Morgan Rushworth XR Rear Loading Laser

The Morgan Rushworth XR range of fibre lasers are equipped with a 3m x 1.5m cutting area with automatic shuttle table with dual pallet changer enabling parts to be safely loaded and unloaded whilst the machine is still cutting. The design includes the fibre laser source and chiller inside the body of the machine resulting in a compact footprint, ideal for the smaller workshop, as well as fast start up time from delivery of the machine to production cutting. Class leading components ensure superior cut quality, high reliability and reduced down time.

Extensive laser cutting database

Operation is made easy thanks to the Beckhoff CNC 19” TFT screen with intuitive and familiar Windows™ and LANTEK CAD/CAM operating systems; delivering low operator investment and training costs and automation and productivity from day one thanks to a simple, user-friendly operator environment and extensive cutting database.

Low energy consumption

A range of fibre laser power sources starting from 1kw to 4kW are available (higher power is available via the Morgan Rushworth XS Model). The XR uses a new generation, high performance linear axis system with high performance rack and high performance class pinion. That means the potential for higher cut speeds, high axis optimisation and dynamic axis movement, while the low energy consumption represents an industrial laser cutter that will keep paying dividends with impressive laser power and excellent green credentials.

The very best quality materials

The Morgan Rushworth XR fibre laser cutting machine utilises state of the art design, high performance components and the very best quality materials available to our industry to deliver high processing speeds combined with peerless accuracy. Fibre laser technology ensures beam stability at every point of the cutting table regardless of materials being worked with, there is no need to move the laser source or plate, thus allowing high speed, high accuracy cutting and coupled with dual full size pallets maximum production throughput.

The Morgan Rushworth XR Laser is an industrial laser cutter that perfectly combines the needs of today’s industry with the low power sustainability needs of tomorrow.

Specification Overview

• Beckhoff CNC 19” TFT screen
• Side loading laser
• LANTEK CAD/CAM operating systems

Find out more about the Morgan Rushworth XR Side Loading Laser

The RVD CNC Fibre Laser range

The RVD precision fibre laser cutting machine range includes both compact models in small bed sizes as well as fully automated models with shuttle tables for the very best range of choice and versatility. It suits applications from occasional or niche cutting and engraving projects all the way up to production line levels of CNC laser cutting.

The RVD precision laser cutting machine ticks every box. Affordability, accuracy and the efficiency you need for one off jobs and smaller spaces, right up to fully automated CNC fibre lasers with fast shuttle tables for power, speed and production line cutting across a range of materials. Taking a maximum load of 1000kg, standard bed sizes range from 1500×1000mm to 2000x6000mm. Class leading components have been carefully selected resulting in a fast and reliable machine for production cutting.

Compact and easy to use

Despite their compact sizes, the RVD fibre laser cutters are true industrial laser machines able to take on the role of a heavy duty work horse. They comprise a crafted range using the best mechanical and electrical components our industry can offer to maximise production and minimise downtime due to consumable failure or maintenance.

Affordable Laser Cutting

The RVD range of fibre laser cutting machines combine affordability with quality but safety also plays a key role thanks to a full enclosure design meeting CE standards resulting in radiation safe production.

High precision cutting accuracy

High precision servo motors and heavy duty ball screw driving systems ensure reliability, cutting accuracy and consistency.

“We can reduce the prices of our products because the laser cuts quicker”

Bluecoat Engineering

RVD Compact Fibre Laser

The RVD precision fibre laser cutting machine range includes both compact models in small bed sizes as well as fully automated models with shuttle tables for the very best range of choice and versatility, from occasional or niche cutting and engraving projects all the way up to production line levels of CNC laser cutting.

The RVD laser is compact yet it is also a heavy duty work horse manufactured to the very highest standards both mechanically and electrically, to maximise production when you need it but also to minimise downtime due to maintenance and part failure.

Heavy duty, high precision

The RVD compact fibre laser has a full enclosure design meeting CE standards, resulting in radiation safe production. High precision servo motors and heavy duty ball screw driving systems ensure reliability, peerless laser cutting accuracy and consistency.

The compact range of industrial laser cutters also feature a simple and easy to use pull out drawer tray system which enables easy loading and unloading of material but also easy access to the collecting of cut parts.

Compact and easy to use

All RVD PR models are supplied with a fast automatic hydraulic shuttle table with dual pallet changer to further improve cutting time. Class leading components have been carefully selected resulting in a fast and reliable machine for production cutting. CCTV is fitted as standard equipment allowing the operator to safely view the fibre laser cutting action. The optional tube cutting attachment can process round, square and oval tube up to 160mm.

