A five-axis CNC machine now available from Coventry-based DMG Mori UK Ltd (www.dmgmori.com) is for producing geometrically defined textures on the surface of mould tools via laser ablation.

According to the company, this process is more environment-friendly than conventional etching, while offering greater freedom of design and a high level of repeatability.

The new Lasertec 75 Shape is also capable of creating filigree cavities without the need to manufacture electrodes.

A door opening of 1,310mm provides access to the machining area, and workpieces up to 840mm in diameter, 520mm high and weighing up to 600kg can be accommodated (or 1,000kg with the optional tandem drive of the tilting mechanism supporting the rotary table).

Central to this machine’s operation are a 100W pulsed fibre laser and 3-D processing optics with an F-theta scanning lens. The laser undertakes layer-by-layer removal of material and, in combination with the NC swivelling rotary table, offers contour-parallel laser shaping for fast and trouble-free laser texturing — even in the 3-D freeform areas of a mould, says DMG Mori.

Rapid-traverse speeds of 40m/min help to ensure short cycle times, while cooled ballscrews for the linear axes provide a high degree of accuracy.

Travels are 750 x 650 x 560mm in the X, Y and Z axes, and control is via a Siemens 840D SolutionLine system; this can combine with DMG Mori’s application-specific LaserSoft software and proprietary CELOS graphical user interface.