Journal - Trumpf GmbH + Co. KG

02/08
TruServices
Journal
Sheet metal processing in practice
Dynamic
forming stroke
What the active die can do
Plus: New Punching Tools
The ingredients
make the difference
Good sheet metal quality is
vital to perfect processing
Comprehensive
service for maximum
availability
Plus: Increases machine life
A tough
customer
Plus: Making thick plate bend under pressure
With the VLM die, Kreisel bends Hardox sheet metal without wear

Contents
Technology
In operation
Technology news 4
A tough customer
Kreisel processes heavy plate 6
May we have a word with you?
Active die: Dynamic forming from below 10
All at once
CAD conversion in batch mode 11
Optimally equipped
Set-up parallel to operations made easy 11
Knowledge
The all-round, no worries package
Maintenance, repair and part services 12
More performance every day
Product Enhancements boost productivity 15
Always at the right angle
The ACB sensor speeds up set up time 15
Savings that can cost you
Not all sheet metal plates are alike 16
Good to know
News about TruServices 18
Quick reference
Punching: Pages 10, 11, 15, 16
Laser processing: Pages 11, 15, 16
Bending: Pages 6, 11, 15, 16
Management: Pages 12
TruServices Journal 02/08 Sheet metal processing in practice
Published by TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG,
Johann-Maus-Str. 2, 71254 Ditzingen, +49 (0) 7156 303-0,
www.trumpf.com, Responsible for the content: Dr. Gerhard Rübling
Editor-in-chief Reinhold Groß, journal@de.trumpf.com Project
coordination Katrin Oppermann Consulting Anke Roser, Press and
PR, TRUMPF Editorial staff pr+co. gmbh, Stuttgart, Norbert Hiller,
Julie Steinen, Monika Unkelbach Photos KD Busch, Udo Loster,
Claus Langer Translation Stewart Lindemann, Wuppertal Design
pr+co. gmbh, Stuttgart, Ute Vogt Reproduction Reprotechnik
Herzog GmbH, Stuttgart Printing frechdruck GmbH, Stuttgart
2 TruServices Journal 02|08
Machine availability:
The all-round,
no worries package
Professional maintenance and repair
ensure long machine service lives.
Page12
CAD conversion:
All at once
TruTops Convert works in batch mode
to translate CAD files into GEO
format and takes all of the defaults
into accout while doing so.
Page11

Bending Hardox steel:
A tough customer
High-strength steel is tough — and
that’s true during processing, too.
But Kreisel has figured out the trick
for bending and has created one
more unique selling proposition. Page 6
Retrofits:
More performance every day
Improvement needed? Producing efficiently and
customized with functional Product Enhancements.
Page15
Sheet metal
shopping:
Savings that
can cost you
When can cost-cutting and
cheap sheet metal actually
increase users’ costs?
Page16
Editorial
From the initial idea to the finished part. It might be simple
enough to summarize the process chain used for sheet
metal in just a few words. But it’s also true that every such
chain is unique. Hardly any part is identical to the next, and
ever smaller batches are being ordered, at ever shorter lead
times. Here the customer usually specifies in advance how
much a part is to cost. If we see the operations setting
prevailing everywhere today as a challenge, then — for a
company such as TRUMPF — customer orientation will
always involve a high degree of flexibility and individuality.
Let’s take applications consulting as an example. An
experienced expert works out new sheet metal manufac-
turing procedures on site, at the customer’s location. Such
consulting normally results in improved work sequences,
optimized programs and precise technology data. What is
quite clearly in the foreground is helping clients help
themselves, and that means imparting knowledge to the
customer’s employees. In the concrete case it is a matter of
using the production factors — material type, material
consumption, time, machinery, programs and tooling — in
an ideal way. It is by no means unusual for a re-engineered
part to reduce production costs by as much as half.
It is these individualized customer solutions that are the
special tools used in the fields of punching and bending.
Here tailor-made tools are created for our customers’
specific application. Our engineers develop the tool
specifications directly from the part drawings — custom
made and very individual.
Dr. Gerhard Rübling
Managing Director for Services