Exceeding the standard

The RVD SmartFibre ER range of Compact fibre laser cutting machines are available with a standard bed size of 1M x 1.5M, with power sources ranging from 700W all the way up to 4000W. All the RVD ER models are supplied with a pull out bed. Class leading components have once again been carefully selected resulting in a fast and reliable laser cutting machine for production cutting.

The nLight laser source is available in various power ratings from 500W and upwards. Standard features include a cutting head supplied by RayTools of Switzerland, a high quality linear motion system with servo drives, voltage stabiliser and starter consumables kit.

The highly recommended optional performance pack delivers increases  of 25% in cutting speed and acceleration and includes Sigmaest software and branded Beckhoff control and high quality Italian Motor Power servomotors.

Specification overview

• Automatic hydraulic shuttle table
• RayTools cutting head
• 500W+ nLight laser source
• Servo drives, and voltage stabiliser

Find out more about the RVD Compact Fibre Laser

RVD PR Fibre Laser

All RVD PR models are supplied with a fast, automatic shuttle table with dual pallet changer to further improve productivity. CCTV is fitted as standard equipment allowing the operator to safely view the fibre laser cutting action. The optional tube cutting attachment can process round, square and oval tube up to 160mm.

Quality components and features

The RVD fibre range represents the best the world can offer, designed and brought together in a single range of laser machines. The American nLight laser source is available in various power ratings from 500W upwards. Additional features include a cutting head supplied by RayTools of Switzerland, a high quality Yaskawa linear motion system with servo drives and electrics by Schneider of France as well as German engineered Alpha Gear racks and pinions. CNC control and CAD/CAM software are by Cypcut and Cypdraw and are both simple and intuitive.

High precision cutting accuracy

The RVD PR CNC fibre lasers have a simple and easy to use pull out drawer tray system which enables easy and quick loading and unloading of materials but also easy access to the collecting of cut parts. All RVD PR models are supplied with a fast automatic hydraulic shuttle table with dual pallet changer to improve cutting times. Class leading components have been carefully selected resulting in a fast and reliable machine for production cutting. CCTV is also fitted as standard equipment allowing the operator to safely oversee the cutting action. The optional tube cutting attachment can process round, square and oval tube up to 160mm.

Specifications Overview

• nLight laser source
• RayTools cutting head
• CNC control and CAD/CAM software
• CCTV
• Automatic hydraulic shuttle table
• Optional tube cutting attachment

Find out more about the RVD Compact Fibre Laser

“the main impact has been on the cost savings – in the past we’ve had to outsource this for larger projects. We don’t need to do that anymore...”

Clarus Europe

“wished I had bought one years ago. Don't know how we would cope without it!”

Medfab Ltd

RVD Smart Fibre TF Tube Laser

The RVD SmartFibre TF range of tube laser cutting machines offer an accurate, efficient and above all, cost-effective solution for industrial tube laser cutting, especially applicable for round, square, rectangular, oval and tubular profiles of impressively wide ranging lengths, diameters, materials and wall thicknesses.

The RVD Smart Fibre can easily hold its own amongst other laser cutting machines in its price range, easily handling tube lengths up to 8000mm and diameters up to an impressive up to an impressive 300mm.

State of the art CNC laser

State of the art Cypcut CNC laser control and software allow for the production of intricate components in an incredibly wide variety of tubular profiles, such as round tube, square tube, rectangular tube, oval tube, D-shaped steel ,T-shaped steel, H-shaped steel, channel steel, angle steel, etc.

To further drive automation and productivity, The RVD Smart Fibre laser cutting machines can also be fitted with our optional magazine loading system, delivering true production line automation with the ability to process bundles of material up to an impressive 2500kg.

High performance accuracy

The high performance nLight alta™ fibre laser source combines with the RVD Smart fibre laser’s fibre optic beam delivery system to offer laser cutting power from 1.5-4kW making cutting capacities for mild, galvanised and stainless steel, aluminium, brass and copper surprisingly impressive. The autofocus laser cutting head by RayTools of Switzerland and high precision class alpha rack and pinion drive motion system ensure that high power laser cutting isn’t just efficient, but also absolutely accurate.

Incorporating the world’s leading fibre laser resonator and electronic components sourced from industry leading brands to ensure superior stability. The bed provides outstanding rigidity whilst performing at high speed and acceleration, taking your tube laser cutting to the next level. The CE compliant complete machine enclosure and light barrier system ensures that the RVD Smart Fibre laser’s safety capabilities are just as impressive as its design and quality.

