Preston firm invests in high-power laser-cutting machine

The 8kW TruLaser 5040 fibre is being supplied to Preston-based engineering firm AK Stainless

German machine tool supplier Trumpf has demonstrated and sold the highest-powered solid-state laser-cutting machine in the UK.

The 8kW TruLaser 5040 fibre is being supplied to Preston-based engineering firm AK Stainless.

Tony Baron, managing director of AK Stainless, said: “We are experiencing continued demand for thicker cut plate, particularly from heavy engineering sectors such as nuclear. 

“The 8kW laser power and Trumpf BrightLine fibre technology will ensure that the higher speed associated with using fibre laser technology on thin sheet is also achievable on plate up to 40 mm thick.”

The 2D laser-cutting machine uses a fibre-guided solid-state laser and features selective cooling of the workpiece using a circular mist of water to enable greater material tolerance and more intricate parts to be cut to a tighter sheet layout. It also features “drop and cut” – where a live image of the machine’s interior is displayed to the operator, who can drag and drop new parts on to the sheet in real time to minimise the amount of wastage.