Metalli Järvelä enhances its tube cutting with: 3D fiber tube laser with versatile automation

Metalli Järvelä further strengthens its possibilities in laser cutting of tubes. The new 3D fiber tube laser brings more cutting capacity and speed to production and also ensures production in possible disturbance situations. One feature of the machine offering many automation features is a system unique in Finland for slag removal from inside the cut tube.

Metalli Järvelä Oy, based in Kaustinen, has been using tube laser cutting for many years. The company’s new, third tube laser now brings new capabilities alongside the previous machine, which was acquired a few years ago and remains in production.

“First of all, the size class grows quite considerably with the new machine. With this machine tubes can be handled from 12 mm all the way to 240 mm, which for us means a leap in size classes. In addition, the machine is faster than before, it brings in its part certainty to production in possible machine breakdown cases, and when we now acquired the new machine, we wanted it with features that also enable new customer relationships. This is an investment for the future,” tells Managing Director Rauno Järvelä.

Growing sector

Metalli Järvelä, originally Koneistuspalvelu Rauno Järvelä, founded in 1987.

As the original name suggests, operations started with machining, and machining is still part of the company’s operations.

Today, the company focuses mainly on sheet metal work, bending and cutting.

When the younger generation of the Järvelä family became involved in the business a few years ago, the company name changed and its development gained new momentum through technology investments. The bending equipment has been upgraded, and sheet metal is cut in-house using a modern fiber laser.

One earlier development step, before the investment in sheet laser cutting, was the move into tube laser cutting. The company’s first tube laser was celebrated at the time in a way that suited Kaustinen perfectly: with the Kaustinen Folk Metal Festival. In recent years, the volume of tube cutting work has increased significantly, and th e first tube laser has since been replaced with a newer machine. The latest investment now brings next-generation technology and fresh capacity to this area.

Loading from both front and rear

The BLM Laser Tube LT8.20 is equipped with a 4 kW fiber laser and a 3D cutting head, enabling bevel cutting and the cutting of more demanding profile shapes. The machine is suitable for cutting round, square and rectangular tubes, as well as special profiles and open profiles. It can process round tubes with diameters from 12 mm to 240 mm.

Efficient loading is an important feature in tube laser production. Järvelä’s machine has two-sided loading for 6.5-meter-long materials. Complete bundles can be loaded from the rear side of the machine, from where tubes are automatically fed into the machine one at a time with minimal waiting time.

From the front, individual tubes and profiles can be loaded automatically using a so-called step loader. On the unloading side, cut tubes and profiles can be discharged to the front in lengths of up to 6.5 meters and to the rear in lengths of up to 4.5 meters. The system also includes several sorting positions for small parts, unloading for short pieces, a scrap unloading conveyor and motorised tables.

Spoon system

The machine representing BLM’s new technology is, in terms of its features, a compact package.

One unique feature is the so-called spoon system, included in the machine as the first in Finland, thanks to which sensitive materials can be cut without cutting splashes being left on the inner surface of the tube. The system sucks them away.

“For example, in the handling of food industry piping, the system is very desired. This feature was one superiority factor in the acquisition of the machine. This brings us possibilities going forward,” tells Project Manager Visa Järvelä.

The actual cutting work is supported by many automation functions. One of these is the Active Scan feature, which scans the material’s bending and twisting and can compensate for possible material defects during cutting. This makes it possible, for example, to identify the correct position of the corners of a square tube.

“In this way, with this it is possible to always make the cutting in the right place despite a material defect,” tells Marko Tuominiemi from Fredko, which delivered the machine and is BLM’s representative in Finland.

With the Active Weld feature, the location and size of the longitudinal weld seam in the tube material is measured by imaging. In this way, when cutting at the seam location, the machine knows automatically to use higher power, whereby certain penetration of the cut can be guaranteed.

The Active Tilt feature brings speed to the cutting of small transfers and to making markings, and reduces mechanical stress, when a large mass does not need to be moved short distances at high speeds.

Versatile automation

In terms of software, the machine is easy to use, and the processing of parts or complete assemblies is carried out in a 3D environment.

Among other functions, the software compensates for elongation caused by bends in the finished product. This means that holes made in the material while it is still straight remain in the correct positions after bending.

The software also enables the creation of different joint designs, which can eliminate the need for jigs in the welding department. This substantially shortens production lead times.

The software’s production control system calculates the most economical nesting order for parts in order to minimise waste. It also calculates part prices to support quotation work.

The new machine has been in use at Metalli Järvelä since the end of last year. It is located in an extension that was acquired and renovated specifically for this machine a couple of years ago. Going forward, cranes to facilitate the handling of heavy materials will also be installed alongside the machine.

“This represents a new generation of tube laser cutting. The machine’s production speed is impressive, the visual user interface is easy to use, and a wide range of automation functions support efficient operation. Of course, new technology also involves a learning curve, which is naturally part of the start-up phase. We are moving forward one day at a time, and as we gain more experience with the machine, the benefits become increasingly clear,” says machine operator Juha Kokkila.