Laser drilling machine offers more accuracy

Mitsui Seiki has developed a small, vertical, Nd:YAG laser drilling machine for 300mm3 parts for aerospace engine parts makers who wanted a higher-speed and more accurate laser-drilling machine.

Mitsui Seiki has introduce a 5-axis CNC laser drilling machine for high-speed, precision holemaking in tough alloys.

The VLD-300 laser drills 12in3 parts (300mm x 300mm x 300mm).

Mitsui Seiki developed the machine in cooperation with several aerospace engine component manufacturers.

They wanted a higher-speed and more accurate laser-drilling machine than what was currently available on the market.

Some workpieces, such as jet engine high temperature alloy parts, require about 3,000 small diameter cooling airflow holes.

These are drilled.

each at a different angle, in a non-contact manner.

Laser is often the best option for speed and for minimising material stress.

Typical materials are Inconel, Waspalloy, Hastalloy and nickel-based titanium alloys.

Mitsui Seiki told manufacturingtalk that it had spent some three years in research and development of the VLD-300.

The machine offers positioning accuracy and repeatability in X-, Y-, Z-axis of 0.00004in (0.001 mm).

A-axis positioning accuracy is +/-6 arc sec; repeatability is +/-3 arc seconds.

C-axis accuracy is +/-4arc sec; repeatability is +/-2 arc sec.

X-, Y-, Z-axis cutting feed rate is 0.004-0.787in/min (0.1-20,000mm/min) and X-, Y-, Z-axis acceleration rate is 1.5G.

Mitsui Seiki partnered with a European laser company for the Nd:YAG version of this new machine.

The VLD-300 is designed to also work with CO2, diode pump, and fiber lasers for different aerospace and other industry applications, such as certain electronics, medical, and automotive parts.

Vice president, Mitsui Seiki USA, Tom Dolan, said: "What is unique about the Mitsui Seiki laser drilling machine is that it takes our traditional, highly precise and extremely repeatable machine tool building methodology and applies a laser rather mechanical drilling tools".

He continued: "That's what customers wanted: a Mitsui Seiki machine with a laser, not a laser with machine tool features as secondary.

Laser technology has come a long way over the past ten years, but precise motion control and high accuracy was lacking until now.

Our innovative approach to machine tool building is applied to this small footprint machine, and this allowed us to incorporate a fairly simple, effective beam delivery system.

The optic system has just one axis of motion, 'Z', and one bending mirror for easy maintenance and beam alignment simplicity".

For rigidity and stability, the VLD-300 has a cast iron bed and linear motor drives.

A dust collection system, combined with an interior work area of smooth, highly sloped surfaces, keeps cutting debris from contaminating the work zone and equipment.

The Nd:YAG system offers a focal length of 200mm or 300mm with a height sensor for scanning and work offset probing.

The machine is "automation ready" for devices such as pallets and robotic loading/unloading equipment.

A Fanuc 310iM control features the Microsoft Windows-based platform and seamlessly controls the machine, laser, and the auxiliary equipment.

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