bystronic’s ByVision Tube software. Through the software’s interface, users can visualize 3-D part animations, create cutting plans and monitor production processes in real time. Whether small or large orders, with ByVision Tube, users move from the incoming order to the delivery of the finished parts in a quick and efficient workflow. All of these operations are made possible through easy-to-operate software-driven menu selections. Even operators with little to no experience will be up and running in no time.
Material handling is also made easy thanks to an automatic bundle loading station as well as the option to manually load materials. Operators can also rest easy during the cutting process because of the machine’s active tube support feature.
Maximum OD: Round, square, rectangle up to 5 in.
Maximum raw material length: 28 ft.
Maximum weight: 11 lbs. per ft.
Fiber laser power: 2 kW or 3 kW
Footprint: Customized configuration easily adapts to customers’ production environments.
LVD’s TL 2665
The TL 2665 from LVD offers a range of features and technologies designed to handle tube and profile cutting with efficiency. Features include automatic setup and run functions as well as a 7-position front loader for easy, semi-automatic tube loading for high-volume production.
To achieve the utmost in productivity, the tube laser features a modern cutting head with two points of crash protection and an automatic stand-off distance system that maintains the proper distance between the nozzle and the material for continuous, accurate cutting.
Additional technologies such as bow detection and twist compensation look for and adapt to any material deformation that may be present. A self-centering chuck also serves as a last line of defense for varying tube geometries. The servo-controlled infeed system uses multiple risers to lift the tube from the magazine to the chuck. Each riser features a tube centering device that centers the tube with the steady rest and chuck. Risers are servo-controlled and follow the contour of the tube to fully handle, turn and support the tube.
The software behind the tube laser – LVD’s Cadman-T – features automated processes for the design, cutting and nesting of structural tubing, pipes and structural profiles. With Cadman-T, users can import part drawings or draw parts from scratch and can also add notches, tabs and features to these part files.
Maximum OD: Round up to 6.5 in., square up to 5 in. by 5 in., rectangular up to 6 in. by 2 in.
Maximum raw material length: 26 ft.
Maximum weight: 22 lbs.
Fiber laser power: 3 kW standard, 4 kW optional
Footprint: 49 ft. by 18 ft. (without bundle loader)
Add-on options: Automatic bundle feeder; seam detection system; dust collector; and scrap management and customized outfeed devices, such as conveyors, part sorters and drop chutes.
Mazak’s FT-150
The FT-150 fiber tube cutter from Mazak Optonics Corp. was designed with high-speed cutting and reduced non-cutting processes in mind. Offering improved cycle times, productivity and throughput, the machine is a good option for fabricators that want to enter into or expand their small to medium-size tube cutting operations.
To deliver on fabricators’ wide range of needs, Mazak built several cutting-edge features into the tube laser, including the company’s proprietary U-Axis, which delivers impressive cutting speeds and part accuracy. The machine’s 2.5-D torch offers focus detection as well as B-Axis, which allows for bevel cutting for improved welding, multi-tube assembly, fit and finish.
Thanks to an 8-station tool magazine, fabricators can also carry out flow drilling, tapping and milling operations to accommodate a wide range of customer order types. An automated material measurement system as well as the ability for laser marking are also standard features on the equipment. An onboard camera system ensures the tube’s seam location is accurate.
For efficient material handling, the tube laser is equipped with a bundle loader that enables continuous operations for higher productivity and throughput. From there, separators are able to load one tube at a time, which reduces errors experienced during manual loading.
Maximum OD: Round up to 6 in., square up to 4.92 in.
Maximum raw material length: 255.9 in.
Maximum weight: 441 lbs. per piece
Fiber laser power: 3 kW
Footprint: 533 in. to 657 in. wide by 236 in. deep
Add-on options: Extrusion tapping with a rotary spindle and eight tool positions; spatter guards to protect internal tube surfaces from cutting debris to reduce secondary operations; and a weld seam detection camera that orients the workpiece for proper geometry orientation.
TRUMPF’s TruLaser Tube 3000
TRUMPF’s TruLaser Tube 3000 is specifically marketed as “a machine for getting started with laser tube processing or as an addition to existing machinery” and is billed as “cost-effective even with low-capacity utilization.” The easy-to-operate designation is achieved based on the addition of various automated features, including self-centering clamping technology, weld seam detection, and automatic cutting parameter modification for reliable cutting of lower quality or deformed materials. To further expand the type of orders a fabricator can process, the machine can also perform bevel cutting.
Understanding the growing need to streamline operations, TRUMPF outfitted the tube laser with software and features that are ready for smart factory settings. Users can make changes to the machine’s production schedule and monitor the machine in real time using a proprietary app. Furthermore, a secure, OPC UA-based data interface is included to connect the machine to an ERP or MES system or to a cloud application, as an example. Like all of company’s machine apps, TruLaser Tube 3000 users can access information on program runtimes and machine capacity utilization at any time.
To avoid the bottlenecks often associated with part unloading, the machine automatically ejects parts onto a table or box, depending on part size. When parts are ejected to a table, it is set to an ergonomic height for comfortable operator working conditions. Additionally, the tube laser automatically separates cutting slugs and scrap from the finished parts and disposes them into a bin.
Maximum OD: Tubes up to 6 in. and profiles up to 6.7 in.
Maximum raw material length: 26 ft.
Maximum weight: 13.75 lbs. per ft.
Fiber laser power: Up to 3 kW
Footprint: Customized configuration easily adapts to customers’ production environments.
Add-on options: LoadMaster Tube automated loading system.
Amada America Inc.
BLM Group
Bystronic Inc.
LVD North America
Mazak Optonics Corp.
TRUMPF Inc
