Perfectly networked - Trumpf GmbH + Co. KG

01/11 

TruServices 

Journal 

Sheet metal processing in practice 

Three factors 

battling waste 

Machinery, software, tooling: 

How to eliminate the scrap skeleton 

Farewell, dongle 

Activating software more quickly with 

a password instead of a dongle 

Sharp and agile 

The new Foil Slitting Tool with 

a ceramic ball point makes for 

precise separation 

Perfectly 

networked 

One software program for the entire manufacturing 

operation: TruTops Fab provides an overview of the 

entire production floor, point by point 

Page 10 

Prize 

drawing

Contents 

Technology 

In operation 

Technology news 4 

Production Control Software 

Your ingenious shop navigator 6 

Software 

May we have a word with you? 

Why is the dongle being retired? 10 

Spare Parts and Pre-owned Machines 

A gem of a nozzle 11 

Time for a new one? 11 

Punching Tool Accessories 

Seven aces in the hole 12 

Knowledge 

Software and Punching Tools 

A well-rehearsed trio 14 

A hard but gentle ball point 15 

Software 

Good to go 16 

Quick calculation in just five steps 16 

Maintenance and technology 

Maintenance pays off 17 

How it’s done 17 

Good to know 

News about TruServices 18 

Quick reference — pages 

Punching: 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17 

Laser processing: 4, 6, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19 

Bending: 4, 6, 10, 16, 17 

Management: 6, 11, 16, 17, 18 

TruServices Journal Juni 2011 edition Sheet metal processing in 

practice Published by TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG, 

Johann-Maus-Straße 2, 71254 Ditzingen, +49 (0)7156 303-0, Res- 

ponsible for content: Dr. Gerhard Rübling Editor-in-chief Reinhold Groß, 

journal@de.trumpf.com Project coordination Babette Kopp Editorial 

staff pr+co Gmbh, Stuttgart, Norbert Hiller, Monika Unkelbach, Julia 

Graf, Julia Schmidt, Tobias Brunner Photos Fotostudio Loster, KD Busch, 

iStockphoto, Fotolia Translation Stewart Lindemann, Wuppertal, 

Germany Design & Illustrationen pr+co Gmbh, Stuttgart, Tine Bärthel 

Reproduction Reprotechnik Herzog GmbH, Stuttgart Printing frechdruck 

GmbH, Stuttgart For address changes contact: journal@de.trumpf.com 

2 TruServices Journal 01|11 

Pre-owned Machines 

Time for a new one? 

The time has never been better to trade in a wellmaintained 

pre-owned machine for a new model. 

Take advantage of favorable buy back offers. 

Page 11 

Maintenance 

Maintenance pays off 

Prevention instead of repairs. 

The Service Agreement Classic also helps 

you maintain your machine's value. 

Page 17

Production control 

Your ingenious 

shop navigator 

With TruTops Fab you 

have access to production 

information even when 

you’re on the road. From 

quote calculations and 

production to invoicing, all 

of the important steps in 

your manufacturing cycle 

are completely transparent. 

Page 6 

Punching Tools 

Seven aces in the hole 

Tools that are set up perfectly and continuously 

maintained are the foundation for ideal 

punching results. The seven aces keep your 

punching tools in good shape. 

Page 12 

Page 16 

Software 

Quick calculation in just five steps 

With WebCalculation your 

customers get a quote at the push 

of a button. Speed pays off. 

Editorial 

Dear Readers, 

Are you into networks, too? Given all the discussion about social 

networks, you can hardly afford not to be present in these 

new media. But networks are hardly an outgrowth of the Internet. 

Even the ancient fisherman’s net shows all the features associated 

with modern networking. The arrangement of the knots and their 

clearly defined relationship to each other through thread, makes 

it possible to significantly boost fishing productivity. Admittedly, 

social networks are far more complex and cover many more levels. 

And despite this, the concept of boosting the efficiency of individual 

participants is common to all types of networks. Participants 

might be people, machines or materials, and they are interlinked, 

interdependent and intercommunicative. Just like a fishnet, missing 

links or faulty knots represent weak points. On the high seas, 

a part of the catch can escape; in the shop, such weaknesses will 

entail waste in day-to-day business operations. 

That is why our software focuses on intelligent interaction 

among the nodes in the factory. Our TruTops Fab Production 

Control Software offers a comprehensive survey of your production 

network. It points out processing bottlenecks, waste becomes 

visible, and rush orders can be handled more quickly and easily. 

Today this is more important than ever before. In the aftermath 

of the economic crisis, we are all glad to see that order books 

are once again full. Questions of machine availability, increased 

productivity and degrees of utilization have moved back into the 

foreground. At the recent Blechexpo we selected the phrase “Perfectly 

networked” as our slogan. And we have adopted the same 

topic for this issue of TruServices Journal. 

We intend to expand networking with our customers, acting in a 

spirit of partnership. Listening very carefully is an essential part 

of that effort. For years now customer polls have helped us keep 

our finger on the users’ pulse. Our activities evolve directly from 

the feedback you provide. And as in every network, this serves 

to make all of us more successful. That is why we always look 

forward to receiving your feedback. 

Dr. Gerhard Rübling, Managing Director 

TruServices Journal 01|11 3

Technology News 

What we’ve spotted… 

The TruPunch 5000 means 75 

percent fewer processing steps 

and still provides solid footing. 

Sure footing 

That’s good thinking: The right 

step in just a single step. The 

company Die Kanter & Schlosser 

Metall-GmbH makes the tread 

plates it uses for construction and 

transport machinery without having 

to remount the piece in the machine. 