In operation News
Guaranteed function!
4 TruServices Journal 02|08
Freshly tapped from the water box
// What the oil change is to the car — that’s what the water change is to
the laser. But in contrast to engines, this change has to be made twice a
year. Providing this quantity of water — 1,000 liters — is usually not so
simple, particularly since handling large containers is difficult and water
quality suffers during storage. That is why TRUMPF offers the “water
box”. It makes up deionized water quickly, economically, in flawless
quality. This unit is delivered with connector hoses and can be hooked
up to the building’s water supply. With a water supply at normal hardness
levels, it can produce almost 2,000 liters of deionized water. If customers
have signed a maintenance contract with TRUMPF, then the service
technician takes care of the water change.
>> retrofit.tws@de.trumpf.com
// Unpack, install, start. It is really as simple as it sounds. Bending
Tools fabricated by TRUMPF are delivered
with a function guarantee that reduces the
user’s risk to zero. The technicians get
involved right from the planning stage.
Services include competent consulting
either on the phone or on site and making
up bending samples. The programming
data for the machine controls are
supplied with the tool, making installation
a breeze. High demand has confirmed the
value of the concept: At the end of September
TRUMPF’s expanded production building in
Pasching, Austria, was put into operation.
>> abkantwerkzeuge@at.trumpf.com
A U-shaped part manufactured in
a single step thanks to a customengineered
Bending Tool

A bag of tricks
Grounding lugs in
one clamping
Michael Berger,
expert for
punching
In many cases grounding lugs are
pressed, welded or riveted, and that
requires additional processing steps or
touch-up work. The new five-fold
multi-tool shows how different the
situation can be when clamping is
used. It is equipped with three punching
inserts, an embossing insert and a
reshaping insert to raise the plate,
making for economical production of
the grounding lugs. Three different
dimensions can be made up with just
a single change of tool position.
Numerous applications will be found
in the electronic industry and in
mechanical and plant engineering.
New and rugged cylindrical boot for the TruLaser Series 3000
Laser chamfering for easier handling
// In the past, laser-cut edges were available
only with hard, 90° corners. Handling is made
simpler and safer with rounded corners —
facilitating insertion in assembly openings, for
example. And making that improvement is
quite simple, starting right now. The TruMatic
7000 can now be used to finish laser-cut edges
with an angle — or chamfer — on both
sides. This is accomplished quickly,
without touch-up work on a grinding
machine, without changing the laser cutting
parameters, and very quietly, as well. To
do this, a groove with a root angle of 120° is
first cut into the sheet metal. The laser beam,
// Where a parts flap or disposal through
the laser mounting console reaches its
limits, that’s where the new MultiTool
ejector unit simplifies the removal of
small, laser-cut sheet metal parts with
complex geometries. Application for a
utility patent has been submitted for
this new tool, intended for use with
TRUMPF combination punching and
laser cutting machines. It separates
microjoints and ejects parts reliably
through the die and into the waste container.
The upper tool can be fitted with
round or square cutting tools to match
aimed at the bottom of the groove, cuts
through the sheet metal. The result: a perfectly
chamfered, laser-cut edge.
>> truservices@de.trumpf.com
MultiTool ejector for combination machines
every part geometry. This
makes it possible to produce
both round and
straight contours without
having to change tools.
The new MultiTool
ejector is especially
useful
with parts featuring
small
and complex
laser contours.
Chamfered laser-cut edges
for smoother handling
>> technik.tooling@de.trumpf.com
Armor for the laser beam
MultiTool for simple
displacement of scrap
// A laser beam might be as strong as Hercules, but it does have an
Achilles’ heel: It is susceptible to the effects of dirt particles as it
passes among moving machinery components. Beginning this fall,
the TruLaser Series 3000 is equipped with the shielding — previously
available only for the Series 5000 — needed to eliminate this
critical problem. The newly developed cylindrical boot offers two
innovations at once. Its rounded shape eliminates holes at corners
resulting from material fatigue while the new, injection-molded
plastic material is significantly more rugged.
>> retrofit.tws@de.trumpf.com
TruServices Journal 02|08 5

Bending Hardox steel is a real challenge
— and a specialty for the Kreisel company.
6 TruServices Journal 02|08

