06/24/2013

Maximum performance and flexibility

Schuler presents new blanking line combining cutting-edge laser methods with continuous coil feeding

back 1 / 1 continue

zoom

close

back 1 / 1 continue

Laser lines with DynamicFlow Technology mean that no investment is needed for buying and maintaining dies and no production time is lost changing them.

Steel or aluminum blanks – used to produce stamped parts such as car doors – can be cut using either dies or lasers. Laser blanking lines have a major advantage, because no investment is needed for buying and maintaining dies and no production time is lost changing them – making them ideal for frequent product changes. Schuler recently unveiled a new line at ALS GmbH in Dormagen, Germany, which combines cutting-edge laser methods with continuous coil feeding.

“DynamicFlow Technology sets new standards in the speed of laser blanking,” says Stephan Mergner, Managing Director of Schuler Automation. “Thanks to maximum flexibility and short set-up times, even small batches can be produced just-in-time at low cost.” Not only can the line be used to simultaneously produce a wide variety of blank shapes, but blank contours can also be optimized while production is running. “The result: high output rates and tremendous flexibility,” summarizes Mergner.

The laser blanking lines with DynamicFlow Technology (DFT) are energy-efficient and can process a variety of materials, including high-strength steels, with a high degree of repeat accuracy and edge quality. The patented process is also particularly well suited fpr the production of surface-sensitive outer panels. There are no restrictions regarding the blank’s contours: all sorts of shapes can be selected within a minimum of time – thus greatly accelerating the tryout process. Thanks to optimized blank nesting, the amount of scrap – and thus material costs – can also be reduced.

30 to 40 percent reduction in size

During the presentation at ALS GmbH last Thursday, customers mainly from the automotive industry were able to witness first hand how the new line cuts blanks from a continuously rolling aluminum coil. Schuler’s laser blanking line uses three laser heads in parallel which can cut blanks with a thickness of 0.8 to three millimeters and a width of up to 2,150 millimeters.

Thanks to their reduced dimensions (30 to 40 percent reduction), DFT laser blanking lines can be used in restricted spaces and low-height production halls without the need for foundation pits. There is also a noticeable decrease in noise emissions, thus reducing the need for noise protection measures. “DynamicFlow Technology offers highly flexible manufacturing conditions with comparatively low investment costs and a high level of availability,” concludes Managing Director Stephan Mergner.