poczta@prometalform.eu
+48 95 762 08 61
+48 95 762 08 61
Modern technologies of metal working
Laser beam cutting
Laser cutting of tubes and sections
Robotic welding
Sheet metal bending
+48 95 762 08 61
Laser beam cutting
Laser cutting of tubes and sections
Robotic welding
Sheet metal bending
Metalworking is one of the oldest and simultaneously most dynamically developing branches of industry. Modern technologies such as laser cutting, robotic welding, and CNC bending are revolutionizing the way we shape and join metals. Here are fascinating curiosities from this extraordinary world.
The first industrial application of laser in metalworking took place in 1965, just five years after the invention of the first laser. Initially, it was used to drill microscopic holes in diamonds used for producing nozzles for synthetic fibers. Today, industrial lasers can cut steel up to 40 mm thick at speeds of several meters per minute.
Modern laser cutting systems achieve positioning accuracy of ±0.01 mm, which corresponds to roughly one-tenth the thickness of a human hair. The cutting gap width (kerf) can be as little as 0.1-0.3 mm, meaning minimal material loss and the possibility of very dense part arrangement on a sheet.
The temperature at the point of laser beam action can reach up to 20,000°C - that's more than the surface temperature of the Sun (about 5,500°C)! This extreme temperature allows for instantaneous melting and vaporization of metal, enabling clean, precise cutting without mechanical contact with the material.
The choice of assist gas dramatically affects cutting quality. Oxygen accelerates the process through additional exothermic reaction but may leave an oxidized edge. Nitrogen ensures clean, non-oxidized cutting ideal for stainless steel. Argon is used for sensitive materials, while compressed air is becoming increasingly popular for economic reasons.
Fiber lasers are about 3-5 times more energy-efficient than traditional CO2 lasers. They can also cut reflective materials like copper or brass, which previously caused problems for CO2 lasers due to beam reflection back to the source.
The first welding robot was introduced by Unimation in 1962 at General Motors facilities. It was called "Unimate" and was programmed to handle hot casting parts. Today, welding robots can perform welds hundreds of meters long with position repeatability of ±0.02 mm.
Modern welding robots equipped with vision systems can analyze weld shape and quality in real-time, automatically correcting welding parameters. Machine learning algorithms allow robots to "learn" optimal welding techniques for different materials and geometries.
The first experiments with welding in space were conducted in 1969 aboard the Soviet space station Soyuz 6. Today, the use of welding robots for building structures directly in space is being considered, where the absence of atmosphere and gravity creates unique welding conditions.
Advanced robotic welding systems use thermal cameras, spectrometers, and acoustic sensors to monitor the process in real-time. They can detect weld defects in fractions of a second and automatically correct them, which was impossible with manual welding.
Welding robots can work at depths up to 300 meters underwater, performing wet or dry welding in special chambers. They are used for repairing submarine pipelines, drilling platforms, or ship hulls without the need to surface the structures.
Modern CNC press brakes achieve bending accuracy of ±0.1° and position repeatability of ±0.01 mm. This means that the difference between the first and thousandth bent part will be practically unmeasurable with standard measuring tools.
Every metal partially "springs back" after bending - this phenomenon is called springback. Advanced CNC systems automatically compensate for this phenomenon, calculating based on material properties how many additional degrees need to be bent to achieve the target angle. For some steels, this may mean overbending by an additional 2-5 degrees.
Some modern systems use microscopic amounts of special oils or emulsions at the bending point, which can reduce the force needed for bending by up to 40% and significantly improve surface quality. This technique is called "lubrication-assisted bending."
Advanced CNC presses can perform complex bending sequences, changing tools and positions automatically. Record-breaking machines can perform up to 12 different bends on one part without operator intervention, which previously required several different workstations.
CAM software for CNC bending can simulate the entire process before starting production, predicting potential tool collisions, calculating optimal bending sequences, and automatically generating NC programs. Advanced systems even account for machine deformation under bending forces.
Some metal alloys, like nitinol (nickel-titanium alloy), exhibit a shape memory effect. After deformation at low temperature, they return to their original shape when heated. This property is used in medicine (stents) and the aerospace industry.
In the semiconductor industry, CNC machines with positioning accuracy in the order of nanometers (billionths of a meter) are used. Such machines must be installed on special foundations isolated from seismic vibrations and maintained at controlled temperatures with accuracy to ±0.1°C.
Waterjet cutting uses water under pressure up to 6000 bars (60,000 times greater than atmospheric pressure) mixed with abrasives to cut virtually any material. It can cut through 30 cm thick steel with accuracy comparable to laser cutting.
Some machining processes are conducted at cryogenic temperatures (below -150°C) using liquid nitrogen. This technique increases tool hardness, reduces wear, and allows machining of materials that would be too soft or sticky at room temperature.
UAM (Ultrasonic Assisted Machining) technique uses ultrasonic vibrations at 20-40 kHz frequency superimposed on tool movement. This reduces cutting forces by 30-70% and allows machining of very hard ceramic or composite materials.
Additive manufacturing of metals (3D printing) is revolutionizing the industry. Technologies such as SLM (Selective Laser Melting) or EBM (Electron Beam Melting) allow creating structures impossible to manufacture with traditional methods, with internal cooling channels or lattice structures with optimal strength.
Hybrid machines combining subtractive machining (milling, turning) with additive (cladding, 3D printing) are becoming increasingly popular. They allow for repairing worn parts by adding material, followed by precise mechanical machining.
The future of metalworking is intelligent factories where machines communicate with each other, predict failures, automatically optimize processes, and learn from each operation. IoT sensors monitor all process parameters, while AI algorithms adjust machining parameters in real-time for maximum efficiency.
New supermaterials like graphene, carbon nanotubes, or metal-ceramic composites are being developed, requiring completely new machining methods. Simultaneously, tools made from synthetic diamonds or ceramic materials with unprecedented hardness and durability are being created.
Metalworking is a field where traditional craftsmanship meets cutting-edge technology. From atomic precision of lasers, through intelligence of welding robots, to mathematical accuracy of CNC systems - each of these technologies opens new possibilities in design and manufacturing. The future will bring even more advanced solutions, where the boundaries between what's possible and impossible will continue to blur.
Contemporary metalworking is not just technology - it's the art of transforming raw materials into precise, functional engineering masterpieces that surround us in every aspect of life, from cars and airplanes to microscopic electronic components.