A tough
customer
Hardox steel is made to
withstand the most extreme
wear. But this is a quality that,
unfortunately, also comes into
play during processing. Thanks
to the VLM die, the Kreisel
GmbH & Co. KG can bend high-
strength sheet metal as thick as
eight millimeters without major
wear. And when doing so, it
reduces the time required for
bending by two-thirds.
Hardness paired with great toughness —
that’s what makes Hardox steel the preferred
material for the most demanding applications.
But what reduces wear in the final
products — such as dump truck bodies or in
bulk goods handling equipment — can have
unintended and less desirable effects during
machining and manufacture. General Manager
Horst Meister of Kreisel GmbH & Co.
KG knows what he’s talking about.
Conveying bulk goods
takes its toll This family firm,
located in the town of Krauschwitz, near the
Polish border, specializes in products used
in environmentally sound dust reduction
and conveyors for hard-to-handle bulk
goods. One example is a rotary feeder.
Whether it’s a matter of moving cement, fertilizer
or sugar — in China, Vietnam, Russia,
Poland or Germany — the rotary feeders
Technology: Bending
made by Kreisel ensure that the right quantity
of material is introduced to the process
at just the right time. This feeder essentially
is comprised of a rotor to which trough-like
chambers are mounted and which rotates in
a closed housing. The bulk product falls
into one of the chambers through the inlet
opening and exits the chamber at the outlet
port. This enables continuous feed at a specific
volume. But, the insides of the troughs
are exposed to severe loading by the material
— such as cement clinker or lumps of
coal in power plants. Material at a grain size
of up to 150 millimeters is moved through
the rotary feeders.
Horst Meister: “That is the reason for the
high demand for these feeders, particularly in
the building materials industry and in coal
feeding for power plants. This is where the
Hardox material is important to us.” Hardox
plate is used for these chambers and other
Maik Lehmann works with the TrumaBend 320 to shape, in several steps, the material used for the chambers in the rotary feeders.
TruServices Journal 02|08 7

Kreisel processes about five tons
of Hardox steel each month.
8 TruServices Journal 02|08
Horst Meister, graduate engineer and general manager at Kreisel (left), and
Detlef Roitsch, production manager, know when hard steel will yield under pressure.
components. Of the 60 to 70 tons of steel that
Kreisel processes each month, five to ten percent
is Hardox material. When making up the
individual chambers for these feeders they are
bent into the trough-like shape in several
steps at a TrumaBend 320. Meister says: “It
was this machine that made it at all possible to
bend thicker plate — at up to 20 millimeters.”
Wear had become too
costly “Initially we used standard dies
to bend the Hardox plates. This process
does not, however, comply with the recommendations
published by the manufacturer
of the material. As a result, fissuring and
other blemishes appeared during bending.
And above all, the dies themselves showed
extreme wear,” reports Horst Meister. It
must be remembered that the offset yield
point is five times that of “normal” tool
steel. With the Hardox 450 material, for
example, this value is about 1,200 MPa at
guaranteed hardness range of from 425 to
475 HB. Maik Lehmann, who operates the
press brake at Kreisel, experiences this time
and time again. “The material is amazingly
springy. I have to bend ten or twelve degrees
beyond what is necessary for standard plate.”
All in all, the load exerted on the dies by the
high-strength steel was so great that they
had to be replaced after bending about 100
Hardox plates. Detlef Roitsch, production
manager at Kreisel: “Initially the number of
units we turned out were not high enough to
justify the special, roller-equipped dies recommended
by the sheet metal manufacturer.
But, demand for our wear-resistant versions
rose to the point that we ultimately had to
find a solution.”
Dies for maximum hardness
levels Those were found in the
VLM die made by TRUMPF, developed especially
for bending thick plate while it
is held in position. The user
of rotating, hardened rollers
reduces the press force
required, avoids impres-
In 2008, Kreisel was recognized
with the “Saxon environment
award” for the
development of ecofriendly
technologies.

sions and damage to the sheet metal, and
reduces the wear at the die itself. Various
swage widths can, in addition, be set up simply
by shifting the jaws. The VLM die is available
in two versions, for maximum load levels
of 1,250 kN/m and 2,000 kN/m.
Initial testing for the die at Kreisel was
promising, but the rollers ultimately proved
to be too soft. The edges of the Hardox
plate scored them. Production manager
Roitsch: “TRUMPF responded to the problem
quickly and with flexibility. We received
— gratis — a new set of rollers that were significantly
harder.”
Savings in many respects
With these “extra tough” rollers, bending progressed
without problems. Not only was wear
minimized, but by working with TRUMPF
engineers and based on the new die, Kreisel
developed a new bending technique in which
the number of bends could be reduced from
five to three. Roitsch notes : “Today we need
only ten minutes per bending cycle, compared
with thirty in the past.”
The VLM die has been in use for about a
year, some 700 plates have been bent so far,
all eight millimeters thick and in lengths of
between 630 and 1,400 millimeters. Machine
operator Maik Lehmann summarizes his
experience at the press brake this way: “We
can shape the plates faster but, in spite of
this, no fissures appear. And we have not yet
seen any wear at the rollers.” Detlef Roitsch
sums up from the business administration
viewpoint: “The VLM die costs a bit more
than a standard die but, the higher price has
quickly amortized itself. You see, processing
Hardox plate has become a unique selling
proposition for us.”
>> abkantwerkzeuge@at.trumpf.com
The Kreisel company was
founded in 1912 as a metalworking
and autogenous welding
shop. In 1972, the company
was nationalized by the East
German government and reorganized
as the VEB Entstaubungstechnik
Krauschwitz, a
part of the State Holding Company
for Ventilation and Refrigeration
Technology in Dresden.
Following German unification,
the company, with its 80
employees, was reprivatized on
July 1, 1992. Today employing a
staff of about 100, the company
manufactures conveyor equipment,
dust extraction equipment,
pressure vessels and heat
exchangers for the construction
materials, foods, chemical, coal,
potassium and glass industries.
Technology: Bending
The rotating, hardened rollers in the VLM die regulate press force and are easy on the material.
The Hardox plates are highly resilient
during bending and have to be “overbent”
by twelve degrees.
TruServices Journal 02|08 9

