Lantek Sheetmetal News

Welcome to the first issue of the quarterly UK newsletter from Lantek Systems. As a company in the sheetmetal industry we hope you will find it interesting and will wish to continue receiving it.

Lantek is a leader in sheetmetal software, with its Expert II and Expert III systems. These provide tools which will enable companies to optimise manufacturing methods, and reduce material usage while controlling costs and maintaining delivery schedules.

In the newsletter we will be featuring case studies which give an insight into how different enterprises in this sector operate, and how an investment in Lantek software has contributed to their success. Additionally, there will be news about new developments within the software, practical information about how to apply it for maximum benefit, as well as news about forthcoming events and special offers.

The Lantek Systems team In this issue:

Lantek Version 26 hot off the press

Common line cutting that really works Lantek plays a key role at Blagg & Johnson Contact Lantek Lantek Version 26 hot off the press

In this newsletter we are previewing some of the new features in Version 26 of Lantek’s Expert II and Expert III.

Accurate quotations help to generate profitable business. Quotations can now be built directly from an actual nest. With this feature costs are calculated from the layout which will be used in production. Additionally, hourly rates, material costs and profit margin can all be modified from within the CAM time and cost dialogue box, making it easier to arrive at the most competitive price for the job while achieving maximum profitability.

Using indexable multi tools can sometimes result in material wastage. The changes in Version 26 have optimised the deadzone areas to ensure the smallest safe distance is used as the tool rotates. Savings will help users to nest more parts on each sheet, contributing further to the cost savings possible with the software.

Lantek can now import information about material thickness, type and quantity along with the DXF file for each part. This step forward enables the software to sort the parts according to material and go straight to a nest, utilising the quantity information extracted from the drawing. For large production runs, the time saved in preparing the nests will be considerable. Shop floor information has also been enhanced in Version 26. More information can now be added to the nest diagram, including notes, dimensions and magnified views. The extra data will enable operators to check the finished parts and ensure that the highest possible quality is maintained.

The software can already create developed shapes for ducting. New in Version 26 is 3D visualisation of complex duct shapes. This allows users to build, view and rotate the 3D shaded images prior to unfolding, ensuring they meet the customer’s requirements exactly.

Rob Powell, Managing Director for Lantek said, “These are just some of the enhancements in Version 26, which have been introduced as a result of consultation with our users. The improvements are all geared towards ease of use, faster and more productive operation, and saving cost in this competitive industry.”

Common line cutting that really works.

Soaring material costs make any improvements in sheetmetal nesting and profiling efficiency worthwhile. Sharing a single cut path between neighbouring components can provide a tighter nest and reduce the overall cutting time, but there are technological problems. Lantek’s nesting software considers the practicality of component shape and layout when generating nests which incorporate common line cutting, to overcome these difficulties.

Typical problems encountered during common line cutting include small parts tipping up; components sliding under their neighbours, resulting in recutting; larger parts distorting, which can stop the laser cutting any further; witness marks on component edges; and warping of the sheet itself.

The Lantek Expert software solves these problems by only common line nesting pairs of parts, and those which have an identical side length of at least 100mm. This helps to keep the sheet stable by avoiding distortion, and ensures good edge quality. The software also calculates a safe path around the parts which have already been cut, avoiding potential collisions. Elsewhere gaps are automatically left between components to produce a reliable result.

Going one stage further, the software can introduce bridging between small parts to connect them to one another. The result is fewer piercing operations which allows several small parts to be cut in one continuous path. Bridging also adds to the stability and security of the whole sheet. Small parts are prevented from falling into the bed of the machine, and linking them together adds to the rigidity of the full sheet of products.

Combining these two approaches to nesting will help Lantek users reduce cutting times with shorter paths; reduce the number of piercing operations; improve material utilisation; and minimise the use of consumables, directly adding to profit margins.

Lantek plays a key role at Blagg & Johnson

Nesting 200 tonnes of steel each month, Newark based Blagg & Johnson uses Lantek software to programme its new Trumpf Trumatic L6030 laser, and its plasma cutter and Strippit punch press.

Oliver Daniels, Blagg & Johnson’s Technical Manager, creates 2-3 programmes and nests every day to meet the variations in demand for the company’s products, grouping together parts with the same material thickness and specification. He said, “Automatic nesting coupled with manual optimising of the nest enables us to achieve 90-95% material utilisation.” Most of the nesting is in full sheets, but Lantek also keeps track of offcuts, enabling the creation of further nests to use up waste material, finally generating a cutting diagram for easy identification of parts as they are completed.”

The company replaced its previous CAM system with Lantek Expert three years ago, choosing it for its flexibility and ability to programme all the machines in one system. Oliver Daniels added, “The Lantek laser installation for the Trumpf worked straight out of the box, while the Flex 3D module has enabled me to start programming end profiles and cut-outs on tubular components.”

The company appreciated the ease of use of the software and also the in built technology, which includes driving the machine around parts which could tip up and considering heat dissipation on the sheet. Gordon Wright, Sales & Marketing Manager concluded, “The Trumpf’s 6m bed size differentiates us from our competitors, while Lantek provides the flexibility to programme all our machines effectively. The software is of crucial importance to the company, we would not be able to function without it.”

Click here to read the full story in pdf.

For more information contact

Rob Powell Lantek Systems Ltd Tel. +44 (0)1684 585384 Email rob.powell@lantek-systems.co.uk Web: www.lantek-systems.co.uk .

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