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www.bystronic.com

BYSTRONIC LASER AG, NIEDERÖNZ, SWITZERLAND

FAST, EFFICIENT AND

LASER-SHARPBystronic Laser AG develops and sells sheet metal working systems around the globe. The company's headquarters in Niederönz, Canton of Bern, Switzerland, produces state-of-the-art laser and waterjet cutting machines. The latest innovation, the ByAutonom laser cutting system, is equipped with the Laser Gas Regulator (LGR) newly developed by HOERBIGER. In part thanks to the outstanding performance of this novel gas and pressure change system for laser cutting machines, the ByAutonom is signifi cantly faster and more effi cient than the machines offered by the competition.TEXT: LUDWIG SCHÖNEFELD · PHOTOS: BYSTRONIC

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Home to approximately 1,600 residents,

Niederönz in the Canton of Bern is

truly not a town you would know. The

fact that one of the leading manufac-

turers of laser and waterjet cutting

systems in the world has its headquarters here is

related to Bystronic’s history: the company was

founded in 1964 in the village of Bützberg, locat-

ed just a few miles away. The company name re-

sulted from the combination of the names of the

three founders Byland, Schneider and Trösch.

After initially focusing on glass processing ma-

chines, Bystronic started to develop laser cutting

machines in the early 80s. The success of the

new market segment resulted in the inception of

a separate entity, Bystronic Laser AG, in 1986.

Two years later, the company unveiled the first

waterjet cutting machine, the ByJet.

Expansion in Germany and ChinaSince 1994, Bystronic has been part of Conzze-

ta AG, a Switzerland-based industrial holding

company primarily engaged in machinery and

systems engineering. This enabled Bystronic’s

management to acquire the press brake depart-

ment from Swiss Hämmerle AG in 1997. Another

production location for press brakes was added in

2002 as a result of the acquisition of Beyeler Group

in Gotha, Germany. Hämmerle machines have also

been produced in Gotha since 2004.

The Bystronic headquarters in Niederönz is

home to development, production and assembly,

an apprenticeship center, as well as a demon-

stration and training center for customers.

Approximately 500 of the some 1,500 employ-

ees worldwide of the Bystronic Group work here.

In addition to the site in Gotha, Germany, anoth-

er development and production location for laser

cutting machines and press brakes in Tianjin,

China, has been part of the Group since 2002.

Bystronic is presently active with its own sales

and service companies in around 30 countries

on three continents. In addition, the company is

represented with agencies and agents in numer-

ous other countries.

High level of in-house developmentBystronic develops all the components that play

a decisive role in the performance of the systems

either on its own or jointly with select partners. This

includes, for example, CNC controllers for all ma-

chine systems, laser sources for the laser cutting

machines, and high-pressure pumps for waterjet

cutting. Every tenth Bystronic employee is involved

with the development of products and services.

One of Bystronic’s select partners is HOERBIGER

Automatisierungstechnik in Altenstadt, Germany.

HOERBIGER has developed drive systems for

press brakes for the Bystronic location in Gotha

for years, but the collaboration in the field of

laser cutting systems is still relatively young.

Laser cutting on the cutting edgeFor the development of a new generation of laser

cutting machines, which were planned to be

autonomously operating machines using different

automation modules, HOERBIGER Automati-

sierungstechnik GmbH in Altenstadt offered

Bystronic Laser AG to develop a new, fast Laser

Gas Regulator based on the tried and tested

HOERBIGER piezopneumatic modules.

Given the good partnership for drives used in

press brakes, Bystronic Laser AG accepted the

offer, even though previously the performance-

defining key components had been primarily

developed in-house, especially for laser cutting

machines.

In the end, the Laser Gas Regulator designed

by HOERBIGER eliminated any doubts that

Bystronic had. Its technological unique selling

propositions were compelling for the Bystronic

developers in every respect. The HOERBIGER

Laser Gas Regulator regulates the process gas

used during laser cutting up to five times more

quickly and considerably more reliably than con-

ventional gas and pressure change systems

used in laser cutting machines.

ByAutonom—debut at the EuroBLECHBystronic presented the innovative ByAutonom

laser cutting machine equipped with the

HOERBIGER Laser Gas Regulator (LGR) for the

first time to a broad trade audience at the

international EuroBLECH 2012 trade show.

The name selected for the new machine—

ByAutonom—says it all: using the Bystronic

automation modules ByTrans, ByTower and

Bycell, the machine can be operated largely au-

tonomously with little manpower requirements—

just as set out in the specification sheet. This

also applies if the type and thickness of the raw

material change. The machine simply picks a

cutting head with the suitable focal length and

corresponding nozzle, centers the nozzle

automatically, and then carries on cutting. When

a part becomes tilted, ByAutonom detects the

problem, immediately stops processing, checks

the nozzle, then moves to the centering station,

and automatically realigns the nozzle. The

ByAutonom controller memorizes the problem,

skips a faulty part if necessary, and reliably

carries out the subsequent steps.