Technology: Punching
A movable extra
The new machine option
“active die” is installed beneath
the worktable and
adjustable in height:
• scratch-free sheet
metal processing
• an active forming
stroke from below
• larger area reforming
with the use of new and
bigger forming tools
• simple programming
The active die is an option
that may be used with
the TruPunch 5000 (starting
from serial number
S06.00) and the TruMatic
7000 (starting from serial
number S02.00).
Michael Berger, technician
for Punching Tools,
explains what the active
die makes possible.
10 TruServices Journal 02|08
May we have a word with you, Mr. Berger?
Active die
The active die promises new dimensions in forming.
Is that promise justified?
Michael Berger: The die mount is movable and executes an active forming
stroke from below. That opens up possibilities that were hard to achieve in
the past. We can set out on entirely new paths in regard to the machining
strategy or tool concepts.
Which new solutions can you offer?
Berger: The active die enables larger and deeper forming. The fact that it
can be lowered opens up more space. What’s more, we can employ entirely
new tools in dimensions that were inconceivable in the past. We developed
one tool, for example, with an extrusion of 60 millimeters in diameter. In
other forming operations, as well, such as cups and bendings, we can capitalize
on these advantages.
Are there other changes in the tools?
Berger: The space we gained by lowering the die makes it possible to install
extras in the tool, such as more pressure springs. The extrusion tool, for
example, has been fitted with a completely new packet of pressure springs
and that’s the real attraction in that tool. What’s more, the extrusion distance
is greater than in previous models, making forming possible at
depths of up to ten millimeters. Thanks to the springs, the sheet metal
remains relatively flat during forming. Existing tools can also be used on
the new machines, fitted with the active die, without problems.
What benefits can users expect as well?
Berger: One major advantage is that the die makes scratch-free
punching and forming possible without requiring accessories
such as coated ejectors. The die can be lowered during
processing so that it does not touch the workpiece
at all. This also simplifies programming since the
die no longer represents a hindrance that has to
be “programmed around” when removing the
part. It also makes better utilization of material
possible and that saves costs.
How does that work?
Berger: Since the sheet metal is no longer
lifted by the tool but, instead lays flat
against the die, the customer can use the
forming tools closer to the holding clamps.
That reduces scrap and lowers material costs.
>> technik.tooling@de.trumpf.com

All at once
TruTops Convert calculates CAD files in batches
// CAD software simplifies design and helps
create drawings accurate down to tenths of a
millimeter. But, there are a lot of different
programs and it is often necessary to bring
data to a common denominator in order to
start production. This can be done manually,
of course. The file will have to be
loaded, edited and saved as a GEO file to
interface with the TruTops programming
system. TruTops Convert is a significant
time saver because it executes this translation
work automatically. Several CAD files
in a given format can be converted and
stored in batch runs. Bothersome manual
editing is eliminated.
Users of the TruTops programming systems
will find this converter in the
TRUMPF software package. With an additional
license, this translation tool can be
used parallel to the TruTops basic program
— at a second workplace, for example. To do
this, the files to be converted are stored in a
transfer directory. TruTops Convert directly
accesses this directory and transforms the
Christoph Heissel shows how setup is
simplified with the QuickLoad option.
Technology: Software and tools
data into the required
format. The program
can be installed for
batch mode operation
and can then
convert data continuously.
The GEO files
generated will be
saved in the same
directory or in a different
location specified
by the user.
Default settings can
also be taken into
account automatically,
for all of the
files, during conversion.
Specifications for contour processing,
zeroing and layer setting for drawings on
several levels only need to be entered once.
And that leaves just one question: Why don’t
we simply do this all at once ?
>> sales_CAD_CAM@de.trumpf.com
Optimally equipped
// To be at a standstill is never good, and
most certainly not in production operations.
If a machine has to be shut down to get it
ready for the next operation, then capacity
is underused — and that costs money. The
tool system used in TRUMPF punching and
nibbling machines makes it possible to set
up tooling in parallel to the main operation
cycle. Setup is made even simpler with the
QuickLoad tool cartridge loading unit. It
supports the operator by safely inserting
punches, dies and strippers into the tool
When running in batch mode,
TruTops Convert takes
into account all of the CAD
default specifications.
QuickLoad makes long setup times a thing of the past
cartridge. It removes them too, without difficulty
or additional accessories. In practice
this means fast and easy setup. And that is
also easy on the tools themselves. It is all
done without excessive effort because
QuickLoad is supported by a pneumatic
unlocking system. This practical help can
be used in tool cartridges fitting the current
line of TruPunch and TruMatic machines.
>> info@de.trumpf.com
TruServices Journal 02|08 11