In the past these parts were 

outsourced, and that stretched 

out delivery times and increased 

the number of operations. Now 

the TruPunch 5000 is being used. 

With a size 5 forming tool, special 

punching tools for pre-punching 

and without an active die, the shop 

produces the entire tread plate – 

and can vary the design as desired. 

General Manager Dieter Rotsch is 

proud of this achievement. “The 

TruPunch 5000 reduces the original 

number of processing steps by 

75 percent and slashes delivery 

times by 50 percent – and we’re 

more flexible than ever before.” 

Dieter Rotsch, General Manager of 

Die Kanter & Schlosser Metall-GmbH, 

Trier, Germany, www.die-kanter.de 


In operation 

A virtual walkabout 

// Submitting an inquiry for a custom bending 

tool in the E-Shop is simple and takes only a few 

minutes. Anyone doing this for the first time can 

now walk through the entire process, step by step, 

in a webinar provided on the TRUMPF website. 

This covers everything from selecting the various 

applications for special tools and entering 

your own individual manufacturing data, right 

through to the completed inquiry form. The webinar 

leaves no question unanswered. Give it a try at: 

www.mytrumpf.com and www.trumpf-machines. 

com/en/services 

Less chemistry – 

Greater performance 

// In the past the TRUMPF Easy-Kit contained 

all the materials needed for safe and simple 

replacement of the water in laser machine 

cooling circuits. Changes in local chemicals 

ordinances dictated a modification of the 

existing Easy-Kits. Capitalizing on 

this opportunity, TRUMPF has 

expanded the Easy-Kits' spectrum 

of usage. Not only are the 

new kits more environmentally 

friendly, they can now be used 

in all TRUMPF machines and 

lasers. This results in advantages 

not only for the environment, 

but for customers, as well. Coolant 

changes are now required 

at a uniform interval of twelve 

months. In addition, machine 

availability is increased because 

the cleaning cycle, which is part 

of the water change, can be performed 

outside normal production operating 

periods. There is no need to top off the 

chemicals between coolant changes and there 

Hello! 

Placing an order for bending tools is made as easy 

as pie. Our virtual TRUMPF consultant shows you 

the way, step by step. 

is no need to keep chemicals in stock, since 

the Easy-Kits are packaged for exactly one 

coolant replacement cycle. Different sizes for 

the machines and the cooling circuits, along 

with regulations that vary by country, are the 

reasons why TRUMPF offers several 

versions of the Easy-Kit. Complicated? 

Nope. It’s really quite simple. Just ask 

us. We can tell you which Easy-Kit 

matches your machine. 

>> spares_export.tws@de.trumpf.com 

Your individual Easy-Kit 

makes replacing the coolant 

easy, convenient and environmentally 

sound.

Christian Jakisch, 

product consultant 

A bag for tricks 

Reliable punching 

Particularly when running automated 

processes, it is essential that the punching 

process be absolutely reliable. This 

is supported by our slug retention die. 

They keep the punching scrap from 

being drawn back up when the punch 

retracts. The slug is held by grooves 

engraved in the sides and tapering toward 

each other, which results in reliable 

disposal. This ensures that the slug 

will not hang up in the system. A further 

advantage of the slug retention die: 

minimum scratching when processing 

sheet metal. Particularly when punching 

thin sheet metal, it can be advantageous 

to switch off the slug vacuum 

system. This keeps the sheet metal from 

adhering to the sharp cutting edge or to 

a built-up edge in the die. In this case, 

too, the waste is reliably disposed of 

with the help of the slug retention die. 

Dies that are already in service can easily 

be retrofitted with this option. 

>> technik.tooling@de.trumpf.com 

The slug retention die 

means dependable 

disposal of punching scrap by 

using grooves sloped toward each other. 

How about an egg cup? 

// They were an eye-catcher in the tooling 

presentation at the TRUMPF booth during 

the last EuroBLECH: attractively rounded egg 

cups, made with tooling developed especially 

for deep drawing. These Size 5 Tools for the 

active die were devised by TRUMPF in collaboration 

with the Institute for Forming at 

the University of Stuttgart, in the course of 

a research project. These tools can be used 

both on the TruPunch 5000 and on the 

TruMatic 7000 with active die. Deep drawing 

is always called for whenever larger parts are 

to be formed while reducing the wall thickness 

inside the formed area as little as possible. 

Particularly with alternating, high-profile 

forming the normal stretch-forming process 

often reaches its limits. These new special 

tools make it possible to bring sheet metal 

into perfect shape – exactly as desired. These 

tools ensure that material does not wrinkle as 

it flows from the surrounding areas; nor does 

the edge of the sheet metal become frayed. 

The result: Pleasant curves with uniform 

wall thicknesses for bowls, drain sieves, or – 

in this case – esthetically appealing egg cups. 


An end to nibbling marks 

// The annoying marring resulting from 

nibbling work has been banned by the 

punching tool MultiShear for trimming. The 

edge of the sheet metal can be trimmed easily 

and free of any setting marks – and entirely 

without need for touch-up work. What’s 

more, using this tool also saves on material. 

The overlap – the width of the strip of sheet 

metal to be trimmed away – can be set for 

any amount as of three millimeters. The best 

quality is achieved with the recommended ten 

millimeter overlap. Thanks to the maximum 

cutting speed, of twelve meters per minute, 

the MultiShear is economical – typical for 

punching work – while the MultiDur performance 

coating makes the component especially 

resistant to wear. 


Using these special Size 5 Tools for the active die 

makes for trouble-free forming by deep drawing 

– and not just for egg cups. 

