Flexible technology integration in mould manufacturing sector

LASERTEC 65 as the most recent model of the Shape series combines the proven 5-axis milling technology based on the highly compact, high performance DMU 65 monoBLOCK? with the possibilities of 5-axis laser precision machining. Therefore productivity and precision start already when milling the moulded parts. A compact cast stand in monoBLOCK? design provides absolute stability and rigidity that guarantees the maximum of long-term accuracy. The machine is designed to require little space – the footprint amounts to merely 7.5 m2 – and offers optimum accessibility to a large work area. This measures 650 × 650 × 560 mm and with a door width of up to 1,430 mm can be loaded from the top by crane at any time. Therefore with the 5-axis machine version with integrated NC swivel-mounted rotary table you can easily insert injection moulds of up to 840 mm diameter and 500 mm height and a workpiece weight of up to 1,000 kg into the work area. The 3-axis machine even enables the machining of workpieces with a maximum weight of 1,800 kg.

The core of the LASERTEC 65 Shape is a fibre laser scan head that can be flexibly integrated into the machine via an HSK interface so that even highly complex moulded parts can be laser textured after milling operations within the same milling set-up. The integration of the HSK laser head is carried out by a special manual changer arm next to the machine that enables retooling from milling to laser operation within 10 minutes. Here the LASERTEC technology can be flexibly integrated into all monoBLOCK? and duoBLOCK? milling machines by DMG / MORI SEKI. This highly innovative way of machining surfaces of plastic injection moulds exceeds the conventional etching technique by far. Compared to the ecologically harmful etching technology with laser texturing even highly complex, geometrically defined 3D surface textures can be integrated easily into free formed surfaces with the highest degree of repeatability. Thus the user can transform customer-specifically almost all imaginable visible technical surfaces starting with the simplest leather texture into a mobile phone mould, complex 3D scale textures into a shoe sole and a geometrically defined pyramid texture into a steering wheel cap.

The structural data necessary for lasering are generated on the basis of greyscale bit maps and integrated into the digital 3D moulds via so-called mapping by a special software. The intelligent software feature LASERSOFT-3D-TEXTURE converts the structural data for the actual machining, generates the CNC machining programmes, 3D simulates the machining in advance and positions the workpiece in such a way that the laser beam will always meet the surface at the most ideal angle of 90°. Hereby the user is supported by the high performance CNC control Siemens 840D solutionline with DMG ERGOline? panel und 19"-TFT monitor.