TPT November 2014

Industry News

Laser technology veteran celebrates 40 th anniversary

led, in 2009, to the addition of the first fibre lasers to the established solid- state lasers, which make a significant contribution to the company’s revenue. LASAG offers optimally matched processing heads for a portfolio of laser sources. This includes solutions for special applications, for example rotating optics for circular welding, even for parts that are positioned irregularly to each other, or multiple processing heads for simultaneously cutting multiple identical components, of which more than 100 have been sold in the last two years. Andreas Ewald, managing director of Rofin-LASAG AG, said, “In its 40-year history, LASAG has repeatedly helped to shape the technological change. Because the change from lamp-pumped laser sources to fibre laser sources went well, we can now continue to forge ahead with our process development in ultra- short pulse laser technology thanks to the possibilities in the Rofin Group.”

THE Swiss company LASAG AG was founded in 1974 as a wholly owned subsidiary of ASUAG (Allgemeine Schweizerische Uhren AG), to manufacture lasers for drilling watch jewels. Since then the company has sold more than 4,000 lasers to around 1,500 customers worldwide. LASAG became part of the Rofin Group in October 2010, thereby gaining access to its global sales and service network, as well as the internal Rofin technology pool. 40 years after being founded, the head office in Thun, Switzerland, has a team of 48 highly qualified employees who develop and sell between 150 and 200 lasers per year for varied precision industrial applications. In several areas, such as needle and turbine blade drilling, Rofin-LASAG AG claims to have been the world market leader for many years. Thecompanyhas continued todevelop its lasers as well as its processes. This

Rofin-LASAG AG – Switzerland Fax: +41 33 227 45 73 Website: www.lasag.ch Rofin-Sinar Laser GmbH – Germany Fax: +49 40 7 33 63 4100 Email: info@rofin-ham.de Website: www.rofin.de (from left) Hansruedi Wandfluh, Andreas Ewald, Prof Ursula Keller and Thomas Merk, at a celebration of the 40 th anniversary of Rofin-LASAG AG

Ultra-modern copper tube plant MACHINERY International Corporation, based in the USA, has been appointed as the exclusive sales agent of an ultra- modern fully automated plant for the production of copper tube. This plant is being sold exclusively through Machinery International Corporation (www.machyintl.com) and will be sold in its entirety, not as individual machines, for relocation outside North America. New Shanghai office for Metalube LUBRICANTS manufacturer Metalube is continuing its global expansion by moving into larger offices in Shanghai, China. The company now has four offices in the Asia Pacific region – Shanghai and Dongguan in China, Hong Kong, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Maurice Ngai, general manager, Asia Pacific, commented, “It is so positive to be part of a company such as Metalube that understands the importance of having a real and physical presence in the countries where it exports to. The investment is certainly paying off. We have witnessed year on year growth in this important and fast growing region, and this year alone we expect to see a further 40 per cent increase in sales. “Our wire drawing lubricants have been exceptionally well received here and we have big plans to launch a host of new product ranges into the region over the coming year. Our customers are comforted by the knowledge that we have industry experts, who speak their language, on hand, to ensure a seamless operation.” Metalube Ltd – UK Fax: +44 161 775 7511 Email: post@metalube.co.uk Website: www.metalube.co.uk

HP (1,285kW) drive; Schumag double drawing and single drawing continuous lines; SMS-Meer 84" spinner block; and an automated plant-wide Asmag computerised coil basket transportation system to automatically feed tube products to and frommachinery station as well as several other innovation features. Machinery International Corporation – USA Website: www.machyintl.com

The plant produces 4,000,000 pounds (1,814 metric tons) per month of inner- groove tubing for air conditioning and refrigeration industry and standard water tube for the plumbing industry using the most modern horizontal continuous casting and cast and roll technology.

The plant includes: four strand SMS horizontal continuous casting plant with automated loading and extraction system; SMS automated shell milling line; SMS Model HRM100 continuous high reduction mill and coiler with 1,700

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N ovember 2014