Using the punching tool MultiShear for trimming 

does away with the need for time-consuming 

touch-up work. 


Your ingenious 

shop navigator 


TruTops Fab offers automated production sequences and 

full transparency at every workplace.

Absolute adherence to delivery dates and 

flawless quality, paired with maximum flexibility 

and reliability. Although that sounds 

about as likely as squaring the circle, this actually 

defines everyday operations in sheet 

metal fabrication. Only with optimized processes 

and a clear overview of the manufacturing 

chain can market requirements be 

satisfied. For the first time ever, at the Blechexpo 

2011, TRUMPF put software in the 

limelight. That’s TruTops Fab, the production 

control software that lets you network all 

production operations. 

Automated sequences 

Knowing what’s happening at any given moment, 

where something could hang up, and 

when materials bottlenecks might threaten – 

that is no longer just a matter for management 

to see by walking around. A manufacturing supervisor 

in a modern sheet metal shop can provide 

all sorts of information – on push-button 

command while sitting in front of the monitor 

at his desk. But, automated production without 

high-performance software to control 

and monitor work sequences is only half the 

story. Calculations, nesting, and production 

are made successful – automatically – with 

TruTops Fab, a high-performance navigator 

for sheet metal production. It takes 

charge from the first moment 

onward. The customer’s inquiry 

lays the foundation for 

an unbroken information 

flow. From calculations, 

preparing the proposal 

and confirming the order, 

through to writing the 

job order and generating 

the shipping documents 

once "job complete" has 

been reported, TruTops Fab 

is in control. With a single click, 

a quote is turned into a customer 

order and then the customer order is 

transformed into a production order. 

Information, point by point 

The scheduler knows the status of the order 

at all times, and whether the materials, machine 

capacities and other required resources 

are available for upcoming steps. Even as the 

order is accepted, it is perfectly clear whether 

the materials needed are already on hand in 

the warehouse. Since reorder levels have been 

specified, coupled with materials management 

and supplier administration, an order 

is initiated immediately and an order list is 

automatically generated. TruTops Fab then 

assigns the NC program corresponding to 

the order to the machine. All of the work 

in the order book then serves as the basis 

for complete work plans, shop cards and 

material tags. 

Transparency at every workplace 

An example will serve to show 

how TruTops Fab makes a valuable 

contribution to the efficient 

use of materials and thus to cost 

reductions. When preparing for laser 

cutting, TruTops Fab examines all 

the parts scheduled to be processed and 

shows the programmers the sheet metal to be 

used, sorted by the type of material involved. 

Thus materials will be nested for each workday, 

and not order by order. Moreover, the 

software examines every bit of scrap sheet and 

suggests how it might be used for later orders 

instead of starting from scratch, with a new 

sheet. There are also beneficial side effects in 

inventory management. With absolute transparency 

about everything in stock, there can 

be no doubt whether material is available. This 

means that buffer and reserve inventories can 

often be reduced, and that is relevant to costs. 

TruTops Fab proves its value in job shops and 

as a PPS subsystem in larger companies. The 

interfaces defined in the industry standards 

make for smooth communications both to 

higher IT systems and, if indicated, to downstream 

operating data acquisition. 

Your contact for 

Production Control Software: 

E-Mail: sales_cad_cam@de.trumpf.com 

Phone: +49 (0) 7156 303 – 31900 

Production Control Software Technology 

Knowing 

what’s going on is no 

longer a question that 

can only be answered 

with management by 

walking around. 

Unveiled at the Blechexpo 2011 

was a TruTops Fab app for the 

iPad. It gives you access to 

information not only 

from the office, but on 

the road, as well. 


Technology Production Control Software 


Automated sequences 

throughout 

production operations 

The link to the storage system 

enables fully automatic loading and 

unloading from flat-bed laser machines. 

Complete transparency in sheet metal storage. 

Manufacturing navigator. The performance spectrum. 

// From job calculations and order nesting to NC programming and warehouse 

management, every area is integrated into TruTops Fab. This navigator through 

sheet metal manufacture is modular in design and can be configured individually, 

to suit specific needs. TruTops Fab can communicate with ERP and PPS systems 

just as directly and simply as with TRUMPF machines, third-party systems and 

warehouse administration programs. 

Production control 

To ensure that machines are better utilized 

and that the manufacturing process 

is optimized throughout, TruTops 

Fab controls and manages every aspect of 

production, simplifies capacity planning, 

nests orders, and forwards the NC program 

data to the machine controls. The software 

can also consolidate many individual components 

to form machining groups. Current 

order processing status can be called 

up at any time with a simple mouse click. 

Inventory management 

TruTops Fab administers and consolidates 

material inventory for all machines and storage 

systems, separate inventories at manual 

storage sites – and containers, too. 

Customer care 

TruTops Fab handles generating proposals 

and invoices, and also manages customer 

data and payment reminders. 

Calculations 

Bid prices and manufacturing periods 

for production planning purposes 

are also included among the 

features, together with advance calculation 

and product costing analyses. 

TruTops Fab also keeps an eye on 

automated bending machines. 

Purchasing 

Managing the supplier data, processing orders 

and comparing invoices and payments 

are all done automatically by TruTops Fab. 

Technical service and training 

TRUMPF offers an extensive curriculum in 

software training and of course, supports the 

on-site installation process.

