What is laser cutting?
Laser-cutting machines are used to process different types of metal, including ordinary or stainless steel, aluminum, bronze, and copper. As a bladeless technology, laser cutting offers flexibility, speed, and precision in fabrication and is becoming an increasingly preferred method in sheet metal production.
Laser cutting machines are an innovative and super-efficient technology for cutting and machining different materials, which can make high-quality products in no time.
The name "laser," which has become established as the name of this cutting method, is an acronym for "light amplification by forced emission" (in English: Lіght Аmрlіfісаtіоn Ѕtіmulаtеd Еmіѕѕіоn Rаdіаtіоn).
This designation explains thatlaser cutting technology uses the focusing of light and the power it generates to cut, slice, and engrave a variety of materials.
Laser cutting has several advantages, so it is no coincidence that its popularity continues to grow as the preferred method in metalworking.
There are different types of lasers:
- diode
- disk
- fiber optic lasers
- gas
- inscription lasers
- pulsed lasers
- CO2 lasers
- semiconductor lasers for scientific purposes
- sensor systems
- processing optics
- short and ultra-short pulse lasers
Various machines have numerical control (CNC) for cutting metal sheets. The most common technologies are plasma, water jet, or laser. Each technology has its unique advantages.
When it comes to cutting very complex contours and our goal is to achieve precise shapes, laser cutting is probably the best choice for manufacturers' purposes. Compared to milling it is a much better option.
In laser cutting machines, the axis movement is controlled by servo motors. The power of the laser beam determines the speed of the machine. A large percentage of modern laser cutting machines are equipped with a workpiece loading and unloading system.
p>
Application of laser cutting
Laser cutting is a method used in industry to cut metals, steel, sheet metal, and other materials with a thickness of no more than 20 mm. It doesn't matter whether the task is to cut sheet materials or industrial components of different sizes and hardness - laser cutting machines successfully handle various tasks.
Laser cutting is applied for:
- engineering purposes
- production of tools
- аviation
- medicine
- engraving
- the processing of certain types of plastic.
But its use is not limited to these areas. Laser cutting is also used in the processing of plywood, plexiglass, polystyrene, and also grids and decorative products made of MDF, chipboard and other materials.
Laser cutting is used for the production of various details of Plexiglas, Plexiglas products - stands, shelves, decorative grilles, interior signs, interior design, advertising signs, door signs, dimensional letters, holiday decorations for parties, weddings, birthdays, wooden toys and many other things.
Advantages of laser cutting
Laser cutting is gaining traction as a production method for various reasons. One of its main advantages is high precision, which eliminates the need for repeated adjustments to the product.
With the use of lasers, we can cut precise shapes, even in thicker materials. The highly concentrated beam energy and high precision control offer us endless possibilities for laser cutting applications.
Laser cutting has a lot of benefits, including the fact that it doesn't require any changes to tools in the workflow. It's also possible to automate the processing of pieces.
Laser machines are often used in the production process to achieve quick, precise results. They have a higher rate of cutting than waterjet cutting for the same materials and thicknesses. This is especially true for plastics, crystals, glass, and other transparent materials. Waterjet cutting is most beneficial for thicker pieces of material.
Since laser cutting is carried out at very high speeds, the material base cannot change its structure or heat up. This is the main reason why laser cutting is so precise - the base material cannot impair the accuracy of the cut.
Laser cutting is a non-contact process, making it a more suitable method for cutting brittle flexible materials without damage compared to mechanical cutting.
The surface of the finished product is characterized by high smoothness and therefore does not have to be subjected to additional processing, which saves time and money.
Laser cutting results in greater savings in energy resources. In this method of metalworking, the energy consumed amounts to 5 to 7 % of the total cost of the finished product.
In fact, if we use laser cutting in our production, 70 percent of the cost will be for the initial delivery rather than so much for day-to-day operating costs.
As far as the economy is concerned, CO2 lasers are a good choice. They have a lot more advantages compared to fiber laser machines. They do an excellent job with jobs that require complex shapes and have extremely strict accuracy and repeatability requirements.
For example, C02 laser machines are also available with additional energy-saving features. In addition, laser cutting is an easy-to-upgrade method for machining metal parts.
Investing in laser cutting equipment is definitely worthwhile and cost-effective for businesses. Some of the CO2 laser machines that are additionally equipped with servicing robots have round-the-clock operation without interruption. Because they have greater efficiency and lower cost than fiber lasers, these machines reduce the average cost of making a part.
The other advantage of laser cutting is that the cutting tool hardly wears out with laser machines, which also reduces equipment replacement costs. It applies thermal impact to a negligible extent.
Last but not least, laser cutting brings with it less waste product, making it a more environmentally friendly method compared to other metalworking methods.
