In order to meet users' requirements for production efficiency and processing accuracy, researchers and equipment manufacturers are trying to break through the limitations of traditional milling, drilling, turning, grinding and other processing methods. With the continuous improvement and perfection of traditional processing technology, various novel cutting technologies and processing methods are also emerging. The following are some modern processing techniques that have been successfully applied, and many new processing methods are under development.

Laser cutting processing:

Since lasers were first introduced in the 1960s, they have expanded in variety, size and range of applications. At present, the research and development of laser technology and equipment mainly include: ① improve user friendliness and easy operation; ② Easy to maintain; ③ Improve the ability of "plug and play"; (4) Reduce the size of equipment to be used in medical and electronic industries; ⑤ Improve accuracy; ⑥ Flexible ability to adapt to niche production and mass production.

In the past twenty years, laser machining technology has become an important part of sheet metal processing, and the increasing laser power has greatly improved the productivity. In addition, laser processing equipment has many different design features.

Trumpf, a world-renowned laser processing equipment manufacturer, attaches great importance to the versatility of laser processing equipment and has been providing customers with 2-D and 3-D laser cutting systems. Because laser processing is so flexible, it is a good way to solve the dilemma faced by many business managers -- whether to focus on a "niche market" for small batches of single-piece processing or to implement high volume production. Trumpf's 3D laser machining system can be easily customized for either of these two processing types. In the high-volume automotive industry, the system is used for precise cutting of vehicle bodies with clear and clean cuts and no heat-affected zone (HAZ) issues. Using the cutting power of laser can simplify the manufacturing process of the same type of car body. For example, laser machining systems can cut out the position of a car's steering wheel during the final production process, whether it is on the left or right side of the body. A car can be turned into a convertible by laser cutting off the roof. By adding a few welders, the car can be turned into a pickup truck. This reduces the number of body stamping molds and operators, greatly increasing productivity, which means the laser machining system can achieve flexible manufacturing without tools.

Trumpf can also provide laser cutting machines and laser bending machines for processing plants, making it easier to manufacture box-like components. Laser cutting machine is used to cut the sheet metal first, and then laser bending machine is used to shape the workpiece. The latest development is the addition of a laser welding station in the sheet metal workshop.

Another application of 3D laser cutting system in automotive industry is cutting high strength steel. To improve the strength and reduce the weight of auto parts, auto makers are increasingly using stronger metals. However, the subsequent problem is that these materials are very difficult to cut, resulting in a sharp increase in tool wear, which makes it impossible to achieve economic machining using conventional cutting processes.

The Trumpf laser can easily and quickly achieve complex cutting without subsequent secondary machining. A big problem to be solved in developing this kind of laser machining system is the accumulation of errors, including the errors of workpiece, laser system and workpiece clamping system. The workpiece clamping problem further complicates matters, since there are no holes in the workpiece for safe and reliable clamping, special clamps need to be designed to ensure that the workpiece does not cause any deformation during machining.