What people are saying about TruTops Fab 

TruTops Fab is the perfect supplement to a fully automated 

sheet metal processing line. Its introduction eliminated sources of 

error, simplified sequences and minimized material waste, and all 

that almost in passing.“ 

Steffen Albrecht, General Manager at PreTec, Dresden, Germany 

When we were setting up a highly automated sheet metal 

manufacturing line, we very consciously decided on a comprehensive 

system and integrated TruTops Fab from the very outset. It is important 

that the processes needed to prepare for manufacture take a 

minimum amount of time.“ 

Thomas Menzel, head of the sheet metal production center at Kaeser 

Kompressoren, Coburg, Germany 

Our primary goal was to reduce the amount of material wastage 

through improved component nesting. TruTops Fab allows 

us to call all component parts from different orders sharing the 

same material type and nest them all together in one program; 

thereby greatly improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our 

laser operation.“ 

Stuart Small, Managing Director at Stevens Rowsell & Co. Ltd., 

St. Leonards-on-Sea, England 

We profit from the wealth of experience built into the software. 

That makes it worthwhile to adapt our customary processes 

to match the software’s specifications. Today I can access complete 

information, at push-button command, right from my desk.“ 

Ralf Berger, General Manger at BK Metall, Goldkronach, Germany 


Technology Software 

Contest 

An iPad 2 for your 

dongle 

We will hold a drawing among all the 

customers who return a dongle to us. 

The prizes are: 

3 Apple iPad 2 

and, in addition, 

100 free, one-year 

Service Agreement 

Software for all of the 

technologies you use 

in the following groups: 

■■TruTops Laser 

■■TruTops Punch 

■■TruTops Bend 

■■TruTops Tube 

So don’t delay. Be sure to drop that 

dongle into the shipping envelope 

provided by TRUMPF and put that envelope 

in the mail! 

Eligibility requirements at: 

www.trumpf-machines.com/en/services 


May we have a word with you, Ms. Stöhrer? 

Why is the dongle 

being retired? 

Tanja Stöhrer, product marketing 

Software at TRUMPF, is happy 

about every dongle. 

Safer, simpler, more flexible. Beginning with TruTops Version 

2.2, customers will be receiving a password instead of a dongle. 

The dongle has outlived its usefulness. 

What happened? 

Tanja Stöhrer: The new copy protection regime 

will make a number of things far easier 

for the customer. This starts right with the 

activation of the software. It will be done online, 

quickly and easily. Once the software 

has been activated, it is ready for immediate 

use. There are no delays. This one-time 

online activation, used for 

both stand-alone and network 

licenses, renders the 

hardware key – the dongle 

– superfluous. 

And what does that mean 

in terms of flexibility? 

Tanja Stöhrer: Our customers will see 

an appreciable increase in flexibility. 

Every user will receive a floating license. 

In that way individual licenses 

can be used wherever needed in the 

network and even checked out, sort 

of like a library book, for someone to 

take along and use while working at 

home. All of this at no extra charge 

to the customer. 

How will the changeover 

take place? 

Tanja Stöhrer: Customers will 

receive an e-mail containing 

The “dongle thingy” 

information about the transition, the licensing 

agreement and the activation password. 

The software is installed as always, 

from a DVD. The user need only 

enter the password during online 

activation, making the software 

ready for immediate use. 

And what happens to 

the dongle? 

Tanja Stöhrer: We are 

asking our customers to 

return their dongles to 

us. To make that as con- 

venient as possible, we 

will be sending them 

a shipping envelope. 

We will see to it that the 

dongles are properly disposed 

of. If the software 

is being installed by one 

of our service technicians, 

then he can take the dongle 

with him. 

Be sure to read our article on 

TruTops Version 2.2, on page 16. 

>> sales_cad_cam@de.trumpf.com 

The assumption that the dongle got its name from a frustrated software engineer named Don 

Gall has no basis. Early dongles were often connected by way of a short cable so that they 

“dangled” at the back of the computer, and that is the more probable origin of the word.

“Striving for precision is what motivates us in development 

work for laser nozzles,” says Jürgen-Michael Weick, 

development manager for optical components at TRUMPF. 

Changing out the old for 

the new isn’t always 

this simple, nor 

does it always 

bring many 

benefits. 

A small item with a huge impact // The laser nozzles 

A gem of a nozzle 

// They are small and – supposedly – inconspicuous, but they shoulder 

great responsibility in regard to perfect laser cutting quality: the nozzles 

made by TRUMPF. Either with or without chrome plating, and matched 

exactly with the technology tables used in our machines, they ensure flawless 

gas flow and perfect cutting performance. Packed in beneath the glossy 

surface, inside the nozzle, is concentrated technology, the product of extensive 

trials. They were conducted because the nozzle is responsible for a 

perfect gas stream during laser cutting and thus essential to the profitability 

of laser operations. The bore is perfectly centered in the cone, minimizing 

the effort required for adjustment – centering the beam in reference 

to the nozzle. Ultimately, even the smallest deviations will increase cutting 

gas consumption. The precise manufacturing and geometry of the 

TRUMPF nozzles, eliminates all burring, both at the inlet and the outlet of 

the bore. This makes absolutely uniform cutting results, in all directions, a 

sure thing. Shipped in a practical package, this very important tool comes 

to you as a TRUMPF Original Spare Part – in a rush, if need be, thanks to 

our first-class Spare Parts logistics. 


Attractive buyback offers 

and perfect consulting 

on the new machine go 

hand in hand. 

Time for a new one? 

Profit from attractive repurchase prices 

for Pre-owned Machines. 

