Laser Cutting System limits changeover time to seconds.

Press Release Summary:




Model CL-707 combines linear motor drive, 8 x 20 ft cutting table size, and dual-pallet design, which allow one table to be unloaded/reloaded while second table is being processed. Linear-motor axis drives exceed 2.0 G acceleration and head positioning speeds reach 10,000 ipm. Brushless linear motors, linear encoders, and CNC control deliver positioning accuracy of ±0.001 in./axis. Unit is offered with 3300 W diffusion-cooled resonator and 4000 W fast axial-flow resonator.



Original Press Release:



Industry's First High-Speed, Super-Size Laser Pulls Out Stops on Part-Making Productivity



MARCH, 2003 -Cincinnati Incorporated unleashes the productivity of high-speed laser cutting by reducing machine downtime for material changes. A "super-size" version of the Cincinnati CL-707 high-speed laser cutting system offers industry's first combination of state-of-the-art linear motor drive with a 8 x 20 ft. cutting table size. The super-size table allows multiple sheets to be loaded and processed at once to realize extended laser cutting time for higher productivity. The versatile table size allows up to five 4 x 8 ft. sheets to be loaded sideways or two standard 5 x 10 sheets situated lengthwise. "You negate some of the advantage of high-speed processing if you have to stop the machine and do a material change after every sheet," notes Richard Neff, Cincinnati laser products manager. The extra-long table design can also accommodate custom long lengths for specialized manufacturing.

The CL-707's dual-pallet design allows one table to be unloaded/reloaded while the second table is being processed. Changeover takes seconds to keep the laser cutting.

The long-bed CL-707 is the industry champ in sheets-per-hour output, says Neff. "Nothing can match its combination of capacity, accuracy and productivity," he claims. "State-of-art technologies make the CL-707 an extremely versatile and productive tool for flexible and just-in-time manufacturing, as well as an economical alternative to punch presses and machining centers in creating parts without tooling costs or setups."

The super-size laser gives job shop owners unique capabilities, enabling them to attract higher margin work, says Neff. As an in-house machine, the first-of-a-kind design opens up lots of opportunities for many kinds of manufacturers of largei products to gain the throughput and quality advantages of laser processing, he adds.

"The long-bed machine can be an ideal choice for a steel service center or a fabricator of large panels and structures, such as stainless steel food processing machinery and restaurant equipment," says Neff.

Proprietary linear-motor axis drives make fast work of large parts or batch processing of smaller parts with accelerations exceeding 2.0G and head positioning speeds of up to 10,000 inches per minute, he notes. Linear-motor design delivers high precision as well as high speed, making the CL-707 especially effective on parts with complex geometries and lots of holes and cut-outs. Brushless linear motors, linear encoders and advanced CNC control features deliver positioning accuracy of ±0.001" per axis.

The CL-707 brings outstanding reliability to three-shift manufacturing demands, Neff adds. The linear-motor drives, engineered in-house by Cincinnati specifically fDr the laser, have proven to be trouble-free on the industry's largest installed base of high-speed machines, he states.

The high-speed CL-707 is available with choice of two resonator designs - 3300-watt diffusion-cooled resonator or 4000-watt fast axial flow resonator. Diffusion-cooling provides exceptional mode quality, allowing the beam to be focused into a smaller, hotter spot. It is especially effective on thinner materials, cutting faster and cleaner with narrow kerf, superior edge quality and small heat-affected zone (HAZ). according to Neff. Cutting performance allows lower nitrogen assist gas pressure, providing competitive advantages particularly on stainless steel and plastic-coated stainless. The high-power fast axial flow resonator provides excellent all-around versatility, wide-spread acceptance and familiarity, and is particularly effective on heavier gage material, he notes.

For more information on the high-speed CL-707 laser cutting system and long bed capability, visit the company's web site www.e-ci.com or contact: Cincinnati Incorporated, Box 11111, Cincinnati OH 45211; phone: 513/367-7100; fax: 513/367-7552; email info@e-ci.com.

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