Considerable cost advantages“The ByAutonom cuts more parts than any of its

predecessors thanks to its unmatched laser cut-

ting technology. And it operates extremely

reliably,” explains Dr. Jürgen Hohnhaus, Head of

R&D and a member of the Bystronic Manage-

ment Committee. “More parts mean that the

cost per part is reduced. This is a significant

competitive advantage for our customers.”

Latest-generation linear motors accelerate the

ByAutonom with breathtaking speed, giving the

machine dynamism that is unequaled by any

other Bystronic system. The extremely rigid

machine bed and the lightweight bridge are

additional factors that support the machine’s

high operating speed. A special 9-inch cutting

head is included in the standard configuration.

This cutting head can cut high material

thicknesses more quickly and better than

conventional systems. These are generally only

equipped with a 7.5-inch cutting head.

Simple user interfaceBystronic has enhanced its own ByVision

controller with several new features to assure the

system’s process reliability. For example, the

Condition Messenger graphically displays the

current status of the individual components to

the operator, notifying the operator

ByAutonom design

Compared to older designs, the ByAutonom laser

cutting system made by Bystronic looks incredibly

attractive: numerous housing parts were produced from

plastic to be able to implement new, ergonomic shapes.

And Bystronic selected a new color scheme. Why these

changes? “Because nowhere is it written that

profitability, ergonomics and beauty are mutually

exclusive,” says Dr. Jürgen Hohnhaus.

The new Bystronic design is

characterized by ergonomics

and user-friendliness: thanks

to practical drawers, the operator

of the ByAutonom 3015 laser

cutting machine has cutting

heads, nozzles and tools all

conveniently at hand. The safety

gate runs lengthwise and can be

opened quickly and easily.

It allows the operator optimal

access to the cutting area.

DR. JÜRGEN HOHNHAUSHEAD OF DEVELOPMENT AND

MEMBER OF THE BYSTRONIC

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

”The intelligent controller leaves it up to the operator whether and when to react to the messages of the Condition Messenger. It may well be that an important job is being processed, which the operator wants to complete before carrying out or organizing the maintenance work. The customer can rely even more on the availability of their machine than before.“

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This article includes texts by Justus Krüger and Martin Engel from Bystronic’s customer magazine “BystronicWorld,” 3/2012 issue.

We appreciate being given the appropriate rights.

PARTThe productivity of a gas laser hinges on the

precision and speed of the control system in

the cutting head regulating the supply of

assist gas, oxygen and compressed air.

Bystronic is using the Laser Gas Regulator

(LGR) newly developed by HOERBIGER for

the first time on the innovative ByAutonom

laser cutting system. The LGR regulates the

process gas used during laser cutting up to

five times more quickly and considerably more

reliably than conventional gas and pressure

change systems in laser cutting machines.

The core of the Laser Gas Regulator is

an electrically piloted proportional valve. In

addition, three gas selection valves are inte-

grated in the HOERBIGER LGR. They allow

different process gases to be selected as a

function of the material that is being cut.

Instead of the customary heavy solenoid

control valves, which are not particularly

dynamic, the HOERBIGER LGR employs

piezopneumatic modules developed and

produced in-house, which have been tried

and tested millions of times. In conjunction

with precision engineering, electronics and

sensors, the modules assure extremely fast

and reliable gas changes in the HOERBIGER

LGR. The innovative assist gas control system is very lightweight,

enabling fast movement of the cutting head.

“Weighing just a few grams, the piezopneumatic module switches

extremely quickly. Within fractions of a second, it controls the gas that

is fed with high precision,” explains Dr. Jochen Schaible, Head of the

Technical Competence Center of HOERBIGER Automatisierungstech-

nik GmbH. In addition, piezopneumatic modules are considered to be

extremely reliable: “For years now, this technology has been proven in

sophisticated medical respirators,” says Dr. Schaible.

Thanks to its unique selling proposition of changing the gas

within a few hundred milliseconds, the HOERBIGER Laser Gas Regula-

tor operates up to five times faster than conventional systems. The

piezopneumatic system provides a consistently stable gas pressure

(pressure stability: ±0.03 bar) and assures precise cutting edges in

consistent quality when cutting thin metal sheets.

www.hoerbiger.com

PART OFLaser cutting, also called laser beam cutting, is a thermal severing

process. It is generally used for sheet metal, but also for wooden panels

and organic materials, wherever complex contours, precise and fast

processing, the production of three-dimensional apertures and/or con-

tactless, virtually force-free processing are

required. Compared to alternative methods

such as stamping, for example, laser cutting

is already economical at very small lot sizes.

Key elements of a laser cutting machine

are the laser beam source, the laser beam

guidance and the processing head with the

fo cusing optics and the nozzle. The focusing

optics focuses the laser beam and generates

the necessary intensity for cutting. The

process gas required for laser cutting is fed

via the cutting nozzle.

Laser cutting is composed of two

concurrent subprocesses. For one, the

focused laser beam is absorbed at the cut-

ting kerf, thereby introducing the energy

required for cutting. Secondly, the cutting

nozzle located concentric relative to the laser

provides the process gas, which protects the

focusing optics from vapors and spatter and

drives the material ablated by the laser out of

the kerf. A distinction is made between three

laser cutting variants depending on whether

the material removed from the kerf is a liquid,

oxidation product or vapor: laser beam fusion

cutting, laser beam flame cutting and laser

beam sublimation cutting.