// Do you have a well maintained machine no more than seven 

years old? We are offering to buy it back at a fair price! Take advantage 

of today’s good business situation and profit in 

two ways. A new machine matched exactly to your 

current requirements and needs will boost your 

productivity, while trading in your used machine 

will save you hard cash. We make it as easy as possible, 

since the entire replacement is handled by a 

single source. Simply send us the model and serial 

number of your used machine, along with the current 

number of operating hours, and we will quote an 

attractive buyback price. At the same time we will advise 

you as to which new machine best fits you and your 

requirements – in terms of both price and performance. Out 

with the old and in with the new – now more favorable than ever. 

>> resale@de.trumpf.com 

Spare Parts and Pre-owned Machines Technology 


Technology Punching Tool Accessories 

Seven aces in the hole 

Precise adjustment 

and regular regrinding 

of tooling are decisive 

in achieving perfect 

punching operations. 

TRUMPF offers seven 

“aces” that will help 

keep your punching 

tools in good shape. 

They ensure high tool 

availability and long 

service lives. 


Christian Landwehr, Ruck Ventilatoren GmbH, 

uses QuickSharp for all punching machines. 


Fine grinding at 

1.QuickSharp: 

the flick of a wrist 

The QuickSharp makes for fast 

and safe regrinding of punching 

tools. Its digital display and 

clearly laid out control elements 

make for easy handling. Integrated 

length measurement, chucking 

fixtures, and an automated 

machining process make offline 

regrinding simple and successful. 

The face grinding process 

minimizes the thermal and mechanical 

loading of the cutting 

edges and ensures high quality 

at the tool surfaces – for whisper 

punches, too. 

Simple, correct 

2.QuickSet: 

setting 

QuickSet allows you to affix the 

punch and the adjustment ring 

offline away fom operations at the 

punching and combination machines. 

Tool length and the amount 

to be ground away are read from 

a digital display. Determining the 

punch's insertion depth in the 

stripper makes an active contribution 

to avoiding collisions. A 

special mount in the base plate 

simplifies removing the screws at 

the adjustment ring. QuickSet is 

suitable for both flat and whisper 

tools – in sizes 1 and 2 and for the 

MultiTool implements. 

Convenient, time-saving, effective.“ 

Quickly ready for 

3.QuickLoad: 

every need 

QuickLoad simplifies mounting 

the tool cartridge. With it, it is 

possible to place the punch, die 

and stripper in the tool cartridge, 

and to remove them, as well, both 

quickly and precisely. Pneumatic 

unlocking eliminates any and all 

physical exertion. 

„We have used QuickSharp since the year 2000. Previously we had used a simple 

flat grinding machine. Although we run three punching machines and need a 

lot of tools, regrinding now consumes only about an hour a day. In comparison 

to sharpening with the flat grinder, we save seventy percent of the time with the 

QuickSharp. What’s more, the machine operates without supervision and that is 

more than beneficial. We basically use the QuickSharp to grind all our punching 

tools. These range from punches and dies in standard tools to MultiTool 

inserts and slitting tools. Regardless of whether we’re talking about a flat, angled 

or beveled grind, both the surface pattern left after grinding and the grinding 

results themselves are ideal. That is more than satisfactory.“ 

Located in the Swabian town of Boxberg, in southwestern Germany, the Ruck Ventilatoren 

GmbH specializes in fan and ventilation technology and in equipment construction. 

www.ruck.eu

4. 

RTC Tool Cartridge: 

Tool changes 

in no time at all 

Using the RTC Tool Cartridge 

with the TruPunch and TruMatic 

machines guarantees not only fast 

and safe retooling; it maintains 

good order, as well. Weighing 

just 600 grams, it lets the machine 

achieve maximum acceleration 

rates. Reinforced springs ensure 

that the tools are held securely 

while the fiber-reinforced plastic 

chassis protects the machine 

against overloading. In case of a 

collision, the chassis will break 

away first, preventing damaging 

to the punching head. The cartridge’s 

arms are provided with 

an additional coating to protect 

against fretting corrosion and 

rust bloom – and thus extend the 

cartridge’s useful life. The ergonomically 

correct grip results in 

simple handling. 

Putting tool 

5.QuickMove: 

cartridges on wheels 

The tool cartridge cart makes 

for quick movement of loaded 

tool cartridges from point A to 

point B. The ergonomically correct 

design enables easy steering, 

a good overview of the contents, 

and quick access. It also has 

numbered positions, oil absorbing 

matting, a holder for the tool 

set-up plan and job papers, along 

with integrated holders for the 

set-up levers and Allen wrenches 

used for the clamps – all these features 

make for real convenience. 

Nary a chance 

6.QuickPad: 

for scratches 

The QuickPad mounting device 

simplifies attaching adhesive pads 

to punching tools. This helps to 

reduce scratches and impressions 

left during machining. Special 

press devices for the size 2 die, 

the intermediate ring and the 

stripper ensure that the pads are 

centered exactly on the tool. The 

elastomeric pressure rings ensure 

that the self-adhesive pad is 

secured in place without trapping 

any bubbles. 

Tool Cabinet: 

Everything 

7.Punching 

in good order 

Clearly arranged, space-saving 

and tidy – the key advantages of 

this specially designed storage 

cabinet. Vertical compartments 

give access from both sides, for 

fast and easy retrieval of up to 

seven hundred punching tools. 

Recesses accommodate lifting 

forks to make the cabinet portable. 

Wir beraten Sie gerne: 

>> ersatzteile@de.trumpf.com 

TruServices TruServices Journal Journal 01|11 01|11 13 13

Knowledge Software and Punching Tools 

A well-rehearsed trio 

Efficient interplay of machine, software and tooling makes 

it possible to separate sheet metal entirely without a scrap 

skeleton. At TRUMPF, the TruPunch 3000 and TruPunch 

5000 machines, along with TruTops Punch software and sophisti-cated 

tooling, form an unbeatable team. 