Specification Overview

• Cypcut CNC laser control and software
• nLight alta™ fibre laser source
• RayTools autofocus laser cutting head
• Alpha rack and pinion drive motion system
• Optional magazine loading system

Find out more about the RVD TF Fibre Laser

CNC Fibre Laser in a Nutshell

An industrial laser cutter can cut through the toughest metals like a hot knife through butter, essentially using light, but what exactly is a laser? How is light focused with such precision to achieve the types of laser cutting we take for granted in today’s industry?

Laser is an acronym, it means ‘Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation’ and it exhibits important differences when compared to ordinary sources of light.

• Monochromaticity - laser beams have an incredibly narrow, high energy form and are composed of light waves of the same frequency, hence the same colour.
• Brightness - you might be able to look at a 60watt bulb for hours, with only a fraction of that energy entering your eye. Not so with laser beams and looking directly into one could instantly cause blindness.
• Coherence - stimulated emission produces a single, coherent beam. Every wave in the beam is perfectly in phase with all the others enabling the laser beam to travel s in one uniform direction, over surprisingly long distances if unimpeded
• Directionality - The light from that aforementioned 60 watt bulb travels randomly in all directions, not so with laser beams. The light all travels in the same direction.

When the beam from a CNC fibre laser contacts the surface of a metal, that focused, high intensity light is transferred into heat energy, dramatically increasing the surface temperature, causing it to melt, burn, vaporise or in some processes be blow away by an additional gas.
Laser generating gases are used to aid the process of laser cutting and they differ from conventional cutting gases. Gases such as nitrogen, oxygen and air each work in conjunction with the other to transition, excite and release the laser beam as well as cooling the system.

High Accuracy CNC Fibre Laser Cutting

Fibre laser cutting makes perfect use of those highly powered, focused, high intensity laser beams as the means to cut through materials with peerless efficiency and high levels of accuracy.

The workpiece is effectively illuminated, rapidly melted and then evaporated at the point of ignition.

High pressure gas assistance aids the process even further, working in unison with the laser beam to expel molten materials and cut the workpiece even more efficiently.

A focal point for industry innovation

Laser cutting technology has taken great leaps in recent years, becoming a focal point for industry innovation, research and development. Technology striving to keep up with the ever increasing demands of industry.

CNC Fibre laser cutting is in the process of usurping the industry’s traditional methods of metal cutting for several reasons:

1. It is more economical when compared to the CO2 and YAG laser cutting methods of yesterday. Photoelectric conversion efficiency is around 30%. Compare that to around 10% for CO2 and only around 3% for YAG and it’s easy to see a clear difference in running costs. Add further benefits such as the need for far fewer consumable and vulnerable components replacements and fibre laser machines invariably come out on top.

2. As well as the advantage of costs, comes the considerable benefit of convenience. Compact CNC fibre lasers take up a fraction of your workshop’s real estate and are much more easily moved and maintained. Factor in the benefits of CNC automation and you have a true industrial laser cutter that is versatile and future-proof, allowing you to say goodbye to expensive outsourcing and boosting your ability to create more, easier.

3. Consistent quality comes as standard with fibre laser. Thanks to intuitive CNC controls and the light guiding systems which ensure a constant distance between laser beam and workpiece. This makes fibre laser perfectly suited for quicker and more accurate sheet metal cutting, especially with reflective surface workpieces such as copper and aluminium alloys.

What is the difference between waterjet, laser and plasma profile applications?

The Process of Cutting with CNC Fibre Laser

The concept of laser cutting first became a reality back in the 1970’s and has seen continuous research and development since. Today we have a wealth of laser cutting machines to meet the demands of our industry.

The most versatile machine

Fibre laser machines are seen as some of the most versatile with good reason. They can cut through stainless steel up to 10mm and in some cases even 16mm as well as a wide range of other metals and materials. It has often been said that fibre laser machines are initially expensive and historically there has been some truth in that. However when the claim is weighed against its many benefits, a different perspective emerges.

Make savings from day one

For larger scale production, savings are made from day one thanks to cheaper processing and dramatically quicker production times. For smaller scale operations and one-off batches, the benefits of CNC technology allow for quick and easy production at the touch of a screen, with little in the way of tooling costs and operator intervention.

