Fiber laser cuts 3-D formed and shaped parts

BLM Group USA has introduced the LT-Free, a 5-axis fiber laser machine designed for cutting 3-D formed or shaped parts such as bent tubes, hydroformed tubes, welded assemblies, and stamped or flat sheets. The machine can make cuts very close to each other to allow nesting of parts on a single bent tube, which then are separated by the laser.

Traditional cutting, drilling, punching, and milling operations that typically are carried out in sequence now can be performed on a single machine. This eliminates setup, reduces material handling, eliminates work-in-progress inventory, and downsizes the space needed for storage, the company reports.

The machine comes in a High Flex universal version for bent and hydroformed tubes, flat and deep-drawn sheets, and welded assemblies; the Piece Value version with rotary turntable and automatic load/unload for high-productivity machining; and the Entry Level version with dual fixed table for a variety of part configurations.