The BLM Group’s LT12 is not just a new tube laser. Rather, it is a true concentrate of technology and innovation – a solution that meets even the most demanding requirements for processing pipes and profiles and provides BLM Group customers with decisive competitive advantages.
The new pipe laser was presented at the company’s Innova Open House in Levico Terme in northern Italy in fall 2023. With its versatility and performance, it immediately aroused great interest among visitors from all over the world. The BLM Group also presented the LT12 at the Tube trade fair in Düsseldorf in April 2024 – in combination with an innovative AI application. Here, too, there was a great deal of interest in the new machine. Why a new pipe laser? “With the LT12, we have closed a gap in our tube laser range that previously existed between two of our products: between the LT8.20, which is characterized by particular flexibility combined with high performance, and the LT14 for processing long and heavy profiles. The LT12 processes tubes, profiles and beams, focusing on versatility and productivity. Time and again, customers have asked us for a machine above the LT8.20. But the leap to the LT14 was too big – both in terms of size and performance at the lower end. With the LT12, our customers can now process lighter pipes at high output, but also larger pipes if required. This is exactly what the machine was developed for,” says Product Manager Gianbattista Mazzoleni, positioning the LT12 on the market.
Areas of application for the LT12
One interesting area of application for the new tube laser is the manufacture of agricultural machinery. This market is very agile and dynamic. However, the technology of laser tube cutting has still not developed its full potential here, as is already the case in other markets. “We see enormous potential here for the LT12. This is because many square tubes, rectangular tubes and even open profiles such as C, L and H profiles are used in the production of agricultural machinery, which can easily be 300 mm in diameter. This corresponds exactly to the size range covered by the LT12. There are also many assemblies here whose manufacturing costs can be significantly reduced with the use of tube lasers,” explains Mazzoleni. In addition, the new machine is also an extremely interesting solution for light metal construction. For example, for the construction of canopies or small sheds, where tubes or beams with wall thicknesses of 6 to 8 mm and typically lengths of more than 6 m are used.
The most important features of the LT12
The machine concept of the LT12 is similar to that of the LT8.20 with a spindle at the rear and a steady rest to support the tubes in the cutting area. On the LT12, the spindle fits into the steady rest, which is why the machine can cut the bar ends. This means that residual quantities can be reduced and waste minimized. Neither the bezel nor the spindle need to be moved. This saves an enormous amount of time, especially with large pipes. At the same time, the LT12 meets the demand for a larger machine that enables outstanding speed when processing bars. The LT12 is equipped with a chain loader for pipes with lengths from 8.5 m to 12.5 m. Their fully automatic unloading can be configured for pipes up to 12.5 m in length. The quality of the pipe support and handling systems, both before and after the cutting area, has always been a characteristic and distinctive feature of BLM Group machines. It has always been a pioneer for innovative solutions in this area. The LT12 also features the ingenious mix of intelligent template systems and chain-controlled supports from the LT8.20 and LT14. The machine is also equipped with a special inverted intelligent stencil system. This fixes the pipes from above and reduces wear on the supports. The LT12 also has active functions that are typical of the BLM Group’s tube lasers. This applies in particular to the Active Scan optical measuring system, which corrects axial errors in the tubes and profiles to be processed in real time – thus ensuring the accuracy of the workpieces produced. The Active Tools Active Piercing and Active Focus are now part of the scope of delivery of the BLM Group’s tube lasers. They complete the picture of a cutting system that guarantees accuracy, speed and flexibility. The Tube Cutter focusing head is another special feature of the machine: with its large focal length, it processes tubes with bar weights of up to 62 kg/m, i.e. tubes with higher bar weights than the LT8.20. The Tube Cutter can be tilted by up to 50° when cutting from a vertical position, which is 5° more than the LT8.20 and LT14. Finally, the machine is characterized by its excellent accessibility and a comparatively small footprint compared to the LT14. It is equipped with four cameras. These allow the machine operators to monitor the cutting area – which is completely encapsulated in view of the fiber source – and give them a complete view of the entire working area.
Further processing beyond laser cutting
© BLM Group