The TRUMPF
spare parts
service keeps
30,000 items
in stock.
Knowledge: Maintenance and repair
12 TruServices Journal 02|08
The all-round,
no worries package
Four TRUMPF services offer professional maintenance
and repair. They all know that prevention pays off.
// When you purchase a TRUMPF machine,
you are actually making a statement about
your own quality and productivity goals. It is
clear that buyers will be interested in having
the machine available for as long as possible,
with the least number of interruptions. Ultimately,
the user is looking for a trouble-free
manufacturing process and workpieces of
uniform quality. Several TRUMPF services
are designed to keep the machine and its performance
“like new”: Service Agreements,
Customer Training, Spare Parts and Technical
Service are the pillars of maximum machine
availability — throughout the service life.
Better maintained: the Service
Agreements TRUMPF service
contracts cover maintenance work to be
performed at intervals of six months and
longer. A TRUMPF service technician plans
and completes routine, preventive maintenance.
All of the mechanical, pneumatic and
hydraulic functions are inspected and
adjusted. You can count on the fact that the
work will be performed according to the
TRUMPF maintenance checklist and documented
with a maintenance sticker — the
manufacturer’s confirmation of a machine
maintained “by the book”. That’s service that
will convince users based on output and
value retention. The effort will pay returns
once again when the unit is sold. Additional
advantages: Preventive maintenance can be
planned and integrated into the production
schedule. It helps recognize the potential for
interruptions due to wear and tear. That
reduces downtime and its associated costs.
It is a question of knowing
how : Customer Training In
addition to information on programming and
operating TRUMPF products, maintenance is
an important topic in the TRUMPF training
curriculum. Participants in maintenance
courses learn how to complete some of the
recurring maintenance
tasks on their
own. In addition to
the classic cleaning
work, this includes,
for example, replacing
filters and changing
oil and water.
Training also covers
inspecting drive components
and the
external appearance
and reference points.
These are tasks essential
to uninterrupted
machine availability and should be learned.
Practical experience means more safety for
user and machine. A certificate attests to successful
completion of the course, which is tailored
to the particular machine model. With
the knowledge gained about the machine’s
component groups, the trainee becomes an
even more competent source of information
for the TRUMPF technical service department
— just in case something should ever go wrong.
TRUMPF Service
Agreements offer
maintenance you
can depend on.

Genuine parts: the spare
parts service Whenever it becomes
necessary to replace parts or make a repair,
fast and punctual delivery are worth real
money. Sometimes the availability of a spare
part is equivalent to the availability of the
machine itself. Here every minute counts
and, ultimately, a well-stocked warehouse is
essential. That is something you can be sure
of here because every part that has been
ordered more than twice is on hand, and
that includes spares for older machines. The
total count is more than 30,000 items — all
of superb TRUMPF quality and perfectly
matched to the machine. They are all original
parts. Additional advantages offered by
spare parts service include 24/7 order and
shipping service within Europe, a generous
returns policy and equally liberal terms for
credit notes — on many parts for even as
long as four years after purchase.
Helpful: the Technical Service
If defects are detected during operation or
maintenance work, then it’s time for
TRUMPF Technical Service to get to work.
It is comprised of highly competent office
staff and a close-knit network of field service
technicians. A first step in the analysis
is often “Teleservice”, offering optimal support
for quick fault rectification. The remote
service system can — with the customer’s
approval — access machine data through a
modem and then remote diagnosis begins.
It is not unusual for this to be the first step
ANDREu CuLuBRET,
SHOP FOREMAN
LASER DEPT. AT OXITER:
“Having the manufacturer handle
machine maintenance is the ideal
situation. This helps avoid breakdowns
since the technician can
spot impending problems in good
time. In addition, we benefit
from professional, on-site consulting
whenever it’s necessary to
order spare parts.”
Oxiter Girona S.L., Girona, Spain,
founded in 1972, 80 employees,
www.oxiter.com.
Job-shop operations in 2-D cutting of mild
steel, stainless steel and nonferrous metals
Problem-solving
— from remote
maintenance to
“house calls”— is
the task of the
technical service
department.
TruServices Journal 02|08 13