At present, the maximum steel panel

thickness that can be processed is approximately 40 mm. For alumi-

num, laser cutting is possible up to approximately 20 mm.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laserschneiden

PARTNERSHIPBystronic generates revenue of approximately 440 million euros world-

wide (2012). A total of 58 percent of this sales volume is generated in

Europe, with 22 percent coming from Asia and 20 percent from the

Americas.

The cooperation with Korean equipment manufacturer Hana

during the advanced development stage of the ByAutonom shows the

mutual trust that exists between Bystronic and Hana and demonstrates

the significance of the Asian market for the Swiss company.

HOERBIGER has supported Bystronic in the development of

press brake drive units for many years. Relatively new, but very

prom ising, is their collaboration for the development of gas and pressure

change systems used in laser cutting machines.

Bystronic’s production plants in Niederönz and Gotha are

supplied by HOERBIGER Automatisierungstechnik GmbH in Altenstadt.

The Bystronic production plant in Tianjin is working closely with

HOERBIGER (Wuxi) Automation Technology Co. Ltd.

www.bystronic.com

when a component needs to be inspected.

These components include the laser source, the

nozzle changer and the beam path.

In its enhancement of the controller, Bystronic

attached importance to maximum simplification

of the user interface: “Let’s take the highly

unlikely, yet nonetheless possible, scenario of a

hole in the bellows, so that the beam path is

no longer sealed. The corresponding display

switches from green to yellow, or even red—

depending on how serious the problem is,”

explains Dr. Jürgen Hohnhaus.

To ensure that the operator is not taken by

surprise, the machine also issues early warnings.

This allows any maintenance work that may be

required to be planned and prevents sudden

production shutdowns. “The intelligent controller

leaves it up to the operator whether and when to

react to the messages of the Condition Messenger.

It may well be that an important job is being

processed, which the operator wants to complete

before carrying out or organizing the mainte-

nance work,” adds Dr. Hohnhaus.

Another new element of the controller is the

Maintenance Messenger: it alerts the operator

when the machine and laser source are due for

maintenance. Dr. Jürgen Hohnhaus: “The cus-

tomer can rely even more on the availability of

their machine than before.”

Stress test in South KoreaThe South Korean company Hana located in

Pyeongtaek, a city located outside of Korea’s

capital of Seoul, supplies global corporations

such as Samsung and LG with laser-made preci-

Hana subjected the ByAutonom to a six-month

stress test on the factory floor. From day one, the

machine was operated in three shifts.

“So far, the system has fully conformed to our

high expectations. For us, the most important

question was how the machine would cope un-

der real-life conditions month after month,” adds

Im Chang-Bien. “Impressive specifications are

great of course,” says the experienced engineer.

“But the real question is if a new system can

stand the test of the daily factory grind. After put-

ting it to the test, I can say that the machine

operates extremely reliably.”

1 Hana CEO Im

Chang-Bien:

“The Swiss machines

are simply excellent.

This is why we used

Bystronic equipment

from day one.”

2 Bystronic laser

technology for high

precision: Hana cuts

parts for microchip

production lines.

There is zero tolerance

for inaccuracies when

dealing with these

parts.

sion components. With diligence and persis-

tence, company founder Im Chang-Bien built his

company into one of the leading suppliers to

manufacturers of microchips and LCD displays,

for example. In addition to five other production

plants in South Korea, Hana operates a factory

for automobile components in Tianjin, China.

The company’s primary customer there is

Korean automobile manufacturer Hyundai.

Above the desk of Im Chang-Bien, who founded

the enterprise in 1996, hangs a sign bearing the

company’s motto: “Kindness—Harmony—Inno-

vation.”

Im Chang-Bien explains that the last item not on-

ly referred to the employees, but also to the ma-

chines. Hana already has several of Bystronic’s

machines in operation, in particular the Bystar

and BySprint laser cutting machines. Because

these have been successfully applied, but also

thanks to Hana’s enthusiasm for innovations,

Bystronic was able to extensively test the new

ByAutonom in Korea. A prototype of the newly

developed ByAutonom was installed at Hana in

the spring of 2012.

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”Impressive specifications are great of course. But the real question is if a new system can stand the test of the daily factory grind. After putting it to the test, I can say that the machine operates extremely reliably.“IM CHANG-BIEN, HANA CEO

Through thick and thin

A wide variety of sheet metals made of various

materials can be cut quickly, effi ciently and precisely

with the HOERBIGER Laser Gas Regulator, LGR. The

performance-defi ning component for laser cutting

machines was unveiled for the fi rst time to the expert

audience at the EuroBLECH 2012 in Hanover.

piezopneumatic module in the HOERBIGER Laser

Gas Regulator (LGR) switches extremely quickly and

regulates the gas supply with high precision.”

The piezo-

pneumatic module

Dr. Jochen Schaible, Head of

the Technical Competence

Center of HOERBIGER Auto-

matisierungstechnik GmbH

in Altenstadt, says: “Weigh-

ing just a few grams, the