The TruPunch 3000 and the TruPunch 5000 are the world’s 

first machines to achieve skeleton-free processing. 

// These machines, equipped with a rotating punching head, are extremely efficient 

in their material usage. The open parts flap or chute ensures that even small 

segments, up to 500 × 500 millimeters, can be discharged reliably. The sorter 

separates good parts from waste and diverts them to the appropriate standardized 

containers. 

Indispensable: punching tools that provide perfect 

support for skeleton-free processing. 

The parts flap or chute enables fast, simple and dependable discharge 

of sheet metal parts after processing. A bi-level stripper 

with a clamping function, developed by TRUMPF, offers even 

more flexibility. In the past a part could be no larger than 180 

millimeters wide and 500 millimeters long if it was to use the 

parts flap or chute. Now even parts with deviating dimensions 

are quite easily grasped by the stripper and turned so that they 

can be discharged through the chute. The stripper exhibits one 

very special feature: it is milled down by 0.5 millimeter on one 

edge. During the punching operation the sheet metal pieces to 

be discharged are clamped between the die and the raised edge 

of the stripper. The milled edge enables clearance of the sheet 

metal. Thanks to clamps that can be actuated individually, each 

of the residual strips is cut down to length, turned by the stripper, 

and discharged without the operator having to intervene. At 

the end of the working cycle there’s quite simply nothing left of 

the sheet metal panel. It’s as though it had disappeared! 


Clever solution: The edge of the bi-level 

stripper with clamping function, milled 

down by 0.5 millimeter, makes it possible 

to clear the metal sheet. 

Reliable processing 

The rotating punching 

head provides flexibility 

when processing 

sheet metal. 

The open parts flap 

makes it possible 

to reliably tip even 

smaller segments 

onto the sorter. 

The sorter automatically 

separates good 

parts from scrap. 

TruTops Punch makes 

programming fast and simple. 

Software functions can also support skeleton-free 

processing. An improved nesting pattern can help. 

MiniNest makes it possible to group and arrange 

a variety of parts, at any desired angle. Thanks to 

TwinLine, the parts can be closer to each other, resulting 

in an improvement in material utilization by 

about ten percent. The intelligent separation concept 

increases process reliability, as does the colored 

depiction of waste parts in the display. Clamps that 

can be opened individually guarantee that the remaining 

strip can be automatically broken up and 

that waste will be discharged reliably. 

Skeleton-free processing 

increases average 

part yields by at least 

ten percent. This saves 

materials costs and 

reduces the amount 

of waste. 

Efficient 

User-friendly

A hard but gentle ball point 

A ceramic ball makes the Foil Slitting Tool even more durable. 

// The tip of a ball point pen provided the inspiration for the new 

point in the TRUMPF Foil Slitting Tool. Light in weight and movable 

in all directions, it glides over the surface of the sheet metal and 

scores all kinds of foils without damaging the metal itself. The trick: 

The tip is made of a ceramic material, making it extremely tough 

and durable. Depending on the type of foil, this new ball point can 

offer service lives five to eight times longer than the brass stylus used 

in the past. 

Joachim Beyer is excited 

about the new tool. 

The Foil Slitting Tool satisfies all 

our expectations.“ 

We use our custom manufacturing 

line to make switchgear cabinets 

and other cases for the electrical 

and mechanical engineering 

industries. Here the demands in 

regard to surface quality are particularly 

high, so that the protective 

foil remains in place on all the 

components, right through to final assembly. It is important 

that the tool gives us uniform separation quality. And it 

is essential that wherever the foil has to be removed in advance 

– when engraving logos or in areas to be welded, for 

instance – the slit has to be perfect. The surface of the sheet 

metal – we use brushed or polished stainless steel – has to be 

absolutely free of scratches and impressions after slitting. 

The new tool satisfies all our requirements. In the past 

we had to score these foils by hand. That was tedious 

and time-consuming. With this Foil Slitting Tool 

we have achieved time savings of about eighty 

percent in the foil slitting step, because the manual 

processing is entirely eliminated. The tool is 

low in maintenance, is reliable and dependable in 

the process, and always generates uniform slitting 

geometries, with transitions between scores that are 

free of all irregularities. 

Joachim Beyer is the Design Manager at Otto Schimscha Metallbau 

GmbH. This medium-sized family company specializes in systematized 

solutions for the electrical and mechanical engineering industries. 

www.schimscha.de 

Clean foil separation. Even the smallest radii present no problems for this 

Foil Slitting Tool. 

Flexible in every direction 

This Foil Slitting Tool (patent pending) with its ball-tipped point 

offers a maximum measure of flexibility. The smallest radii can 

be traversed with the ball, which can be moved in any direction. 

And even intricate elements can be separated from the protective 

foil effortlessly after the slitting process. Might you be interested in 

using this innovation? It goes without saying that existing tools can 

be retrofitted. 


The ball point cuts through every kind of foil 

and is nonetheless gentle on sensitive surfaces. 


Knowledge Software 

Good to go 

TruTops Version 2.2 offers benefits 

impacting many technologies. 

