BystronicWorld 4/2015

 T he ByStar Fiber pushes limits. With a fun-damentally redesigned machine concept, Bystronic is redefining fiber laser cutting

and thereby expanding the range of applications of the cutting technology. The driving question behind the development of the new fiber laser: What will users require in the future, in order to enjoy success with fiber laser cutting?Bystronic Product Manager Mario Duppenthaler answers this question with only a few words: “An all-rounder.” A fiber laser that cuts thin sheet metal at unbeatable speeds. But which also achieves an outstanding cutting performance in the thick sheet metal range. And all this with the lowest possible operating cost and low maintenance re-quirements.With its uncompromising high-end performance, the ByStar Fiber is aimed at users who want to rely fully on fiber laser technology. Users who will in

Consistent through thin and thick. With the new ByStar Fiber laser cutting system Bystronic presents a high-end all-rounder that makes full use of the potential of fiber laser technology. Users share their first experiences.

Text: Oliver Hergt Photos: Andrea Artz, Bystronic

future cut their entire range of orders using the fiber laser: from stainless steel, through to alumi-num and mild steel, right up to nonferrous metals, such as copper and brass. And all this from thin to thick with consistently high cutting quality.

Innovation down to the detailThe great innovation of the ByStar Fiber lies in the single-mindedness with which Bystronic devel-oped this fiber laser system. Right down to the smallest detail, the machine is geared toward fiber laser cutting – without compromises. Regard-less of whether high cutting dynamics, seamlessly tying in automation solutions, intelligent sensor technology, or the integration into modern soft-ware systems. All this is possible with the ByStar Fiber.A new machine design with a short cutting bridge enables previously unachieved dynamics of the

Performance without compromise: The ByStar Fiber is Bystronic’s new high-end fiber laser.

Fiber laser cutting without compromises

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INNOVATION BYSTAR FIBER

BystronicWorld 4/2015

Fiber laser cutting at the highest level: The cutting head of the ByStar Fiber moves on a unique bridge construction.

The cutting area of the ByStar Fiber can be accessed via the long side of the machine, which increases the fiber laser’s versatility.

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INNOVATION BYSTAR FIBER

BystronicWorld 4/2015

What requirements do you place on a fiber laser?A fiber laser must be faster than a CO2 laser both in the thin and thick sheet

metal ranges, in order to enable us to produce parts more cost- effectively.

However, versatility in terms of cutting materials is also important. In addi-

tion to steel and stainless steel, we also cut nonferrous metals, such as cop-

per and brass.

“Almost twice as fast”

Roth & Effinger is an ambitious job shop in southern Germany. The company stands out on the market through versatility and the high demands it places on quality. They are using Bystronic’s new ByStar Fiber laser cutting system since several months.

Are there technological alternatives to the fiber laser?As a job shop, we are judged by our customers based on quality and delivery

times. The fiber laser provides us with optimal support for both these

aspects. The cutting speed is virtually unbeatable. Hence, we clearly see the

fiber laser as our future solution for the cutting process step. In addition, we

are still using two CO2 lasers and a waterjet cutting system.

What was the last thing you processed with the ByStar Fiber?It was an order for a car manufacturer. The job involved cutting 2-millimeter

stainless steel. It consisted of 2,000 parts in total, which subsequently had to

be bent. Previously we would have processed this job using our CO2 laser.

Now, thanks to the ByStar Fiber, we can cut such jobs with almost twice the

speed. And this without compromising quality.

What surprised you about the ByStar Fiber?We were surprised at its low energy consumption compared to our CO2 laser

machines. With the ByStar Fiber, we not only cut faster, we even improve our

company’s energy efficiency. The maintenance requirements are also lower

than with the CO2 lasers.

How has your business changed with the ByStar Fiber?With the ByStar Fiber we can process jobs even faster and more cost-effi-

cient. Even quantities of more than 1,000 pieces are possible now. We used

to be too expensive for larger quantities, but suddenly we have become

interesting for an entirely different set of customers.

www.roth-effinger.de

The interview was conducted by Oliver Hergt.