Laser Functions

The Laser Light Path

Fibre laser is a highly efficient and automated way of cutting but that doesn’t mean it simply switches on and goes mindlessly to work. The path of the laser light is constantly monitored and adjusted as needed. The CNC fibre laser’s lenses and adjustment lenses work with core components to focus correctly alter angles and move the beam - constant and precise automation that its predecessors cannot compete with.

The Laser Generator

The power source for the laser beam is the generator. This, the heart of a CNC fibre laser machine, differs from a CO2 type in that the laser is seeded then amplified within a glass fibre. The resulting beam, with a wavelength of approximately 1 micrometre, can be concentrated into a very small spot (about one hundredth of the minimum size of a CO2 produced laser), making it ideal for cutting reflective materials.

The Fibre Laser Cutting Head

If the laser generator is the machine’s beating heart, you might refer to the laser cutting head as the business end of the CNC fibre laser, yet it is a part of the machine with surprisingly few consumable parts. Since the laser beam is remotely generated and delivered to the head via an optic fibre, expensive lenses and mirrors are out of the way of any potential collisions. It is able to take on a wide range of jobs with little or no need for replacing and reinstalling bespoke toolings or waiting for expensive parts to arrive.

The Focus Position

Few things have greater influence on finish and quality as the focus position of your fibre laser’s nozzle. Different materials naturally require different nozzle heights and a nozzle that is out of focus will not produce the best results.
Few materials however are perfectly even at microscopic scales, meaning the focal length of your laser beam needs constant adjustment. This is where the capacitive sensor comes in, providing constant real time feedback of the distances between nozzle and workpiece to the system’s CNC brain and keeping your laser beam perfectly focused.

Speed & Power

Speed and power are both important factors in cutting width and quality of cut and the thickness limits of a workpiece. As a general rule of thumb, the more powerful the laser beam then the faster your laser machine will cut and it will be able to handle materials of greater thicknesses.

Balance cutting power against speed

Less than optimal settings and that laser power can result in roughness, burning and an overall decrease in cut quality. CNC/NC software can adjust and balance cutting power against speed automatically to preserve quality and precision.

Auxiliary Gases

Gases can affect several different aspects of the fibre laser cutting process with different gasses much better suited to some materials than others. Getting it right is important.

The gases your laser cutter uses serve several purposes, they dispel slag that forms in the cut material’s kerf, they also help to cool the processed material and reduce the temperature of the affected area, in some cases even protecting the base metals themselves. They perform a similar function for the laser machine’s protective lenses, eliminating contamination and overheating. The requirements for each of the above tasks are of course different in terms of flow requirements and pressures.

Selecting your chosen auxiliary gas

The three gases most commonly used are nitrogen, oxygen and air.
Nitrogen tends to be the gas of choice for cutting materials such as aluminium alloys or stainless steel. The thicker plate materials generally require higher pressures to blow off melt and eliminate oxidising effectively.

The purity of oxygen is important to preserve plate cutting quality; if purity is not high then the water and other impurities present in air can cause damage to lenses and inconsistent back and front cutting surfaces.

Reduce cutting costs

Air is very cheap compared to the other gases and even though it contains around a fifth of oxygen, cutting efficiencies are dramatically less than when using purified oxygen. However, some metals and alloys such as aluminium and stainless steel will oxidize from exposure to air, therefore if the quality requirements are high, purified gases may be needed, however, if the final piece is to be painted or processed further then air can be used, reducing costs with a cutting gas that is far more economical.

Selecting your chosen auxiliary gas in line with the characteristics of your materials is vital to attain the quality of end-product you need.

CNC Fibre Laser Cutting Outperforms Other Methods of Cutting

You may have heard it said that fibre laser cutting outperforms other methods of cutting by significant margins. Usually such claims come with a list of nebulous justifications. ‘It’s just better’ or ‘fibre laser is faster’ are just two of the more common ones.

Is that enough though, to justify the initial outlay of your company’s hard-earned cash?

Of course, we need more information, and a closer look at the different advantages of fibre laser machine cutting will help to make an informed decision.

Superior Cutting Quality

CNC fibre laser cuts through materials using a high intensity, focused beam of light, directed at the workpiece. The effect on the workpiece is quick and dramatic; a tiny area is vaporised, and an initial spot is then quickly formed into a clean and narrow slit as the beam moves on its pre-determined route, with virtually no deformation caused to the material even in complex or intricate cuts.

High Levels of Efficiency

CNC fibre laser and cutting efficiency are synonymous. With interfaces that are intuitive, quick and easy to use combined with (often multiple) CNC controlled worktables, automation vastly improves productivity and minimal operator intervention is needed.