// The new Version 2.2 will make manufacturing faster, less expensive 

and more efficient – and that will be true for all technologies 

supported by TruTops Programming Software. Not only is material 

management markedly improved. Nesting is also made faster and 

more efficient with the MiniNest function. This feature can arrange 

cutting blanks from multiple orders in a single sheet - at any desired 

angle. That results in better utilization of the material. Regardless of 

whether you’re involved in punching, laser cutting or tube processing 

– economizing on materials and increasing process and planning 

confidence are in the focus. With TruTops Punch, for example, 

separation and immediate discharge of scrap lead to fast and reliable 

waste disposal in case of the skeleton-free processing. The graphic 

depiction of the waste increases process reliability at the same time. 

Once machining patterns have been prepared, they can be applied to 

multiple parts. Programming with TwinLine and automatically avoiding 

double strokes save additional time. New sheet cutting strategies 

in TruTops Laser also result in considerable reductions in material 

use. Part removal and sorting are supported by the graphic depiction 

of part separation. In TruTops Tube, the TubeNest function handles 

nesting along the length of the tubular material. That economizes 

on materials and boosts confidence in planning for the entire nested 


Quick calculation in just five steps 

WebCalculation lets you quote customers with the push of a button. 

// It is often true that quick and efficient quotation submission is the key to success for sheet metal job shops. The 

WebCalculation software module can put you that decisive step forward. It’s all quite simple. You hyperlink 

WebCalculation from your website and your customers can visit your site, seven days a week and around the clock, 

to have a sheet metal processing proposal prepared – simply, quickly, reliably. 

There are just five steps to the quotation. And placing the order is just as quick: 

Upload 

drawing 

Select 

material 

When it is preparing an offer, WebCalculation not only uses the information in the TRUMPF technology tables, but 

also takes account of your cost calculation specifications. Based on TruTops Calculate, which runs in the background, 

your hourly rates for machines, costs for materials, wage scales and profit margins are automatically taken into 

account. And, you yourself can determine who can use this feature. The integrated user administration routine ensures 

safety. Read more about this in the article on page 6. 


Specify 

machining 

Regardless of whether you’re punching, laser cutting, bending, or processing tubes: 

TruTops 2.2 boosts both material efficiency and confidence in planning and machining. 

package. The conversion of the license protection procedure as of 

Version 2.2 will give TruTops customers greater flexibility in license 

management. They will then have the option of activating and deactivating 

licenses on individual laptops, so that they can use a license 

wherever they might be located. Read more about that in the articles 

on pages 10 and 14. 


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 

Start cost 

calculation 

Proposal 

completed 

Place 

order

Maintenance pays off 

The Service Agreement Classic 

means prevention, not repairs. 

// Chances are, you’re looking to achieve high availability and minimal repairs while 

upholding the value of your machines. The Service Agreement Classic is exactly 

what you’re looking for. It ensures that all maintenance work specified by TRUMPF 

is carried out at the prescribed intervals and is standardized, using a maintenance 

checklist matched to your equipment. Exact adjustment of all mechanical, pneumatic 

and hydraulic functions and early prediction of wear-related malfunctions keep 

your machines in tip-top shape, all the time. Evidence is provided by the TRUMPF 

maintenance sticker. That can have a beneficial effect on the resale price should you 

ever sell the machine. 

>> truservices@de.trumpf.com 

The Service Agreement Classic 

guarantees that our machines will always 

be in good working order, with all parameters 

set correctly. Advance scheduling 

of maintenance work can be coordinated 

with our production plans so that manufacturing 

is never disrupted. The measurement 

of the stopping distance at our bending 

machines, prescribed by law, is also done 

during the maintenance work. That keeps 

us on the safe side. I am convinced 

that regular service also helps maintain 

the value of our machines.“ 

Walter Zwicklhuber, 

General Manager at GEWA Blechtechnik GmbH, 

Ried, Austria, www.gewa.at 

We are thoroughly satisfied with 

the Service Agreement Classic. The 

technicians do a great job. Their work is 

clean and tidy and when we have questions 

or need information, they always provide 

friendly and competent advice. The maintenance 

work makes our automated punching 

and bending machines last longer and 

keeps them in good technical shape.“ 

Heiko Hillenbrand, 

Sheet Metal Team Leader 

at merath metallsysteme GmbH, 

Waiblingen, Germany, www.merath.com 

Consulting and technology Knowledge 

How it’s done 

DetectLine 

DetectLine is an optical system that measures 

sheet metal along a number of contours 

to precisely determine a sheet’s 

position. What’s more, DetectLine automates 

ascertaining and setting the focal 

position. Contours are cut in a small piece 

of sheet metal, with focus positions set for 

different values. The camera system detects 

the width of the cut and transmits to 

the controls any required correction values. 

Cutting head 

DetectLine 

camera system 

Chamfered laser-cut edges 

Chamfered edges enhance safety when 

handling materials. Combination machines 

make it possible to round off sharp, 90-degree 

edges with chamfers at both surfaces. 

This is done with a roller tool, impressing a 

120 degree angle at the upper and lower 

faces of the sheet metal. During subsequent 

laser cutting, the cutting beam is aimed 

precisely at the root of the groove. 

Groove on the top 

of the sheet 

Laser beam 

Groove on the bottom 

of the sheet 

MultiBend 

Bends can be made, using the MultiBend 

forming tool, in a single step on the punching 

or combination machine. This ensures 

that bending is effective both in the 

middle of the sheet and at the edges. After 

cutting a section free on three edges, 

the tool can bend a tab at an angle of up 

to 90 degrees. 

