Copyright Southam Business Communications, Inc. Jul 1999
Take robotics, interface it with a laser, and the result is a technology for trimming and cutting parts that is looking increasingly viable to suppliers in tight margin markets such as automotive.
Robotic Production Technologies (RPT), a manufacturer of flexible turnkey robotic systems based in Madison Heights, MI, first looked seriously at lasers as an option when a customer came to them with an unusual trimming need (160).
The customer required an automated cutting solution that would give a very clean, accurate trim with an ease-of-part programming for trim line changes, reports RPT president Chuck Russo. After studying the application, RPT determined standard water router or water jet processes could result in the addition of two to three secondary workers per shift and cost the customer over a million dollars per year. Lasers give a much cleaner edge than either of these processes, thus eliminating an extra step needed to polish the trimmed pieces.
"When we heard that COZ lasers were available with higher wattage and stronger output capabilities, using a laser in this application became a viable option," says RPT technical director Doug Cicchini. The company investigated different lasers available in the market and decided to partner with Synrad Technolgies (Mukilteo, WA), in the development project (161).
To determine if the Synrad laser was the best trimming device to install in their client's robotic system, RPT conducted cutting tests.
The challenge was to cut multiple pieces of automotive interior parts, notes Russo. RTP evaluated approximately 300 sets of a thousand different parts using water router, water jet and the Synrad laser process, with the laser process giving the cleanest edge.
"Because the laser's heat-affect zone is very minimal, it produces a very clean environment after the cutting process, and maintenance is minimal," notes Russo. "That's significantly different than a water jet where you deal with water and debris clean-up."
Russo notes that sealed CO2 lasers are now commonly used to cut textiles, airbag material, sailcloth, metal, thick plastics and wood. He says RTP is evaluating other projects with an eye to integrating the lasers into other robotic systems.