Cut-to-length lines for heavy gauge

Cut-to-length (LCT) lines are designed to transform a parent coil into flat packaged parts. The formats obtained in this type of line can be used in a wide range of sectors, the industrial sector being one of the most notable with thicknesses from 6 mm to 25 mm. The main aspects of the products obtained when used in the automotive sector are:

A good surface quality.
Correct flattening (measured in I-units) especially when the cut material is processed via laser cutting
Removal of calamine with a cleaning system based on brushing machines.
Good cutting quality.
Stacking of packages obeying perfect geometry, seeking to avoid shocks or marks.

The main characteristic of this type of line, when intended for the coarse materials sector, is that the design and construction of the machines must guarantee high productivity, reliability and easy handling of the line.

Sectors Mills Service Center Aluminium

Technologies Cut-To-Length Lines

Technical specifications

The most relevant machines that are integrated in a cross-cutting line are:

Levellers

At FAGOR ARRASATE, our catalogue includes a comprehensive range of rollers to cover a range of working thicknesses required for this type of line. In the case of the coarse materials industry, the thickness of the material processed is usually from 6 mm to 25 mm maximum and therefore mechanical levellers or hydraulic flatteners can be used.

In addition to the above, the leveller will have additional functions so that it can be adapted to the degree of automation and productivity required by the line: multi-drive and application control, .Leveller Setting Assistance (LSA), a roller cleaning system, levelling roller materials and finishes, and other features.

The function of the leveller is to eliminate the internal tensions derived from the coil manufacturing process, as well as to eliminate local defects (pockets, ripples, etc.). As regards the elimination of internal stresses, at FAGOR ARRASATE we have the specific technology for thick materials to carry out double levelling by means of simultaneous operation of the straightening and levelling machine.

Shears

Depending on the speed of the line, the material to be processed and its thickness, at FAGOR ARRASATE we have a wide range of shears. In the case of lines intended for the coarse materials industry, we can highlight our flying and roto-flying shears. These shears are designed to cut medium-thick materials. These shears are mainly characterised by their robustness, due to the high forces generated during cutting. Depending on the thickness, the working cadences will vary from 15 strokes/minute to 60 strokes/minute.

Stackers

Stackers are the machines responsible for removing the material cut by the shears. At FAGOR ARRASATE, we have a wide range of stackers to process a wide range of materials and thicknesses. They are intended for the coarse materials industry, and the most notable products are:

Pick-up trucks
Racket and doorway stackers

The configuration of the stackers is complemented by a series of auxiliary machines such as scissor tables, carts, shears, cleaning systems and strapping machines, among others.

The basic characteristics of a coarse material slitting line are:

BASIC FEATURES
Maximum belt width	mm	3,000
Thicknesses	mm	6 – 25
Maximum format length	mm	25,000
Maximum speed	m/min	120
Maximum cutting rate	spm	180
Achievable flatness	l-u	3
Length tolerance	mm	+/- 0,1
Maximum coil weight	Tons	40

Due to the wide variety of materials and sectors for which they are intended, these lines must be completed with a series of complementary solutions, the most important of which are the following:

Automatic loading, feeding and threading.

Edge trimming and further processing by edge trimmer and chopper.

Paper and/or film application systems for delicate materials (stainless steel and/or aluminium)

Automatic pallet loading.

Integrated control up to level 2 and 3.

Digital platform for machine diagnosis as well as preventive and predictive maintenance.

Integral monitoring and multimedia display.

All lines meet the most demanding EC, OSHA, etc. standards.