RFID Lens Enhances 2D Laser Cutting

Trumpf has enhanced its LensLine sensor system for 2D laser cutting machines by combining it with a radio frequency identification (RFID) lens to achieve improved accuracy, process reliability and user friendliness, the company says. The LensLine condition monitoring function improves the reliability of cutting processes and reduces the frequency of lens cleaning. The sensor system’s enhanced condition monitoring function is said to analyze the degree of contamination faster and more accurately for process reliability.

The RFID lens is a standard feature for Trumpf’s TruLaser Series 3000 machines with a CO2 laser. The RFID chip attached to the lens records condition monitoring data and other information including when the lens has been cleaned. A condition monitoring test can also be carried out automatically at user-defined intervals. The test indicates precisely when the lens needs to be cleaned so operators can optimize the cleaning cycle without performing time-consuming visual inspections. A schematic display provides a complete overview of the lens cleaning cycle so operators must only intervene when necessary. The company says this LensLine enhancement enables users to reduce cleaning times by as much as 40 percent.

The RFID technology also increases the reliability of the cutting process by ensuring that only lenses with the correct focal length are installed in the machine and in the correct orientation. The sensor system not only delivers objective, accurate measurements indicating the degree of lens contamination, but also provides additional protection if the lens is not cleaned at the prescribed intervals. If particles accumulate beyond a certain concentration, the lens may absorb too much laser energy causing it to overheat or start to decompose. The system detects the first signs of this thermal degradation process and responds by switching off the laser within a few milliseconds. Once the lens has been replaced, the cutting process can be continued safely.