LT5: the laser shearing machine
The LT5 is the simple, essential, compact Lasertube system with a remarkably advantageous performance-to-price ratio. This means it can directly compete with disc cutting systems in terms of performance and price – and more than often prevail.
The LT5 is the smallest member of the Lasertube family and can process metal tubes up to 120 mm in diameter. One must not be misled by its simple and compact shape and by the essential nature of the solutions it offers because the performance of the system is genuinely surprising. For this reason, BLM GROUP also offers configurations exclusively dedicated to straight cutting as an alternative to traditional disc cutting lines.
The system has the typical precision, cutting quality, ease of use and reliability for which the Lasertube family is known. The bundle loader works automatically with round, oval, square or rectangular tubes. Tube handling along the entire working line guarantees reliability and precision. The part unloading system, on the front or rear, is designed to preserve the surface quality of the tubes. Sliding front doors provide wide access to the work line for quick and easy loading of a single tubes, if required. The graphic interface is designed according to ergonomic criteria, so you can start production quickly, have a clear and complete overview of the system during the process and intervene quickly and easily whenever necessary.
In short, the LT5 guarantees automatic, efficient and reliable continuous operation, even in unmanned.
As mentioned, however, the suitably configured LT5 can also be used cost-effectively for straight cutting only, particularly on round tubes, a field traditionally reserved for shearing machines.
The use of a spoon device which keeps the inner surface of the tube perfectly clean from cutting waste means that the LT5 can replace an entire cutting, measuring, brushing and washing line all in one.
The speed of the process combined with the relatively low cost of the system makes it possible to achieve a cost per part which is comparable to – and more than often much more advantageous than – traditional disc cutting processes. Results confirm that laser systems are more efficient than shearing machines, as the diameter and length of the cut pieces increase, especially when dealing with high-strength materials or stainless steel.
Other advantages directly deriving from the use of laser instead of a shearing machine must be considered in addition to the simple calculated cost per part which considers productivity and system cost.
One is the reduction of waste material due to the reduced thickness of the kerf, which in the case of laser is a few tenths of a millimetre compared to the 1.6 mm of blade cutting; this small difference can mean cutting an extra part from the total length of a tube. Greater job precision and repeatability result from the more sophisticated mechanics of the laser system, and flexibility is also greater because the LT5 can perform other jobs in addition to straight cutting if you need to, again all in one step. Finally, the use of a fiber laser source means that the LT5 is much more energy-efficient than a complete cutting line.
The LT5 also makes greater use of the integration potentials offered by BLMelements than shearing machines. Artube for programming, PartViewer for estimating time and costs, and ProTube for production control are powerful tools for managing the whole production process.
The dialogue with the BLM GROUP bending systems, implementing the All-In-One concept, is guaranteed on disc cutting systems but have much greater and more interesting potentials on a Lasertube system like the LT5.
BLM GROUP is the global partner for the entire tube machining process with a capillary worldwide presence and thousands of applications:
BLM S.p.A., based in Cantù (CO), is specialised in the production of CNC tube-bending machines, measuring units and the relative supplementary and automating devices.
ADIGE S.p.A., based in Levico Terme (TN), manufactures systems for laser-cutting tubes and machines for disc-cutting tubes, solids and sections. The range is completed by brushing machines, measuring systems, washing systems and collectors.
ADIGE-SYS S.p.A., based in Levico Terme (TN), specialises in the production of "mixed" laser-cutting systems for cutting tubes and sheet metal, systems for laser-processing large-sized tubes and end cutting and removing lines for tubes and bars.
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