Width Of Laser Beam Used To Cut Sheet Metal

The two most common types of laser cutting machines are fiber laser and co 2.

Width of laser beam used to cut sheet metal.

A series of mirrors and lenses direct and focus a high energy beam of light onto the surface of the sheet where it is to be cut. Mike klos laser mechanisms converting to millimeters that s 1550 watts mm 2. A fast repeatable and highly accurate process which is ideal for high production runs. Co 2 lasers use an electromagnetically stimulated gas typically a mixture.

Laser cutting uses a high powered laser to cut through sheet metal. Ideal for carbon and stainless steel sheet metal and intricate patterns. Fiber lasers vs co 2. Focal spot size vs divergence for a laser with 4 5mm mread beam quality delivered through a ø100µm fibre.

If you d like to learn more about ablative laser cutting check out this article on micron scale manufacturing. When the beam strikes the surface the energy of the beam melts and vaporizes the metal underneath. For example when cutting 20mm mild steel with a 3kw laser the sample reached 190 c using high beam quality 3 2 mm mrad but the same cut profile only reached 110 c using lower beam quality 5 8 mm mrad with all other parameters kept the same. Lasers were first used for cutting in the 1970s.

On the other hand reactive gas cutting using oxygen assist gas is used for mild steel cutting and requires a large focal spot with high divergence. Given its dominance in the sheet metal cutting industry this article focuses on laser fusion cutting. In the next few years the application of laser cutting in precision machining and micro machining will also gain substantial growth. Not recommended for conductive materials like copper.

In modern industrial production laser cutting is more widely used in sheet metal plastics glass ceramics semiconductors and materials such as textiles wood and paper.