Knowledge: Maintenance and repair
LoTHAR WEBER,
OPERATIONS MANAGER,
H. P. KAYSSER:
“Working closely with TRUMPF’s technical
staff, 80 percent of all ‘house calls’
can be avoided from the very beginning.
That is the quickest solution.
What I like best is that the TRUMPF
technician diagnosis errors while we’re
on the phone, using remote “Teleservice”.
The next morning a package of
spare parts arrives and the problem is
solved. Waiting for the technician is
completely eliminated.”
H.P. Kaysser, Leutenbach Nellmersbach, Germany,
founded in 1947, staff of 360, www.kaysser.de.
CNC sheet metal technologies,
fine-gauge sheet metal, robotic welding and
connection technologies, laser welding,
3-D cutting, laser labeling.
14 TruServices Journal 02|08
toward eliminating the problem. Often production
can be resumed once the phone call
is completed. If this proves to be insufficient,
then more than one thousand service technicians
are on call to repair the machine.
They have years of experience and are all
trained centrally at the TRUMPF Training
Center in Ditzingen. The technicians are all
networked with each other and are familiar
with the history of every individual machine,
know about current configurations and have
information on prior use. This is expertise
that is required when the task is to solve
problems as quickly as possible, on the spot.
Foresight is better than
hindsight Whenever it’s a matter of
machine availability, regular and professional
maintenance, fast and reliable repair services
are essential. The machine will thank you —
with a longer service life, greater value retention
and uniform production quality. To permit
you to plan this work and calculate its
costs, TRUMPF Service Agreements can be
expanded as desired, depending on what services
are available in your particular region,
to create a customized package, including
spare parts services and Technical Service.
>> truservices@de.trumpf.com
MAuRo FERRI,
PRODUCTION MANAGER,
SMEG:
“We have maintenance contracts for
all of our equipment. The advantages
are easy to see. Higher machine efficiency
and reduced in-house maintenance
effort — in terms of the
amount of hours involved and the
knowledge required. We have also
had good experience with the technical
service department’s remote
maintenance capabilities.”
Smeg S.p.a., Guastalla (RE), Italy, founded in
1948, 1,780 employees, www.smeg.com.
Household and kitchen appliances such as
ovens, stand-alone ranges, vent hoods,
washing machines and special accessories.
Maintenance training prepares
the machine operators to undertake
the most important tasks.

More performance
every day
// Do you own a machine that really ought to be automated to handle
your firm’s bulging order books? Do you have a used machine
that is missing some desirable options? Or do you have a new
machine that needs functions you overlooked when placing the
order? That is no problem. TRUMPF’s extensive range of functional
enhancements makes for retroactive optimization of both older and
more current machines. And such projects can often be carried out
without machine downtime. The experts at TRUMPF can install, for
example, automation components, additional software modules or
process monitoring capabilities that are tailored to the machine.
TRUMPF technicians performed more than 1,300 product enhancement
projects in the last year. The advantages are clear: Companies
can expand their manufacturing capability with flexibility and, even
after the sale, can increase the productivity of their machines.
>> retrofit@de.trumpf.com
Product Enhancements boost productivity
Bending the right angle from the very first try: The ACB
sensor makes its measurements while bending transpires
and automatically sets the desired target value.
// What appears to be the same is not
always identical. Experience has shown
that gauge tolerances, the rolling direction
or the tensile strength can vary
within a single lot of sheet metal. That
often makes it necessary to bend
beyond the desired final angle. The
machine operator is perfectly justified
in expecting to achieve precise angles
without having to revert to a second
round of bending. The key here is a
sensor that measures the bending angle
during the bending process and then
automatically specifies the appropriate
set-point value.
With the ACB (Automatically Controlled
Bending) sensor, every angle
will be perfect from the very start. Up
to eight sensors can be mounted as
Product Enhancements
Bringing an older machine up to state of the art —
retrofits are the key.
Always at the right angle
A good part right from the very first unit:
The high-speed ACB angle sensor eliminates extensive
trial runs for bending programs
desired along the pressure beam in the
TruBend Series 5000. Three sensors,
arranged in parallel, ensure good bending
angle accuracy along the entire
length — even for very long profiles.
All of the ACB functions are integrated
into the user interface.
The TASC 6000, a new generation
of controls integrated into the TruBend
Series 5000, features a 2.8 GHz processor
and an optimized calculation algorithm.
These improvements shorten
the amount of time required to measure
and correct the angle — and further
boosts operating efficiency in the
TruBend Series 5000. Excellent productivity
and superb precision: That is not
a contradiction for TRUMPF machines.
>> abkantwerkzeuge@at.trumpf.com
TruServices Journal 02|08 15

