Laser Metal Cutting
Metal is the most common material that laser cutting machines work with. Standard steel, spring steel, stainless steel, titanium and aluminum are all cut by lasers into different shapes, patterns or holes. Flat and round sheet metal, pipes and tubes are used to produce a wide range of structural and irregular shapes for the aerospace, automotive, electronics, military and medical industries. Laser cutting is the fastest and most efficient method of cutting metal shapes. Because it is accurate with a low chance of damage, lasers are used more often than alternatives like plasma cutting, water jet cutting or flame cutting. Lasers either burn or melt the metal, which may also be welded together.
Laser metal cutting machines are composed of a resonator, beam delivery system, machine frame, platform for the material, CNC or PC control and drive system. A carbon dioxide laser, composed of a mixture of CO2, nitrogen and helium gasses, is usually used in metal cutting operations. The laser passes through a lens which magnifies the beam and focuses it on a precise target spot of the material. Metal is a good heat conductor and has reflective properties, and therefore, the laser intensity must change depending on the nature of the metal material being cut. Generally, a standard laser has a beam 0.2 of a millimeter in width and can focus 1000 to 4000 watts of energy at one time. Because metals like aluminum and copper have more reflective properties than other metals, the laser beam is often reflected off the surface rather than cutting or melting it. Therefore, steel metals are a more popular choice for laser cutting.