Engineers in the car industry were the first to deploy the laser technology for prototype development purposes in order to save on expensive punching tools. Impressed by the results obtained in two-dimensional applications, the industry showed great interest in using the laser for processing the complete spectrum of body parts. This led to the development of five-axes laser cutting systems which opened up three-dimensional applications with three linear axes, two rotational axes and a suitable CNC control. For example Volkswagen in Wolfsburg started 1978 with a 500 W CO2 laser on a two-dimensional gantry system for cutting car body parts in prototype production. 1985 the first five-axes laser machine in Germany was installed and 1988 two further systems were added. Today there is no prototype production in car industry without laser cutting. Interestingly enough three-dimensional laser technique is not only used by the big companies but more and more smaller job shops deploy it very successfully, although the investment costs are in the range of 1.5 Mio DM.
Messer-Griesheim, D Three-dimensional processing with high power CO2 laser systems
Dreidimensionales Verfahren mit Hochleistungs-CO2-Lasersystemen
ISATA, 23th International Symposium on Automotive Technology and Automation ; 1 , Dec ; 374-381
1990
8 Seiten, 8 Bilder
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Englisch
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