Designed Sequence of Operations

Design Objectives

LaserMate was developed to meet the needs of Windsor Industrial Services simple cost effective unit that;

1. Stores the material for the scheduled jobs

2. Flexible enough to introduce rush jobs

3. Maximize floor space around the laser table to process the finished parts

4. Load our laser(s) quickly and safely

5. Minimize plate and sheet handling

6. Unload our heavy skeletons

7. Rugged enough to provide long worry free service

8. User-friendly controls

The objective of this design is to process a sample of one and to handle raw material and finished product only once in the cutting cell.  Windsor Industrial Services while using this product in our laser shop has reduced incidence of health related issues and maintains one of the highest beam on ratios in the industry according to industry standard.  Windsor Industrial Services maintains the highest level of on time delivery.  Windsor Industrial Services has only one operator per shift per lasers for our three shift operations. He loads and unloads the laser beds, inspects, packages, tags and performs any secondary operations that may be required. Manpower utilization rate of less than 70%. He is free for other tasks.

Pendant Icon Description

The LaserMate controls are a Windows based PC with a touch screen on a pendant, outside of the bridge envelope with the following icons:

Manual Mode pushes and holds the icon to activate the function and release to stop

• In icon, for sheet alignment (carriage towards laser enclosure)

• Out icon, for sheet alignment (carriage away from laser enclosure)

• Up icon (raise the carriage)

• Down icon (lower the carriage)

• Forward (carriage to Laser icon)

• Back (carriage to Tower icon)

• Vacuum release icon

• Error message icon

Automatic Mode specific sequences are carried out automatically by touching the icon

• Shelf icons #1, #2, #3 or #4 will go to shelf elevation automatically

• To Laser icon (Forward)

• To Tower icon (Back)

Note: The LaserMate is a manual interface system therefore the operator is responsible to ensure the path of the LaserMate is clear of people and possible obstructions.

SEE SEQUENCE SKETCH FOR ADDITIONAL INFO

Sequence of Operations

Load Tower

• The LaserMate carriage is positioned over the laser bed while the lift truck loads the shelves.

• The shelves are loaded for the scheduled day or shifts product requirements.
   (Maximum of nine Inches of material per shelf)

• The lift truck positions the sheets or plate to the locator position on the shelf. The locator position should be in the same plane as the nest position on the laser bed.

Loading the Laser Bed

• The operator at the remote pendant pushes the automatic mode icon and then chooses shelf icon Either #1, #2, #3 or #4

• The operator at the remote pendant pushes the To Tower icon

• The LaserMate will proceed automatically to that shelf and enters the tower and hold above the sheet or plate.

• The operator pushes the down icon to pick up the sheet or plate.

• When the LaserMate has stopped on the sheet or plate the vacuum will be automatically activated.
  Note: The vacuum generator will activate a horn if the vacuum has not been established prior to lifting the plate.

• The operator then pushes the Up icon, the vacuum having been established, the LaserMate will lift the sheet or plate a few inches to allow the operator to determine if there is more than one sheet. The operator can then separate the sheets or plates. (If required)

• The operator then push To laser icon on the remote pendant to proceed.
  Note: The operator can manually move the vacuum cups and close the valves to specific vacuum cups if they are not required to handle an odd size sheet.

• The LaserMate will automatically retract from the tower and proceed to the preset position over the laser bed. This position should be within 1/8’’ from the nest position on the laser bed and approximately 2” above the laser bed. Travel time is less than 30 seconds.
  Note: This position can be changed in the set up menu at the pendant by Customer’s qualified technician.

Sheet Alignment

• The operator at the remote pendant selects the manual mode icon and pushes the down icon on the touch screen to lowers the sheet or plate to the laser bed. The operator has the option, prior to lowering the sheet, to push the appropriate icons to move the sheet in/out or To Laser back/ To Tower forward to jog the sheet or plate into position. Note: In the manual mode push and hold the icon to activate the function and release to stop.

• The operator at the remote pendant selects the release vacuum icon and hold for 10 seconds until the sheet is released from the suction cups.
  Note: the vacuum will release easier if the plate is approximately 1/8” above the laser bed

Return Carriage to Tower (home position)

• The operator pushes the automatic mode icon and then pushes the shelf icon #2 and then pushes To Tower icon, the LaserMate will proceed into the shelf and hold over the sheet.
  Note: If the operator did not center the carriage after the jogging the sheet into position at the laser bed, the carriage will not enter the tower.  The carriage will stop prior to entering and display an error message of the pendant screen. The operator can manually moves the carriage by pushing the appropriate in/out icon in manual mode on the pendant screen and line up the carriage with the aid of the big arrow on the top of the carriage or pushes the error message icon and push auto center.  The operator then pushes while in automatic mode then To Tower icon and the carriage will proceed to the shelf #2 home position.

Removing Skeleton

• The operator is to remove the skeleton for the laser bed. The operator goes to the remote pendant and pushes the automatic mode icon and then To laser icon. The LaserMate will travel, from the home position, to the laser bed automatically and stop at the preset position over the bed.

• The operator will push the manual mode icon on the pendant and push the Up icon to raise the carriage approximately 6” to 8”.

• The operator will raise the skeleton and pull down on the retractable hook and strap and find and appropriate positions to raise skeletons
  Note: 8 straps and hooks available.

• When the skeleton is secure the material handler will push the Up icon on the remote pendant to raise the skeleton approximately 2” off the bed.

• The operator will push out the parts stuck in the skeleton.

• The operator will push and hold the Forward (To Laser icon) on the pendant until the skeleton and carriage reaches the end of the travel.

• The operator will push and hold the Down icon on the pendant to lower the skeleton to the floor or pallet and allow for slack in the straps for easy removal of the hooks from the skeleton and allow the hooks to retract.

• The operator will push automatic mode icon and then shelf #2 icon and the carriage will rise to the appropriate height.

• The operator while in the automatic mode will push the appropriate shelf icon either 1, #2, #3 or #4 for the next job and then push to tower icon

• The LaserMate will proceed automatically to the tower and enter the shelf.

• The LaserMate is now ready to load the laser bed for the next job.

Finished Part Removal

• The operator can then remove the finished parts from the laser bed and place them in the suitable pallet, box or cart and prepare for shipment to the customer or the next operation

Unscheduled Jobs

The sheet or plate can be introduced at three locations:

1. Any available shelf in the rear load tower and loaded normally

2. Introduced on the floor between the laser bed and the tower and brought to the laser table in the manual mode

3. At the skeleton unload area and brought to the laser table in the manual mode.

This can be accomplished without interrupting the normal operation of the laser.

SEE SEQUENCE SKETCH FOR ADDITIONAL INFO