Manchester-based Middleton Sheet Metal has installed a Trumpf TruLaser Cell 7040 six-axis laser processing system that features a 2kW TruDisk laser, boosting productivity and quality and introducing the possibility of laser welding as well as laser cutting. Established in 1937, MSM has become an established aerospace supplier, with customers not just in the UK but also in mainland Europe and the USA.

General manager Tony Daniels says: “We’ve had two Trumpf laser processing stems before, and we decided last year that it was time to upgrade to the latest technology. We knew that the TruLaser Cell 7040 would offer greater cutting speed and precision, but we also wanted the extra feature of laser welding.”

A key feature of the machine is the fact that the laser beam is guided through a fibre cable; the high power density of the beam and the high dynamics of the machine result in minimal distortion and a very small heat-affected zone (typically less than 0.01mm). The machine also has twin tables, which allows dual job set-up. The laser welding head is quickly interchangeable with the cutting head.

MSM specialises in various safety-critical aerospace parts, including pipes, ducts, bleed air components and heat-exchanger parts. It has three Nadcap approvals and is now seeking a fourth — for laser welding.