Decisions are often made in offices or boardrooms. You glance at your production figures. At the current time, your laser operator spends ten minutes actually cutting and fifteen minutes moving parts off the cutting sheet and on the new one. The machine is idle for 50 percent of the working day.
It is apparent that the solution to the problem is to change to a laser with dual pallets which uses an exchange table.
The two operators work together simultaneously, one unloading Table B and the other loading Table A. Zero down time results. Double the throughput.
On the factory floor you step out from the doorway. Walking through the factory, you see the crowded aisles lined with the raw materials and the welding stations. The feeling that one is losing control grew more intense. We need to position the piece of equipment in a location where it will be easily accessible and can be used without obstruction.
Fibre laser cutting machines are typically large in size. Exchange tables are often used with a laser. Carefully measuring the space where the sewing machine will be used is vital to buying the correct machine. If this measurement is incorrect, you may be purchasing a sewing machine plus the materials for modifications to your house.
Let’s look beyond the specifications given in the manual. When calculating the footprint of a laser cutter for the production floor, remember to include not only the machine itself but also safety zones, aisles, forklift paths and auxiliary equipment like shelving.
The Brochure vs. Reality: Why “Machine Dimensions” Lie
When you download a spec sheet for a 3015 (10ft x 5ft) laser, it might say:
Size: 8.5 metres by 3 metres.
You measure your floor space. The space available is 9m x 4m. One might think this is a suitable space to accommodate the item in question.
I don’t need to rephrase it.
It is merely the outer casing of the machine. It does not account for:
Maintenance doors can swing outwards to a width of 1 metre.
The control is usually located on a console, which is often situated on a swing arm or, if the machine is large, on a separate pedestal that projects out from the machine.
Occasionally, the on-screen motion extends a little beyond the picture frame during the scene change, when the two scenes are transferred.
General maintenance requirements are that a 1 m (3 ft) service clearance must be present on all sides of the equipment. It’s not uncommon for maintenance to be a significant undertaking when the laser cutter is installed in a poorly planned or improperly constructed location. If the laser is installed in a fixed position, maintenance can be difficult, such as when the blower is located at the back of the gantry.
The Exchange Mechanism: Length Matters
The Exchange Mechanism: Length Matters
The defining feature of this machine is the dual pallet system.
To swap two 3m long tables, you essentially need a machine that is slightly longer than two tables put together, plus the mechanism to lift or lower them.
Single Table Machine: Length ≈ 5m.
Exchange Table Machine: Length ≈ 8m – 10m.
The exchange table laser cutter footprint is dominated by length.
The exchange happens in one of two ways:
Up/Down (Hydraulic): One table lifts up, the other passes underneath. This saves a little length but adds height.
Horizontal Pass: The tables shift sideways and then forward. This requires a wider footprint.
Most modern high-speed fiber lasers use the Up/Down method because it is faster (10-15 seconds exchange time). This means your primary concern is the longitudinal axis of your factory. Do you have a 10-meter runway free?
he “Hidden” Footprint: Auxiliaries
No red lasers on a desert island are to be found. It’s an environment with a range of living things.
Around the main CNC laser cutting machine there should be several large life support systems. Your shop floor could become cluttered with hazards to walk around which may lead to a maze of obstacles.
The Chiller
Needs about 1m x 1m.
The system cools the laser source and the cutting head.
This plant requires about a square metre of space.
The air conditioning system has the unfortunate effect of blowing out warm air. This kind of equipment must be positioned in such a manner that it is not in contact with the electrical equipment and the corner of the room. The laser cutter has to be at least half metre away from any other objects in all directions to function properly in the summer.
The Dust Collector
Operates in confined areas, ventilating the space by removing vapors and gases.
The Space or table tennis table requires a space of 1.5m x 1.5m.
The collector is connected to the engine by a very large, flexible tube. The hose must have a smooth curve rather than a sharp corner at 90 degrees. This necessitates the positioning of the collector further from the machine than was intended.
The Gas Bottles / Tanks
Equipment Description: Oxygen and Nitrogen Gas Supply
The oxygen and nitrogen gas supply is used to provide a supply of oxygen and nitrogen gases.
If you choose to use a bulk tank, you will need a large area, 2m x 2m, accessible by a pallet jack. When using a bulk tank outdoors you have to consider the cost of the run inside the building.
The Transformer/Stabilizer
Operates: Power cleaning.
An exhibition stand is generally a box of approximately the dimensions of a large washing machine (80cms x 80cms).
The “Forklift Dance”: Logistics Space
It’s crucial to avoid a layout in which the flow of goods being manufactured goes backwards. This is a number one mistake in factory layout design.
You’re a cog in a massive industrial machine but you have never thought about how the metal parts you use every day get to the manufacturing plant.
The Exchange Table CO2 laser machine can cut through metal at a quick pace. Using a 12 kW laser, the processing of a 3 mm steel sheet takes 4 minutes. The loading dock has constant traffic due to a forklift coming into the area.
Calculating the Turn
The space needed for a fork-lift to turn whilst carrying a load of 3m x 1.5m would be 3.5 to 4 meters in diameter.
It is normally situated at the rear or the side of the delivery bay.
The problem is in the tight three point lift area, the forklift cannot turn with the load because the back of the lift is too close to a wall or column.
This is 2m. The forklift will have to be driven in at an angle; this risks damaging either the equipment or the load.
Having the floor marked with masking tape beforehand is worth considering. Have your forklift driver attempt to “load” a phantom sheet. If they are struggling you should either reposition the machine or adjust the feed rate.
