Cross cut slitter machine for polyethylene!

[Str8hp]

Hi, I hope someone can help!!

Here is what I am trying to do.
I am trying to cut 18" (give or take) rolls of polyethylene into strips 9" long and 1-2" wide. I had a machine made with rollers on it and an electric motor to basically pull the poly through a row of sharp blades that give me the strips, now my trouble is getting the strips cut Into 9" lengths before they fall off the conveyor Into a bin. I would like to use a laser beam for a quick clean cut! Any suggestions?
Thank you so much!

 

[MacGyverS2000]

A galvo CO2 is in order. You don't say how fast these are moving nor thickness of poly, so we can't suggest an appropriate power level. Talk to the major companies and they'll set you up with a cut-while-moving system.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[Str8hp]

6mil polyethylene, as far as speed I'm not sure yet, plan on setting up multiple small machines. What's a laser capable of producing? 100ft per min? Just a thought off my head.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

Figure on about 8ipm/W with a good focus... probably safe to assume a more solid 5ipm/W for galvo with long focal distance. If you figure on a 100W system, that's 500ipm (about 40fpm).

It's all application specific, though, so you'd need to contact a laser company's app department and have them run some tests.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[Str8hp]

Ok, Do you have a link to a website that would carry the laser you recommended? I am just trying to search for one but im not sure that what I am finding is right. What is the price tag roughly on something like this?
Thank You for your help!

 

[IRstuff]

Seems to me that you're substantially increasing the complexity of your operation. Was 6 mil too thick to do a die cut? If the laser is fast enough, couldn't it do the entire job itself?

TTFN
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[Str8hp]

I don't really kmow, we had the machine made for $3000.00 now we just need a way to cross cut for length of the strips, if there is a 18"-24" laser beam that we can attach to our machine that would be great, a continuous pulse, depending on how fast the poly is being pulled through the slitter mechanism is how fast the laser would have to sit there and pulse on and off to get us our 9" strips that would then drop off into a bin. I need a link to a website with lasers like this. I don't really know what to expect to spend on a laser lie this.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

A Google search for "laser manufacturer" brought up plenty of useful hints... even a top 10 list from Laser World magazine.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[Str8hp]

I find lasers but non that I see will work. do they make a pulsating 18" wide laser beam?

 

[MacGyverS2000]

How do you know they will not work? Have you contacted the manufacturers? Your requirement is custom, which means a system will need to be designed around what you want/need... and you're not going to find that by looking at what's on the manufacturer's home pages.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com