Knowledge: Sheet metal quality
Savings
that can
cost you
16 TruServices Journal 02|08
Trying to save money when buying sheet metal
stock often means paying more in the long run. Our grand-
mothers knew: You need good ingredients to make a good
cake. And only good sheet metal makes for good processing.
// Today more than 2,000 varieties of steel,
with widely divergent properties, are being
manufactured in Germany alone. Regrettably,
the quality often fluctuates considerably and
even the best laser cutting machine cannot
turn out good results if the material being
processed fails to meet certain minimum
requirements. Michael Weller, technology
expert for laser and tube processing at the
TRUMPF Demonstration Center in Ditzingen,
is often confronted with this problem in
practice: “Some of our customers buy cheap
material in order to save costs, but, that often
turns out to be a mistake.”
It is not just the prospect of saving money
that tempts us to purchase low-priced material.
Despite higher steel prices due to exploding
raw materials costs, the demand for steel
has remained high. Increased delivery times
are becoming another significant problem.
“The customer sometimes has to wait six to
eight weeks for laser-cut material,” Weller
declares. In this situation, people sometimes
reach for readily available and seemingly
“cheap” alternatives. However, the money
saved and the time advantage literally “go up
in smoke” if the material has to be pre-processed
to prepare it for working. If plate is
rusty or scaly, or has been sandblasted or
painted, it is necessary to pre-treat the material
with a laser beam to clean the surface.
This requires investment in gas, power and
time — translating directly into money. You
then have clean sheet metal, but pre-treatment
does nothing to improve its inner qualities.
That is because the chemical composition
bears the primary responsibility for sheet
metal quality. “We recommend using the
laser alloys for sheet metal upwards of
15 millimeters thick. These materials contain

TRUMPF technology expert
Michael Weller knows what’s
important when shopping
for sheet metal.
less silicon, which would hamper the heating
of the material,” Weller explained. These
“inner values” ensure ideal cutting results,
good part quality and trouble-free subsequent
machining.
When a TRUMPF machine is delivered,
the accompanying technical literature
includes detailed recom-
mendations in regard to
the material to be processed.
Sheet metal quality
is a recurring topic when
machines are demonstrated
and during training sessions.
“We give our customers
all of the critical
information. We recommend certain steelmakers,
specify material properties and
describe the factors that can have a negative
effect on processing. In our technology tables
we list all of the major magnitudes appropriate
for processing certain types of sheet
metal: gas pressure, laser power, adjustment
settings, and feed rate. This data can be
applied one-to-one. Unfortunately, it is all
too seldom that the customers read that completely,”
Weller regrets to note.
If a customer tries to process low-quality
sheet metal, then determining the cutting
parameters can become quite costly. It is necessary
to invest both material and the knowledge
of an experienced employee in order to
achieve presentable results in spite of poor
sheet metal quality. It is usually necessary to
accept considerable losses in part quality. In
the worst case, all of this preliminary work
has become so time-consuming and expen-
“Reworking sheet
metal costs money
and ultimately
does not improve
the quality.”
sive that the ultimate customer simply turns
down the proposal.
The situation is even more precarious for
a job shop when the material to be processed
comes directly from the customer. Turning
down an order is something only a few shops
can afford to do. The attitude is often: “I will
manage to cut it somehow.
Where there is a will, there
is a way.” When dealing
with large parts, Michael
Weller concedes, processing
lower-quality sheet
metal is not quite so difficult.
The delicate pieces
cause the problems. Rough
edges, erosion and burrs usually cannot be
avoided. The worst scenario is that a part
will not be entirely cut away because slag and
melted metal do not burn completely during
cutting or cannot be blown away with the
stream of gas.
All in all, it is worthwhile to use good
material from the start. It can be processed
without unnecessary delays, and that reduces
operating expenses.
All of the major steelmakers and processors
offer information about ideal sheet
metal qualities on their websites. Every
purchasing agent can and should make use
of these resources. “In case of doubt, it’s
better to ask TRUMPF before placing an
order for materials,” Weller recommends.
That is a call that can save a great deal of
time and money — and that’s good for
everyone in the end.
>> info@de.trumpf.com
TruServices Journal 02|08 17