Material Storage: Buffer Zones
As the exchange table laser cutter is primarily constructed with speed in mind, it necessitates the use of raw materials immediately.
At any time, he cannot afford to leave his station and walk to the other side of the factory to fetch a sheet.
A buffer area should be provided adjacent to the loading station.
A batch of unprocessed papers arrived on our desk. In a space measuring three metres by one and a half metres,
Incoming: A convenient area to put any cut pieces or skeletons. The dimensions of the room are 3 metres by 1.5 metres.
Ideally, a buffer area should be positioned immediately adjacent to the machine’s lifting boom or vacuum lifter. This adds a rectangle of dimensions 3 metres by 4 metres to your total area requirement.
Safety Enclosures and Light Curtains
Exchange tables are dynamic. Automatically moving heavy steel work tables are becoming increasingly common. A falling object poses a risk of crushing.
In CE and FDA controlled environments the working area must be isolated.
In many contemporary high powered laser cutting machines the cutting area is contained within a glass cabinet. The loading area of these laser cutting machines is usually open.
Safety Light Barriers: Invisible infra-red beams that will stop a machine from running if someone enters the area.
The safety light barrier posts are installed at a distance of 0.5 to 1 meter in front of the moving table to enable the machine to stop. The edge of the table isn’t the edge of the safe zone. The “Safety Footprint” is larger than the “Steel Footprint” as the ‘Safety Footprint’ is 10 inches by 15 inches and the ‘Steel Footprint’ is 8 inches by 12 inches.
A Real-World Calculation Example
Let’s calculate the true space needed for a standard 3015 (10ft x 5ft) Exchange Table Laser
Length of machine: 9.0 metres; width of machine: 3.0 metres.
Maintenance Perimeter: Add 1.0m on all sides.
Length: 11.0 metres, Width: 5.0 metres.
Generally chiller and dust collection equipment are positioned in a remote corner. Add 2.0m width.
New dimensions 11 metres by 7 metres.
The rear and sides of the truck should be accessible. For each building, a rectangular area of 4.0m x 4.0m is added to the length and width depending on the approach. The dimensions are shown below.
A block of 96 sq meters is recommended for this system to operate properly and without any hazards.
This machine, designed to perform a huge variety of tasks, could be housed in a space measuring 6m by 5m.
What if You Don’t Have the Space?
You have calculated that the size of the exchange table laser cutter is too large for your available workshop space. Do you have to give up on productivity?
Not necessarily. Here are three alternatives:
Most manufacturers who provide side shift machines have compact versions where the hydraulic side shift is positioned under the boom. Yihai Laser is one such manufacturer offering this type of machinery. However, these compact designs are not common among high power units.
Tower Storage Systems: If you can’t go out, go up. The automated storage and retrieval tower stores raw materials above the laser in vertical rows. The sheet is automatically loaded on start up. The requirement for a large forklift turning circle and a floor-based buffer zone is eliminated.
If you are currently using a single table then you might consider replacing it with a shuttle or a single table with a scissor lift. This allows the machine to move under the printer more quickly. It does not have the speed of a double pallet truck but it does save in floor space, approximately 13.1 feet.
Conclusion: Measure Twice, Buy Once
Having a dual pallet fibre laser system can significantly increase the production output of your business. It’s a terrible situation if the equipment doesn’t fit.
Overcrowding leads to problems such as noise, unsanitary conditions and increased stress amongst the inmates.
Reduced Cooling Capacity of Chillers (Plant Downtime)
Forklift accidents (damage).
Disgruntled engineers who cannot access the service panels take longer to make repairs.
Before you sign a purchase order, ensure you are at the bottom. The purchase order has a line at the top and another at the bottom. Use a piece of masking tape to hold the order in place so that the top and bottom lines align. Designate the entire floor space for production, incorporating forklifts and safety zones into the layout. The construction crew should walk through the area where the forklift will be driven to check for any obstacles.
Our laser sales team will provide a free laser manual which is detailed and comprehensive so that you can easily assemble the laser engraver yourself at your own pace. Your engineering team requests that you provide your factory floor layout in DWG or DXF format. Our installation layout is created by overlaying our footprint and safety zones along with all other required auxiliaries. The equipment will be suited to your operations from the outset.
Are you concerned about being financially squeezed? We require you to send over your current shop layout immediately, so that YIHAI LASER‘s engineers can create an optimal arrangement that best suits your current facility.
FAQ: Exchange Table Laser Installation
Are the chiller and dust collector on the machine easily separable?
A few are free, but most of them have to be paid for. Generally, chiller hoses and the fibre optic laser cable are 10 to 15 meters in length. If the dust collector ducting is excessively long or features too many bends, the suction power may be diminished. It is best to keep the antennas within a five metre radius of the main unit.
Does the foundation for the exchange table need to be strengthened?
In general, exchange tables are bulky and in constant motion. A standard 150mm reinforced concrete floor is generally adequate, but we would recommend ensuring the floor is perfectly level. A malfunctioning floor can lead to a table exchange system jamming.
Can the washing machine be fitted into a corner of a typical house ?
Position one side of the washing machine against the wall (usually the non operator side), but you must leave one meter for maintenance. Position the loading side or the control panel on a non dominant corner.
The minimum ceiling height is 2.7 metres (8.8 feet) over the entire area.
The machine is generally under 2.5 metres tall. The Z-axis wire chain may however curve upwards. When using vacuum lifters or cranes to handle the sheets, it is essential to have sufficient height above.
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