Lars Roth and Gebhard Effinger rely on versatility and top quality.

A newly developed machine design with a short cutting bridge enables highest cutting dynamics, even when cutting complex contours.

With the new ByVision Cutting user interface, Bystronic unites all the functions associated with laser cutting on a touch screen.

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INNOVATION BYSTAR FIBER

BystronicWorld 4/2015

More about the ByStar Fiber bystarfiber.bystronic.com

fiber laser, even when cutting complex contours. The outstanding cutting quality is ensured by the ByStar Fiber’s newly developed control, which regulates the laser power, speed, and focus in a highly sensitive way.Bystronic has further increased the fiber laser’s versatility by providing access to the cutting area over the long side of the machine. The large slid-ing door allows users to insert small express jobs and residual sheets at any time, even when large-scale jobs are running: Simply interrupt the large-scale job, open the door, insert the residual sheet, and go. This is a tremendous advantage, particu-larly for job shops that need to be flexible.

As simple as a smartphoneFor users, operating the ByStar Fiber is as simple as using a smartphone for everyday tasks. Because Bystronic has equipped the ByStar Fiber with a newly developed user interface. ByVision Cutting unites all the important functions associated with laser cutting on a touch screen.This allows the user to carry out all the cutting preparations with just a few swipes of the finger: Sort the job list, assign cutting parameters, and define the automation mode. Then start the pro-cess and the ByStar Fiber gets going.In future, with ByVision Cutting, the operator has many more possibilities to interactively intervene in the cutting process. For example in order to adapt cutting parameters in case of deviating material characteristics: Simply click on the cur-rent cutting plan on the touch screen, define new parameters, and resume the cutting process. The whole process requires no more than three clicks.Mario Duppenthaler says that the goal of ByVision Cutting is to offer the user every possible freedom on an intuitive user interface, without constrain-ing him with complex operating procedures. In principle, laser cutting is about the following: Load a metal sheet, start the machine, and cut. However, the users’ environments are very diverse. One customer sometimes operates the machine manually in order to process continuously chang-ing jobs. Another customer manufactures fully automatically with loading and unloading systems and an integrated material warehouse. ByVision Cutting was developed in order to cope with this variety using the ByStar Fiber. ■

How do you stand out from competitors?We may not be the cheapest but we offer the best value for money.

We would not take on a job if we did not have the time to do it, and we are

very honest. Our customers know this, and we have a good relationship

with them.

What do you expect from today’s fiber laser?Reliability, speed, and accuracy – if there’s a better alternative to fiber laser

technology today then we have not found it! We are currently the only UK

subcontract laser cutting company that uses 100 percent fiber laser machi-

nes, all of which are from Bystronic. Other firms are still cutting with a com-

bination of the traditional CO2 models and modern fiber machines.

Tell us about the machine’s operation.It is more reliable, and there is more uptime. It’s very easy to train staff on

the machine. We can get new people in, and after a week they are able to

competently use the machine. The interface is a touch screen, and it’s very

straightforward to program dimensions and designs.

How does the ByStar Fiber simplify the laser cutting process?Generally, it can cut everything in a wide spectrum. Thus we need fewer

machines. We have twice the amount of factory space now and half of that

is used for stacking materials. This means we can get the best out of the

machine. If you let the ByStar Fiber breathe it takes off like a rocket.

www.lasered.co.uk

The interview was conducted by Jodie Nesling.

Lasered Components is run by father and son duo Kevin and Karl Willett in the UK. The company has an ethos of investing in state-of-the-art Bystronic technology in order to offer com-petitive services, with the management placing its bets on the ByStar Fiber.

“Like a rocket”

Kevin and Karl Willett of Lasered Components talk about their new ByStar Fiber.

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INNOVATION BYSTAR FIBER