Good to know
News
Better component design
// The “Sheet Metal Design Workshop” is expanding its outlook.
Beginning now, TRUMPF experts will offer training in the
design of parts fabricated from tubing using laser welding and
laser cutting techniques. “We are responding to our customers’
growing demand for in-depth information about specific processing
techniques,” explains Jörg Heusel, manager of the engineering
department at TRUMPF and a workshop lecturer. The
classes of up to twelve participants last two days and are held
either at the customer’s site or at the TRUMPF Training Center
in Ditzingen. No matter whether it’s about new options in laser
welding, new applications for tubes and profiles or simplified
manufacturing procedures: Individual customer needs are
always in the foreground at the workshops. This is augmented
with the goal of efficient production.
>> joerg.heusel@de.trumpf.com
A ceramic component
made of plastic
// It is indispensible for laser cutting: the ceramic
component known as the nozzle holder. Originally
made of ceramic, it is located in the machine’s cutting
head and doesn’t just hold the nozzle. It also
helps keep the laser beam in exact
focal position which results in
perfect cutting. TRUMPF
has now developed a
nozzle holder made of
a special synthetic
compound. Featuring
a heat-resistant,high-performance
plastic on
the outside and a
quartz sleeve on
the inside, the
heat of laser cutting
is no problem
for the new nozzle
The nozzle holder:
durable and stable
>> truservices@de.trumpf.com
18 TruServices Journal 02|08
holder. This nozzle
holder also absorbs
collisions better.
Reducing the numbers of
welds: Laser cutting can be
used to make close-fitting
joints between tubes.
For standard and custom tools
// Competent and friendly consulting is second nature
to Katrin Stegemann in the bending tools sales unit.
Since 2002, she has advised customers on the phone,
created offers for standard tools and coordinated
delivery dates with the Austrian production plant.
Katrin Stegemann acquired a solid foundation of
knowledge during her apprenticeship at TRUMPF.
If a customer is looking for something special and
unusual, then this is when Maurizio Ammirata
comes into the picture. This mechanical engineer is
a specialist for bending tool customization and
modification. Working on the basis of drawings,
he prepares feasibility studies and determines the
shape and contours of the required tools.
Two clever minds

A small step with a big impact
// Spare Parts have to be delivered quickly and reliably.
TRUMPF and its customers are in full agreement about this.
To ensure that the correct part is dispatched and avoid
delays, it is worthwhile to specify the machine number
when placing the order. Should an extra part be ordered
accidentally, then the machine number will help us credit
your account more quickly. That makes both sides happy.
>> spareparts@de.trumpf.com
No fear of updates
// The software landscapes found in modern manufacturing
operations are becoming ever more complex. That makes software
updates, when they become necessary, more and more
nerve-wracking. “Never change a running system,” is often
the measuring stick for any and every action, but, updates can
offer enormous opportunities. Processes are optimized, functions
expanded and the hardware itself better utilized. Not
only is it important that installation be quick and trouble-free,
the user should also have an immediate overview of the new
features in the new software version and of the capabilities
important for him. He has to be able to use the innovations
right away. To ensure that this happens without resorting to
trial-and-error or thumbing through thick manuals, TRUMPF
offers training on software updates.
>> training@de.trumpf.com
TruServices at a glance
> Leasing
Stay flexible on a solid basis
> Software
Programmed for success
> Punching Tools
Know-how for every application
> Bending Tools
Customized to your specifications
> Spare Parts
Quality in every detail
> Technical Service
You can count on us
> Service Agreements
For the highest machine
availability
> Product Enhancements
Your machine can do more
> Customer Training
The knowledge advantage
> Consulting
Advice through experience
> Pre-owned Machines
First choice for second hand
>> truservices@de.trumpf.com

A perfect fit.
Ready-to-wear but, tailor-made — that
is the principle behind the services
provided by TRUMPF. Just as at the
tailor’s shop, where garments are
made to specification, TRUMPF offers
individualized Service Agreements
and Consulting to match real needs.
On site applications workshops
encourage creativity and merge three
factors — capacity, material and
manufactured part — to form new
solutions. If it is determined that we
don’t have a standard tool on the shelf,
then custom Bending and Punching
Tools can be made to pave the way
for efficient manufacturing processes.
And, it goes without saying that this
is all perfectly harmonized with your
machine controls and software.
Thinking service?
Think blue!