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Traditional MI cable stripping methods typically rely on mechanical grooving, grinding or manual stripping tools. Although effective, these methods have several inherent limitations.
Mechanical tools are subject to wear, meaning the groove quality gradually changes over time. As cutting wheels or grooving tools wear, groove depth and consistency can vary, resulting in more frequent adjustments and reduced process repeatability.
The LG-500 uses a 100 W fibre laser, meaning there is no mechanical contact between the tool and the cable. Since the laser itself does not experience mechanical wear, the groove quality remains highly consistent over long production runs. This eliminates one of the major variables found in conventional stripping methods.
Another important advantage is changeover time. Conventional stripping equipment often requires extensive mechanical adjustments when changing to another cable diameter. Rollers, cutting tools or guides frequently need repositioning or replacement before production can continue.
With the LG-500, changing to another diameter is much simpler. The operator only installs the correct collet for the cable diameter, selects the appropriate recipe in the software, and production can begin immediately.
Combined with laser grooving times of only 1–3 seconds, depending on cable diameter, this results in significantly higher productivity and much shorter set-up times compared with conventional stripping methods.
The LG-500 has been developed for a wide variety of mineral insulated cable sheath materials, including:
Although these materials may appear similar, they interact very differently with laser energy.
The primary reason is metallurgy.
Laser grooving is based on controlled absorption of laser energy. Every alloy has its own combination of thermal conductivity, reflectivity, melting temperature and other material properties.
For example, 316 stainless steel has a higher thermal conductivity than Inconel 600. Heat generated by the laser therefore spreads more quickly through the stainless steel sheath.
Inconel 600, on the other hand, has a higher nickel content and lower thermal conductivity, causing laser energy to remain more concentrated within the groove area. This influences the melting behaviour, groove geometry and required laser parameters.
Differences in optical reflectivity also play a role. Stainless steels and nickel alloys reflect different percentages of the laser wavelength, meaning identical laser settings would produce different groove depths.
For this reason, the operator selects the sheath material before starting production. The LG-500 automatically applies the validated laser parameters for that specific alloy, ensuring repeatable groove quality without requiring manual optimisation.
No.
One of the key advantages of the LG-500 is that the laser only interacts with the outer metallic sheath.
The groove is carefully controlled so that it creates a weakening line in the sheath without penetrating into the compacted magnesium oxide (MgO) insulation surrounding the conductors.
Because the MgO is never directly exposed to the laser beam, its electrical insulation properties and mechanical integrity remain unaffected.
This controlled process helps preserve the quality of the mineral insulation while creating a predictable breaking point for the subsequent stripping operation.
The LG-500 has been designed to minimise operator dependency.
Rather than manually adjusting complex laser settings, the operator only needs to define three parameters:
The machine automatically loads the validated laser parameters for the selected cable configuration.
This intelligent process control reduces operator training, shortens set-up time and ensures consistent grooving quality regardless of who operates the machine.
It also makes switching between different MI cable products significantly faster than with conventional stripping equipment.
Yes.
The LG-500 has been developed as part of TMF’s long-term vision of Complete Production Process Automation.
Rather than functioning as a standalone workstation, it has been designed to integrate seamlessly into automated manufacturing cells.
A typical future production line could consist of:
SH-600 Spool Holder → CS-1100 Straightening & Cutting Machine → Sorting Carousel → LG-500 Laser Grooving Unit → Ultrasonic Stripping → Laser Welding → Electrical Testing
By connecting these individual automation modules, manufacturers can progressively eliminate manual handling throughout the production process.
This modular philosophy allows companies to automate step by step while protecting previous investments and expanding production capacity as their business grows.
