Need A Laser Cutting Machine That Can Handle Large Tube, Pipe & Other Metal Cutting Jobs?

Laser Cutting Machines.

Laser cutting machines are typically used to cut metal tube, pipe, bars, etc. with speed, accuracy, and minimal material waste. However, most laser cutting machinery is designed for smaller pipe and tube jobs and may be limited to the thickness of the metal and angles that can be cut. As laser cutting technology improves, so do the capabilities of the laser machine tools.

Introducing The 3D Fabri Gear Mk II Laser Pipe and Tube Laser Cutting Machine

Laser Cutting Machine

Recently, Mazak Optonics, an industry leader in 2D and 3D industrial laser cutting machines, released the new 3D FABRI GEAR Mk II machine designed for extensive pipe, tube, and structural cutting applications. Capable of cutting any shape of tube or pipe including: round, square, triangular, and rectangular metal parts; it can also accurately cut C-channel, I beams, H beams, angle iron, and other custom designed mild or stainless steel shapes.

The versatility and wide range of cutting capabilities that this new laser cutting machines has to offer makes it an ideal solution for a variety of different industries metal cutting needs.

The 3D Fabri Gear Mk II Laser Cutting Machine Is Available In Two Models

The 220 with a 2.5 kW resonator is capable of processing pipe and tube with diameters up to 8.6 inch. The 400 with a 4 kW resonator is capable of processing of larger pipe and tube jobs up to 16 inch diameter.

Both models operate at rapid traverse rate of 3,937 ipm.

All machines are produced in an ISO 14001 certified facility and feature a new eco-friendly resonator which reduces gas consumption by up to 50% and electricity consumption by up to 10%.

3D FABRI GEAR Mk II Automatic Pipe and Tube Cutting Machine Capabilities

The new laser cutting system will automatically begin cutting 3D shapes, angles, and more to the user

CNC Machine Tool Retrofitting

CNC Machine Tool: What Is Retrofitting and Why Is It Important?

Retrofitting of CNC machines includes rebuilding and updating of the CNC machine tool’s mechanical & electrical components and tooling. This includes optimization or replacement of existing machine tools and components which can increase the quantity and quality of the machines output.

Since machine technology is constantly changing and improving, it can be a wise investment, and more cost efficient to retrofit a CNC machine rather than buying new, modern equipment.

CNC Machine Retrofitting Options

Computerized Numerical Control Panel– CNC machine centers that have been owned for a long time could be due to be retrofitted. The computerized numerical controls have dramatically changed over the years and continue to improve every year as technology advances. An update to these controls means improved user options, increased machine capabilities, and advanced features. This is a great way to invest in your already owned machinery.

CNC Tooling– As new tool sets become available, there are many new customization options available if the CNC machinery has the required tool sets. Luckily, there are options to change or add new machine tools to existing CNC machinery. This upgrade in machine tools would be considered retrofitting. Retrofitting your CNC mill or other machinery will keep your shop on the cutting edge of CNC technology and capability.

CNC Retrofitting Cost Efficiency

Retrofitted CNC machines can save you money is several ways including:

Buying a retrofitted machine– When a budget is tight, it can difficult to justify spending the money to buy a new CNC machine. A cost efficient alternative would be to buy a used machine tool that has been retrofitted with modern technology. Not only can you save money right away, but you will be able to get a return on your money much quicker than if you had purchased new CNC equipment.

The truth about retrofitted machines is that they are not all created equal. They can function just as well as a brand new machine, but it is important to do some research to make sure the condition of the machine and the details as to what parts were retrofitted.

Retrofitting an outdated machine– Retrofitting is a cost efficient alternative to replacing older CNC machines. Most CNC machine tools last practically forever, but they do become outdated over the years and retrofitting your CNC machinery with the latest in CNC technology can be less expensive than buying another machine and will allow you to stay ahead  of the competition.

Increased performance– Retrofitted equipment will improve the amount and the quality of product produced, saving time and money. With new tools and/ or new technology, your CNC lathe or other machinery will easily outperform other CNC centers without retrofitted parts. Retrofitting is always a good solution to maximize your machinery’s potential.

The aerospace and national defense manufacturers utilize retrofitting as a way to keep all of their CNC machine tools up to date and on the cutting edge of very competitive markets. These retrofitting projects can be very costly, but the production boost and quality improvements allow for retrofitted CNC machinery to quickly pay for itself, making the upgrades a worthy investment.

