How to reduce material waste with laser processing, Part 2

One of the most common methods for making the best use of available material and reducing waste on Lasertube machines is nesting - an algorithm that optimizes cutting patterns based on the material loaded onto the Lasertube machine.

Software features to reduce waste

BLM GROUP's laser cutting machines for tubes and profiles are equipped with various features that help reduce material waste.

Example of nesting for a Lasertube machine in Prometheus, MES software for production management and supervision.

BLM GROUP’s software isn’t limited to nesting; it can also simulate the optimal bar length to minimize waste:

• Optimal Bar Length Simulation: This is a feature of Prometheus, BLM GROUP’s MES (Manufacturing Execution System) software, which allows users to simulate - as the tube length varies - the total amount of material required to complete the batch and the resulting scrap, thereby determining the total number of good parts and scrap pieces that can be obtained from each individual bar.

  
  Estimated quantity of material needed to complete the batch, assuming a hypothetical cost of €100 per bar. 

  If, for example, 50 parts are needed to complete the batch, Prometheus can determine how many bars are required and what length results in the least amount of scrap, while indicating the cost per part.

• Scrap Advance: Prometheus feature that allows - if the part to be cut permits it - to use the bar clamped in the chuck as a usable part, anticipating the scrap during bar nesting.
  
  
• Full-Bar Cycle: Particularly useful when the machine needs to utilize the entire usable length of the bar for machining, avoiding the start and end trimming of the bar.

See also: How to Reduce Material Waste with Laser Processing, Part 1