Machine laser-cutting stents from tubular blanks, includes tube magazine, low friction tube guidance unit fixed to machine, tube manipulator and clamping chuck

摘要

A tube guidance arrangement is fixed in position on the machine. Its two guidance surfaces are set at an angle to each other and include a roller, ball or axially-disposed pair of balls, to press the blank against the guide surfaces. The guide surfaces are coated with polytetrafluoroethylene, or similar material with a low coefficient of friction. The balls move transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the blank, in cylindrical cavities in the tube guidance arrangement. They are held against the blank by a pressurized fluid. The tube manipulator operates continuously from a magazine unit (2) on the side opposite to the laser-cutting head (8). It includes a clamping chuck for the tubes. Channel-like carriers hold the tubes and are moved at right angles to their longitudinal axes. The magazine includes a transfer unit to advance the tubes longitudinally to the manipulator. This includes a gripper and a piston-cylinder feeder. The carriers are arranged on endless recirculating toothed belts. Pairs of laser cutting heads and manipulators process two tubes at once. A single laser beam is employed, in conjunction with a beam splitter (9) and two laser cutting heads.