Resaw Machines: The Versatility of Resaws

Resaw Machines

Resaw Machine

Resaw machines are basically a large band saw that uses a thin, wide blade that moves continuously in one direction to cut lumber lengthwise along the grain of the wood. Unlike a typical band saw, these saws are designed to straight cut lumber only. These machines can be used to cut logs in half, but can also be used for smaller jobs such as cutting boards in half lengthwise. This can be handy if you want thinner boards, but what practical application do resaws have to offer?

Resaw Machines: Practical application

Resaws are used in shops to cut thinner boards to be used as flooring, roofing, etc. These machines are also capable of cutting very thin layers from boards and logs to be used as veneer.

Besides cutting the lumber to the desired width, the sawing machine can be equipped with a special blade with some teeth bend inward toward the cutting surface which is used to cut along the woods surface, leaving it with a rustic look. This blade does not cut more than 1/8th of an inch off the woods surface and is not designed to cut lumber thinner like typical resaw equipment. The blade still runs along the board widthwise, however.

Now, the practical application of such a sawed board may not be obvious. These rustic looking boards can be used for flooring, inside walls, and ceilings to give the inside of a home or building a certain rustic look that many people find appealing.

How Resaw Machines Work

Resaw Machines

Resaws typically look like an oversized band saw and are equipped with a thin blade, mounted on 2 or more powered wheels, that is wider than a standard band saw blade and designed to make long straight cuts through lumber. The blade has a small kerf, or cutting width, which cuts most efficiently by removing the smallest amount of wood from the lumber while being cut, thus minimizing waste.

The lumber can be fed into the saw either manually or by way of a conveyor system or power feeder. The thickness of the lumber to be cut is controlled by adjustable guides to ensure the uniformity of all cuts made.

Types of Resaws

The most basic and traditional resaw machine has already been discussed; it looks similar to an oversized band saw. Other types of resaw

Machines Used In the Production of Silver or Gold Coins

Machines are used in the production of silver or gold coins

Production of silver coins involves the use of multiple machines including foundry machinery such as casters and furnaces, extruders and milling machines, breakdown rolls, annealers, finish rolls, blanking presses, rimming and burnishing machines.

Machines production silver gold coins

Foundry Machinery and Extruding Machines

First, the raw silver or gold needs to be melted down in the foundry using a high frequency, electric coil furnace. The molten metal can either be manually poured into a graphite mold or poured into a caster which holds the molten metal to be pulled through a graphite mold, also known as a continuous casting machine. The result is a bar or circular billet of silver or gold.

The next process involves the heating up of billets in an oven which are then pushed through a steel die by a powerful hydraulic ram which extrudes the softened metal into strip form. If the metal is already in strip form, then it will go to a milling machine instead which is used to remove the surface layer of the bar to achieve the desired uniform thickness. Then the corner edges are deburred using manual tools or an automatic deburring machine.

Rolling Mill and Annealing Machines

Once silver or gold bars or strips of the desired thickness are ready, they are sent to an annealed which is a large machine with a conveyer in which the precious metal bars are placed. The silver and gold bars or strips go through several internal temperature controlled chambers which heat the metal up and cool it down in order to bring the metal to a specific hardness.

Now, the silver and gold bars are ready to go through a breakdown rolling mill consisting of a set of adjustable double steel rollers used to reduce the thickness of the bars to a specific thickness in preparation for the next process. Typically, bars and strips will have to be passed through 2 or more times, each time adjusting the rollers down, to reduce the thickness in small increments since the hardness of the metal is being affected and rolling the bars too quickly will cause the bars to be too hard for further processes.

Next, the silver and gold bars are ready to return to the annealing machine to be softened to a specific hardness. They are run through the oven and cooling sections of the annealer, then checked for accurate hardness and returned through the annealer, if needed, to achieve the desired hardness.

The next machine is another rolling mill called the finish roller. The finish rolling mill is used similar to that of the breakdown rollers accept the silver and gold bars are now reduced down to their final thickness, which is going to be the thickness of the coin. This typically takes 2 or more passes through the milling machine rollers to ensure the hardness of the metal is not too hard for the next process.

Punches and Hydraulic Presses

Once the bars are the desired thickness, they are ready to be punched into coins using a hydraulic press. In mass production of coins, the press will be set to automatically punch in which the strips are manually fed into the machine by an operator. A set of conveyers is used to move the punched coins to be weighed, inspected, and stacked onto a cart for the next processes.

Coin Making Machine

Next, the blanked coins need to be placed into a rimming machine which is a spinning circular apparatus with an outer wall used to add the raised edge around the parameter of the coin. This process can be completed as part of the conveyer system immediately after being blanked in the hydraulic press; the conveyer can feed the blank coins into the rimming machine.

The final processes include burnishing in which the coins are placed into burnishing machines or tumblers with steel media that looks similar to that of misshapen BB