In the sector of industrial automation, precision, speed and reliability are no longer simple technical requirements: they are decisive factors in transforming a complex idea into a real production machine.
A concrete example is the project developed by Bi.Lab for the sector automotive: a 3D laser plotter system designed for the cutting and drilling of polymer pipes, with high dynamic performance and positioning tolerances in the order of hundredths of a millimetre.
The challenge: precise, fast and clean laser cutting
The customer needed a special machine capable of performing laser processing on polymer tubes, ensuring:
- centesimal precision of the laser spot;
- high axis accelerations;
- synchronization between movement and laser pulse;
- no waste or residue inside the tube;
- very fast development times.
The complexity of the project concerned not only the mechanical part, but the entire automation system: motion control, structure, software, safety and process management had to work in a perfectly integrated way.
The solution: a special machine with high dynamic control
Bi.Lab has developed a high-performance 3D laser plotter system, designed to operate on a working area of 800 x 600 mm.
The structure was designed to ensure maximum rigidity and stability even under very high dynamics. Thanks to its experience in high-speed system design and virtual prototyping, Bi.Lab has created a frame capable of withstanding high acceleration while maintaining precision and repeatability.
The system has achieved accelerations of up to 12G on the minor axis, allowing for rapid and controlled machining even on complex geometries.
Industrial automation and process control
The heart of the project is the integration between mechanics, automation and laser control.
The system was developed on a Beckhoff PC-based architecture, with axis control via linear servomotors and compact servo drives. The platform allows for axis interpolation, kinematic data management, and motion synchronization with laser pulses.
In one of the advanced configurations, the machine is able to perform up to 500 micro-holes per second on predefined patterns, synchronizing the movement of the axes with the activation of the laser.
This level of coordination is what distinguishes a simple automatic machine from a true automation solution. advanced industrial automation.
Result: Working prototype in two months
One of the most relevant aspects of the project was the time it took to complete.
Thanks to Bi.Lab's expertise in developing special machines and highly dynamic systems, the customer received a fully functional machine in about two months.
The final result allowed us to obtain:
- precise laser cutting on polymer tubes;
- drilling with a high depth/diameter ratio;
- clean processes, without internal residues;
- high process repeatability;
- precise control of the laser spot;
- reusable technological base for subsequent applications.
A model applicable to different industrial sectors
Although this case study was created for the automotive sector, the technology developed by Bi.Lab can be adapted to numerous manufacturing sectors.
The same automation, axis control, laser synchronization, and advanced mechanical design logic can be applied in areas such as:
- packaging;
- textile;
- medical;
- press;
- food;
- special industrial processes.
The project's strength lies not only in the machine, but in its method: starting from a specific need, developing a customized solution, and transforming it into a concrete industrial technology.
Bi.Lab: Customized industrial automation for complex processes
This project confirms Bi.Lab's approach to the creation of industrial automation: not standard solutions forcibly adapted, but systems designed around the customer's real process.
From mechanical design to software control, from virtual prototyping to commissioning, Bi.Lab develops special machines and turnkey automated systems for applications where precision, speed, and reliability are essential.
In the case of the 3D laser plotter for the automotive sector, the goal was ambitious: to combine extreme dynamics, centesimal precision and clean processing.
The result is a technology ready to become a platform for new, highly complex industrial applications.
