3D-Laser Processing of Spatially Curved Profiles

Due to economical, ecological and functional reasons, lightweight-construction is continuously gaining importance. Therefore, lightweight space frames made of pipe profiles are subsequently of higher importance in today’s technology. Today, the lower limits of the production range of lightweight space frames are set by joining processes that require jigs. For a flexible variation in a small-scale production, the use of latching elements for the pre-attachment in the jigfree assembly of frame structures serves as a good approach. In consideration of the analysis of the actual situation this article takes up this approach and points out the potential enabled by latching elements. Subsequently, the implementation of laser cutting will be motivated and the results of the first experiments on reinforced and unreinforced profiles will be discussed. To conclude this article, the challenges and approaches for the integration of this procedure to an existing handling and machining kinematics will be pointed out, and finally the implementation potentials of the procedure within an entire process-chain will also be mentioned.