New Amada Laser

[striker12300]

Hi All. Well, our shop is finally moving into the 21st century. In 1995 we got a new LCE 655. This year it finally died for good. Our owner has purchased an FOM2 3015 nt co2 with a AMNC controller from Schumburg(sp) of the floor. I am the programmer for the laser and although I won't be running the laser you can bet I'll know how to run it. It's going to be running by the end of this month and I wanted to get a head start on learning things. I'll break some of them down for you.

With the programming, do we still write the g code in the computer then load it into the laser through the controller?

Do we still use the big tanks of liquid nitro and oxy for cutting?

Our laser gas was certified at 55% nitro, 40% helium & 5% carbon. Is that the same with this one?

When cutting high pressure nitro do we need an evaporator?

Can I still get a beam overlap alarm?

Thanks for everyone's help and I'm sure I'll have more. Maybe I'll even be able to contribute at some point.

 

[jjl1210]

Post some pictures of the laser and controller so we can see exactly what you have. As far as getting programs to the laser you can go old school and use a floppy if it has a drive but if you can network the laser it's best.

 

[striker12300]

Well the laser doesn't get here until the 21st. I did find out that the laser gas is different. Here's the brochure of it.

 

[Merrill101]

Networking is the best option for the laser. You can download all the programs right to the controller from your programming station.

Bulk tank oxygen and nitrogen is the same.

I've never gotten a Beam Overlap alarm on any of the newer Amada's I've ran since 2007.

 

[LASERNINJA]

I think beam overlap is the same as interference in CRC

 

[LASERNINJA]

So, by comparison, the FOM2 is going to knock your socks off.

If your savy, u could probably use the same program software. Instead of all the cut data in the program, the control calls out a data base called cutting conditions. Much easier.

You can use the same RS232 cable to send programs to the control but yea, network is way better.

You will need an evaporator for nitrogen, and liqid bottles. And yes, laser gas is different. Gas quality is extremely important as well as making sure you don't have any leaks.

 

[striker12300]

So what determines what conditions are called out. We currently have AP100US 2013 which I'm sure I can get to work. I don't know if I have to get the latest driver though.
For the LCE 655 I was using the 1999 driver but I do have a 2012 driver. Thanks for the responses guys.

 

[evans1089]

We have the larger version of that model, if you need any help when you get it, please do ask.
Our local friends have the same machine as you too, so if I don't know anything I can always ask them for you.

 

[striker12300]

Thanks for the offers for help. I'm sure I'll be using them. A quick question, do you have to move the shuttle table in & out for each program or can you leave it in and load your material there? I ask because most of our cutting is done on smaller pieces that we shear down to size and not so much full sheets. Thanks again.

 

[Merrill101]

You can hand load the machine.

 

[striker12300]

The laser gets here on Tuesday. We are currently trying to figure out where to put the laser, chiller and dust collector. The laser is actually the easiest of the 3.

 

[Merrill101]

Not sure if it's an option as this point for you but we built a mezzanine above our laser and put all of the components on top.

 

[striker12300]

When you clean the drawers out, do you scoop the stuff out, remove the drawers and dump them or some other way.

 

[Merrill101]

Dust collector? We dump the bucket into a garbage bag and throw it away.

 

[striker12300]

Actually the drawers in the laser where the slugs and other metal scraps fall.

 

[Merrill101]

They should be on rollers. We just shovel them into a hopper.

 

[striker12300]

So you remove the drawers, empty them and slide them back in place? The reason I'm asking is because that would have a lot of influence as to where we put it.
We have a mezzanine above our structural rack where the old collector & chiller were. The collector can go up there again but the guys doing the install said it would get to hot
up there when the chiller turned on. I suggested an exhaust fan but we'll see have far that goes.

 

[Merrill101]

Yes, we roll the carts over to the dumpster and shovel it out. The trays under the conveyor don't fill up as fast. Usually we pull them out partially and combine them into one tray and wheel it over the dumpster.

 

[lasermate]

Does anyone have a spare parts list for this machine they can share?
thanks

 

[Chalked]

Chillers put off a lot of heat. we put Duct work on our chillers, to vent the heat out in the summer, but also made it to where we can redirect the heat back into the shop during winter. and with 4 chillers they pretty much heat half of a 100,000 sq ft building. as far as laser placement, not sure what your future holds but if you're limited on space, then you're limited on space. but I would give as much room as possible. if not already you may add some automation to the laser. not to mention its just nice to be able to access all sides of a laser, for material loading and parts and skeleton unloading, plus your general clean up. we have one of our laser crammed in the corner of the shop. and not everything falls into the trays on a laser, and when you have to carry shovels full of laser slag, through basically a foot and a half space, the entire distance of the laser, it gets frustrating real quick.