Researchers use EMPT to cut steel

It is claimed the technology, which was previously used primarily to expand or neck aluminium tubes, is faster and creates less burr than other methods.

The development included support from engineers at Volkswagen and the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology (IWU) in Chemnitz.

Verena Kräusel, head of department at the IWU, explained a laser cutter takes around 1.4 seconds to cut a hole, whereas the EMPT can do the job in approximately 200 milliseconds. She said: ‘Our method is up to seven times faster.’

The team claims another advantage is that it produces no burr — unwanted material that occurs on the other side of steel when it is pierced. Therefore, the EMPT technique does away with the need for a finishing process.

Also, the process does not wear out cutting tools, meaning there is no cost for replacement.

The pulse generators comprise a coil, a capacitor battery, a charging device and high-current switches.