Sheet metal Bending roller 


Knowledge News 

Good to know 

Helping others help themselves 

// Whenever it’s a matter of simple maintenance and repair work 

on the TruLaser Series 3000 (with the conventional switchgear 

cabinet) or the TruLaser Series 5000 (modular cabinet), you 

won’t have to call for a service technician in the future. That’s 

because our TruLaser maintenance seminars lay the foundation 

for self help. These courses are directed at those who have 

already attended a maintenance course and have training as 

an electrician. In five days the participants receive insights 

into all kinds of maintenance, preparing them to do electrical 

and mechanical service and repair work. This is an investment 

that quickly pays for itself. The course on switchgear cabinets 

TruLaser 3030 / 3040 / 3060 / 3530 und TRUMATIC L 3020 / 

3030 / 4030 / 6030 with Sinumerik 840D (conventional 

switchgear cabinet) (not for TruLaser 3030 (L20) / 3040 (L32)) 


Let's drop in on ... 

and schematic drawings points out ways to rectify problems. 

Also covered are repairs and adjustments for electrical and 

mechanical components, as are correct verification and basic 

settings for the optics in the external beam guide. Tracing leaks 

in the gas and water circuits, both in the machine and at the 

laser, can also be done by in-house technicians, as is also true 

for inspecting the deflector mirror and the gantry shift. Doing 

your own maintenance, at professional quality: sure and simple. 

>> training@de.trumpf.com 

>> www.mytrumpf.com/training 

We offer TruLaser maintenance courses for the following models. Be sure to register soon. 

Not everything can be done automatically. 

Rainer Mönch’s experience and intuition are 

indispensable at TRUMPF. 

TruLaser 5030 classic / 5030 / 5040 / 5040 (L18) / 5060 / 

5060 (L19) und TRUMATIC L 3050 / 4050 / 6050 

(modular switchgear cabinet) (not for TruLaser 5030 fiber) 

… Rainer Mönch in the Special Forming Tooling department. 

// Automation? Rainer Mönch chuckles. Right in the middle of fully 

automated sequences, he is the specialist for tricky manual work 

requiring intuition, a sense of proportion, and lots of experience. He 

has been making Eladur spring elements for twenty-five years 

now. Most are destined for special forming tools and that is 

why every element is different – and has to be built to customer 

drawings. One problem here is that the Eladur plastic is 

a long-lived material, but it’s also elastic. Sometimes it’s soft as 

a “super ball” and sometimes it’s very firm. “Here you can’t just set 

up for a final dimension, because the material tends to distort. That 

is why I take a close look at each and every spring element and then 

decide how to best fabricate it,” explains Rainer Mönch. Will it have 

to be turned or milled – or a combination of both? Which tool and 

which chucks are the best to ensure that this delicate material retains 

its shape? Once these questions have been answered, Mönch works 

the component with tools and jigs he makes himself, edging his way, 

literally millimeter by millimeter, to the final dimension. Even today, 

not everything can be done automatically, as is quickly apparent with 

this inconspicuous but nonetheless complex bit of manual work. 

>> technik.tooling@de.trumpf.com

Send me on my way! 

// “#@?¡£¿$%! It’s stopped!” Whenever the Windows error report ending 

with the question “Do you want to send …?” appears – most users click 

grumpily on the “Cancel” button. That’s exactly the wrong reaction! The 

widely held opinion is that the report will go to Microsoft and they won’t 

do anything with it. The truth is that Microsoft’s servers forward the details 

to the program’s originators – in this case to TRUMPF – where the 

malfunction is analyzed and corrected. Each time you click on the “Send 

information” button, you help eliminate programming errors. Ultimately, 

the exasperating gray window will appear less frequently. 


Your trouble report won’t get lost in cyberspace, but instead it will help 

TRUMPF developers to improve software quality. 

Infallible accuracy! 

// To achieve perfect cutting results, focusing lenses have to be aimed 

perfectly at the cutting head. Intended especially for the new lenstype 

cutting heads and designed for the single cutting head strategy, 

TRUMPF has introduced a new lens with a cut at the edge. This ground 

surface makes sure that the lens and its holder are always in perfect 

alignment. The lens is aligned with the center of the nozzle one time 

only. The “beam centering” phase is then dispensed with when the lens 

is later removed and reinstalled. This repetition accuracy saves time! 

And the LenseLine function, with a status check for the TruLaser machines 

makes full use of this new cut. LenseLine 

makes it possible to continuously monitor 

the amount of contamination actually on 

the lens and thus avoids unnecessary lens 

cleaning work. 


Perfect cutting results, again and again: The cut on the 

edge of the lens matches perfectly with the holder in the cutting head. 

TruServices at a glance 

> Finance 

Stay flexible on a solid basis 

> Software 

Programmed for success 

> Punching Tools 

Know-how for every application 

> Bending Tools 

Customized to your specification 

> 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 

> Per-owned Machines 

First choice for second hand 

>> truservices@de.trumpf.com

Listening carefully. 

Selling premium machines also means 

offering premium service. To know exactly 

how customers define this, it’s best 

just to ask them. For years now 

TRUMPF has conducted incisive customer 

surveys on service quality – 

sometimes with surprising results. The 

views from the inside and the outside 

are not always identical. More than 

15,000 questionnaires have been sent to 

clients worldwide, and these have already 

culminated in about one hundred 

measures aimed at improving service. 

Regardless of whether these are minor 

changes in claims processing or larger 

changes regarding availability by phone, 

the best of the suggested solutions have 

been implemented around the world in 

the “Service Excellence” project. 

TRUMPF service strives to earn the 

“premium” label everywhere on the 

planet – both from our own perspective 

and in customers’ opinions, too. 

Thinking service? 

Think blue!

Perfectly networked - Trumpf GmbH + Co. KG

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?