PRESS RELEASE
September 2015
Echternach, Luxembourg – FANUC's new fiber lasers premiere in Europe at the EMO in Milan. The line boasts six models with power ranging from 1 to 6 kW. The first three sizes have 1, 2 and 3 kW. The most powerful laser currently is the FANUC Fiber Laser FF 3000i Model A. Its power levels match the parallel range of CO2 lasers, so that an alternative is available for each power level and customers can choose between two technologies. The various modules of the fiber laser can be combined to achieve the power levels commonly in demand on the market. The 30/31i-LB laser controllers are ideal for fly cutting.
When a new 3 kW CO2 laser arrived on the market at the beginning of 2015, it was clear that FANUC is standing by CO2 technology. For now as ever, this laser technology has its strengths over a wide range of applications. The new laser bearing the name FANUC Fiber Laser FF 3000i – Model A (for the 3 kW version) is a viable alternative. "We offer two technologies that can be interchanged in a system," says Michael Kuhn, who provides commercial and technical support for all laser activities at FANUC Europe. All the other components of a "yellow" laser system are identical. Apart from the powerful and energy-efficient lasers themselves, the integrated laser package includes, first and foremost, the controller in the two versions 30i-LB and 31i-LB, plus FANUC drive technology in the shape of servomotors, linear motors and direct drives, which are used to drive the gantry, for example, in laser cutting machines.
The "L" in the controller's name indicates that it comes with specific features for the laser's intended use, which considerably improves the cutting efficiency, intelligence and quality of laser machine tools. The external appearance and controls themselves are identical ("seamless concept") to all other CNC controllers from FANUC. As far as the CNC user interface is concerned, customers adding fiber lasers to their fleet of CO2 machines will scarcely be aware that it is a different type of laser. A familiar interface has its advantages: Firstly, operating personnel quickly get to grips with the machine, because they are used to an HMI interface. Secondly, the plant owner does not have to "retrain" his staff and, if he so wishes, he can have a uniform group of controllers for his business. Even transition from a cutting machine tool with FANUC controller to CNC on a laser machine is simple, as they are based on an identical methodology. The operator can therefore concentrate fully on the process right from the start. The CNC FS 30i-LB enables the control of up to 32 axes, 24 of them simultaneously. With 3D laser cutting this allows 5-axis operation, which is ideal for fiber lasers. The laser is not connected via the I/O link, but via the high-speed FANUC Serial Servo Bus, or FSSB.
Since the axis motion and laser power control are synchronized in the controller, the FANUC CNC permits high cutting speeds with simultaneously high cutting quality. If the laser needs to cut a corner, for example, the speed and laser power are regulated simultaneously in such a way as to ensure optimum cutting quality. By moving around the corner slowly, the laser uses less power. In fly-cut mode, laser power can be adjusted with great precision. Cutting can be positioned precisely to the micrometer. Fly cutting requires low latency between signaling and execution – which is also achievable thanks to rapid connection via the FANUC FSSB bus. The time needed in the laser controller is just microseconds. This makes it possible to achieve high fly cutting speeds, combined with high positioning accuracy.
The FANUC fiber laser works with a wavelength of 1.070 µm. With thinner sheets, this enables much faster cutting speeds than with a CO2 laser. With thicker sheets, the CO2 laser is in its element, although this does not detract from its performance with thin sheets. The speed advantage is more beneficial the more rigid the overall design of the machine. By launching this fiber laser, FANUC is also responding to the demands of machine developers, whose designs allow for the flexible beam guidance of a laser of this kind.
One of the fiber laser's benefits is the efficient way it handles the energy used. While the current CO2 laser from FANUC is more energy-efficient than its predecessor, the fiber laser converts considerably more of the energy expended into beam energy. "Some of this is simply down to the laws of physics," admits Michael Kuhn.
The presentation of the new fiber laser is accompanied by a novel initiative from FANUC as regards the laser service package. Whereas previously there was just a complete package, now laser machine manufacturers can also select individual modules for their specific application, and incorporate them in their machines. "By cherry-picking in this way, machine manufacturers get more out of it," declares Michael Kuhn. Thanks to uniform interfaces, all components and modules can be combined. A FANUC CNC can be combined with a laser from a different manufacturer just as, in the same way, FANUC lasers work with controllers of other makes. Michael Kuhn: "We want to offer our customers benefits in every respect – in terms of both user-friendliness and technology." At the same time, FANUC does not see itself purely as a supplier of lasers: "We want to use our laser systems to get into conversation and do business." But in the end, the customer makes his own decision.
The fiber laser has yet another intelligent feature. FANUC is the only manufacturer to offer the pulse bottom command function, which enables the shape of the laser pulse to be controlled. With this feature, even smoother cutting edges can be achieved. With this function, in particular, it makes sense for machine manufacturers to actually operate a FANUC laser with a FANUC controller. The "Robot Connection" function is another interesting advantage offered by FANUC. Nothing could be simpler than integrating a loading robot in a system based on a FANUC CNC, since communication with the robot comes direct from the controller. There is no need for a dedicated – let alone an additional – interface.
