GF Machining Solutions has supplied Hersham-based Fimark Ltd., – a laser engraving, cutting, marking and texturing subcontract specialist – with a new, state-of-the-art laser texturing machine.
The machine – an AgieCharmilles LASER P 400U – was installed at the company’s facility in July 2020 and is the second advanced, high-performance 5-axis laser texturing machine from GF Machining Solutions that Fimark has acquired in the last five years: the first being a LASER 1000 5AX machine that was installed in April 2015.
The arrival of the LASER P 400U has not only significantly strengthened the company’s existing laser marking, engraving and etching capabilities but, perhaps more importantly, has also enabled Fimark to further develop and exploit new application opportunities in the relatively new, and emerging, laser 3D texturing (aka laser surface texturing) markets.
Says Charles Dean, Fimark’s managing director:
“Laser texturing is a fully-digitalised surface engineering process that has huge potential.
“The technology enables precise 2D and 3D textures to be machined accurately and directly onto complex parts or moulds/mould inserts – and its application is being investigated, trialled and used by manufacturers across the world serving a diverse range of industry sectors -: automotive, aerospace, medical devices, watch making and jewellery etc., to name but a few.
“We are an innovative company and our ‘early adoption’ of laser texturing technology, achieved through the acquisition of the LASER 1000 5AX and, more recently by our latest LASER P 400U investment, reflects and reinforces our ambition to become and remain a market-leader in this fast-growing specialism.”
The machine, with its 30µm laser beam width, is ideal for machining small components with delicate and intricate shapes, features and textures. And, for ease of set-up and process control, the machine’s head features a sophisticated vision system camera and a 3D (workpiece) touch probe.
Since its installation the LASER P 400U has been used for a range of engraving, etching and texturing jobs as well as in a number of research-led and production-led applications that include i) the surface modification/manipulation of stainless steel to develop hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties, and ii) the high-accuracy laser etching of chip breakers onto PCD cutting tools.
