Applications
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Stairs - Coming Soon!
Countertops - Good thorough templating is the foundation of any successful countertop installation. If the templates aren’t precise it creates a lot of downstream problems that cost time and money. Traditional tempating with glued sticks and folded cardboard is prone to moisture and handling damage. Each job collected over the course of the day has to be protected and carefully truck delivered back to the shop at the end of the day. The templates must then be digitized to create CAD data for CNC machining.
The ProCollector from SL-Laser takes the guesswork and inaccuracy out of complicated measurements and generates .dxf CAD files on the jobsite that can be easily transmitted back to the shop via any email enabled cell phone or WiFi network. No more hauling fragile full-sized templates – save fuel, truck or work van costs, and labor time instantly. Since the system is no larger than a suitcase, a templater can easily use a small car to drive from jobsite to jobsite.
Since the ProCollector does not need to be accurately leveled in space, a lightweight survey-style tripod can be used, giving a firm and sturdy surface indoors or out. Once on the tripod, the ProCollector, the operator selects a starting point for the drawing and chooses a Z-plane for measurement. In a 2D countertop drawing, points can be gathered on the cabinet faceframes or backsplash and automatically snapped to the measurement plane – the drawing can be accurately assembled from seemingly inaccurately collected points. On straight surfaces, simple two point lines can be quickly collected and interconnected to adjacent lines without scanning exact corner points. On contoured or wavy surfaces like reception desks or sloppy drywall backsplashes, the ProCollector can scan between two or more points at chosen intervals to automatically build a polyline in the drawing. Pick the path points and push go – the motorized scanner does the point collection work for you!
The SL-Laser ProCollector adds a new dimension to laser templating – the third dimension. No more turning the machine sideways or cranking a tripod up and down. If you need to go up the wall to measure a backsplash, windowsill, or utility cutout, simply move the laser target up the wall. This can either be recorded as a 3D extension to the same drawing, or a new separate 2D plane for easy portability into your CAD/CAM package. The ProCollector can also provide an assembled 3D view that shows the relationship of each 2D vertical plane that is collected around the base template giving the operator and CAD designer a good visual representation of the workspace.
ProCollector adds a new degree of measurement power, professionalism, and efficiency to your templating crews. Your customers will notice the difference on templating day and the resulting product of improved accuracy and fit will show in your finished installation.
Inlay Work and Mosaics - The SL-Laser ProCollector is the perfect tool for laying out and assembling stone inlays. Starting from a CAD drawing file, the ProCollector can guide the installer through each critical joint in the layout, ensuring a uniform and proportional execution of the original design. The ProCollecter can be used from the included tripod for smaller inlay projects or secured to a sturdy stepladder or unobstructed balcony for a better vantage point over a larger area like an open foyer or atrium floor. Once a “zero” starting point is assigned in the drawing, any point or intersection of lines can be selected and the ProCollector shines a laser spot to that point
on the surface. The operator can then mark the template on the worksurface with chalk or grease pen and move to the next point to continue transferring the design. The CAD drawing is laid out in full scale with no opportunity for distortion. ProCollector will even alert you if the surface measures outside of an acceptable tolerance level. Laying out accurate by-design inlay murals and mosaics has never been easier!
Custom Nested Slab Layout - Manually nesting a slab usually involves dragging cardboard cutouts, mylars, or luan templates around a slab until everything fits with the best yield, then marking around them with a grease pencil. If you’re ultimately cutting the slab on CNC machinery, you already have the digitized contour drawings of the parts available. These can be easily loaded into the SL-Laser ProDirector 5 layout system and projected onto the slab in bright green laser light. The LaserPilot software allows the user to move and rotate each piece into place with an easy to use remote control. Parts can be snapped into place along a kerf line to maximize the slab yield and simplify machining. Parts can be quickly moved around or shifted as a grouped nest to get the best position for vein pattern or avoiding fissures and imperfections in the slab. Once in the nest is in place, the laser images are marked on the slab and moved along to the bridge saw and router. Since the hard templates are removed from the process, the laser nesting can be performed vertically on an A frame table, making the entire process easier to view and eliminating the physical strain of leaning over a horizontal slab. The laser light image on the slab offers an incredibly useful tool for homeowner approval that will definitely create a memorable experience and the word of mouth referrals you rely on. Just one more example of SL-Laser improving the quality and profitability of your stone business.
CNC Countertop Machining - When machining granite and marble countertops on CNC stone cutting machinery, time is money. If your machine is running constantly, the biggest opportunity for improvement is minimizing your setup times – get the pods and stone in the right places as quickly as possible. An SL-Laser projection system integrates with your CNC controller to show your machine operator exactly where to set his pods, stops and fixtures. Once the fixturing is in place, the image switches to show the part contours to accurately place each part on the pods. There is simply not a faster way to change over a job and get the machine moving again. No more “dry runs” to confirm and adjust the part placement, no more miscut pieces for the scrap pile. No more cut pods to replace. Laser projection from SL-Laser saves you time and money!
Bridge Saws - Precise alignment of heavy slabs of granite around on bridge saws and CNC waterjets is essential to get an accurate cut. Moving slabs around once they’re on the machining bed is no easy task. A faster and simpler option for alignment is a ProDirector 5 laser projector from SL-Laser. A laser image of the saw or cutter path is projected onto the slab. The laser image can be easily moved or rotated with a wireless remote control to match the projected image to the marked up slab. When a proper alignment is confirmed by the operator, a button is pushed on the remote control to write the new offset geometry to update the machine code and correct the toolpath. Don’t move the slab – make the machine come to you!
3D Measurement - Coming Soon!