Faster Speeds and Quicker Turnaround Times

With far less need for clamping, fixing and repositioning of materials, the industrial laser cutting process is one of greater speeds and much more impressive productivity. Using 2mm thick low carbon steel as an example and a fibre laser cutting machine delivering around 1200W of power, cutting speeds of around 600cm per minute are possible. For non-metals such as resin plate that speed could easily double.

Non-Contact Cutting

Non-contact cutting is an important aspect of cutting materials using high-powered laser machines and with that, comes a range of benefits. Firstly, that ever-present risk of mechanical deformation or damage to the finish of materials is removed from the equation. Tool wear and changovers are also largely things of the past. If you combine those things with the sheer convenience of CNC cutting and the ease of automatic nesting of components prior to the laser cutting process then there is also the added benefit of much less waste...

A wider Range of Materials

Those faster speeds, better productivity levels and superior cuts don’t just apply to metals. Laser cutting is just as feasible for resins, leather, woods and other fibres with the right auxiliary gas such as dry air or nitrogen. Certain levels of adaptability are needed, due to the different properties of each material, but for sheer versatility, CNC fibre laser is an unbeatable choice in today’s industry. It also goes a long way towards getting your business ready for the challenges of tomorrow.

How Adaptable and Flexible is CNC Fibre Laser?

Take all the qualities into account and the evidence is clear; compared to conventional methods of machining fibre laser has significant advantages across the board. It is efficient, accurate and versatile. It comes with potential too, to both future-proof your business and allow the ability to enable working with more materials and an endless number of intricate and complex shapes and forms.

CNC Fibre Laser Cutting, Pros & Cons

It seems obvious that Fibre Laser cutting has many advantages. Clean accurate edges, dramatic reductions in tool wear, automation, speed, precision all come from laser with CNC control. Also the ability to create designs and features that, by any other means, would simply be impossible. All these things are considerable pros, but what about cons? Are there any drawbacks to fibre laser cutting?

The most obvious answer to this question is one of cost. It is widely thought that one of the key drawbacks to CNC fibre laser machines is the initial cost of the machine itself. This belief was born from the early days of laser cutting when machines were highly priced, but it is important to realise that, with advances in technology, this is no longer always the case. Like any machine of course there is a considerable initial outlay, yet few machines have the potential to pay for themselves in the same way as CNC fibre laser machines do.

Think about expensive and time-consuming outsourcing. Think about future-proofing your business and think about doing much more in a lot less time. There are many good reasons why traditional methods of sheet metal cutting are being replaced by fibre laser and the capital cost of the machinery is no longer as significant a factor as it was in the past.

Pros

• Clean accurate edges
• Reductions in tool wear
• Automation
• High speed and efficiency
• High precision

Cons

• Initial outlay is expensive - although more cost effective options are now available on the market and few machines can pay for themselves like the laser.

CNC Fibre Laser Applications Today and in the Future

Nearly all fibre laser cutting machines today are CNC controlled. Advanced software enables them to achieve production line levels of automation. These sophisticated methods of machining combined with the ability to cut a wide range of materials makes the technology ideal for a range of applications.

Manufacturing industries rely heavily on CNC laser cutting

The auto industry for example, relies heavily on CNC laser cutting for a range of highly specialised parts such as curved roof windows and complex body sheets.

The aerospace industry is equally as reliant on laser cutting for components such as engine flame tubes, tail sidings and helicopter rotor blades. Fibre laser is also perfectly suited to the range of more uncommon materials used in the aerospace industry, such as titanium alloys, composites, ceramics and other metal alloys.

CNC fibre laser cutting also has potential in the field of non-metals. It is just as effective on hard, brittle materials such as ceramics, quartz and silicon nitride as well as materials such as fabrics, paper and plastics. Indeed it was originally developed for cutting diamonds!
All the evidence points to the fact that fibre laser is here to stay and will continue to play an ever-growing role in today’s metalworking industry.

CNC Fibre Laser vs CO2 Laser

Before Fibre Laser, there was CO2 Laser machines, large machines that utilised a combination of gases and mirrors to reflect the laser beam to the cutting surface.

While they were the standard machine originally, they've become virtually obsolete by Fibre Laser, as Fibre is faster, more efficient, easier for operators to use and maintain and take up less physical space for equivalent capacities.

Check out our dedicated blog on the benefits of Fibre Laser over CO2.