Three factors for process acceleration in composite manufacturing
Up to now, composite production could benefit from replacing physical templates with laser outlines displayed by CAD-PRO laser projectors. Furthermore, the PRO-SOFT software offers tools for organizing and optimizing processes, reducing production errors, improving quality and minimizing processing times. Further process acceleration is now achieved by the new DTEC-PRO camera system: DTEC-PRO recognizes target positions of known tools, and communicates the positions to the PRO-SOFT software. Thus, CAD-PRO can directly hit the target positions without manual help. Calibration effort during production is thereby reduced significantly. Furthermore, the system increases process reliability.

Manufacturing cell in a Smart Factory – supported by laser projection
"Especially manufacturing centers that produce small to mid-size composite parts and that require mobile manufacturing equipment to be moved or transported to lamination stations may benefit from the advantages of the system", says Matthias Lange, responsible Product Manager at LAP. "We also think one step ahead", adds Ralf Müller-Polyzou, Head of Product Management, Marketing & Business Development at LAP. "The Smart Factory requires both flexible production plants and versatile systems. Our solution is scalable, offers flexible use and it can be realized within a short period of time. Existing laser projection systems can be transformed into manufacturing cells with a camera system and laser projectors within just a few days, at reasonable expense". The cell structure enables work processes to be organized flexibly. Thanks to multi-task support of the PRO-SOFT software, employees are also able to simultaneously process multiple jobs in a single cell. In terms of versatility, the manufacturing cell is suitable for lay-up processes as well as for the assembly of composite parts.

The interaction of the camera system DTEC-PRO with the CAD-PRO laser projectors and the control software PRO-SOFT in a manufacturing cell of a Smart Factory will be shown at the LAP booth 5/R58 auf der JEC World 2018.

Industrial laser projector – compact in size, flexible in use
Speaking of flexibility, another highlight at the LAP booth is the CAD-PRO compact. The laser projector is designed without a fan, which makes the laser projector very compact in size and flexible in use for industrial applications. Featuring a size of 24x11x11 centimeters and a weight of only 2.8 kilograms, it is even smaller and more lightweight than the CAD-PRO. Thanks to its small dimensions it allows for comfortable one-hand-mounting. Furthermore, it can easily be integrated in nearly every workspace. As laser source, CAD-PRO compact features green laser diodes with more than 30.000 hours service life.