The charm of laser cutting

Sure, it's accurate - but is it suitable for 2-axis precision metal cutting?

In the spectrum of precision metal cutting methods, it is easy to understand the charm of laser cutting. It is versatile and accurate, producing tight tolerances and small incisions. Perhaps thanks to science fiction, people are naturally fascinated by the idea of using highly focused beams of light -- something seemingly ethereal -- to melt, burn or vaporize hard materials such as metal.

However, because laser cutting is usually slow and expensive, there must be compelling advantages and realistic cost calculations in order to justify the use of laser methods in 2-axis cutting applications.

Some laser basics

In general, laser cutting machines range from large, powerful and aggressive to small, slow and accurate. High power laser can cut quickly. However, these more powerful lasers can produce rough end-cut surface finish and wide and deep heat affected zones. Lower power laser cuts do less damage to the metal - although there is still some damage - but take longer.

The workforce of 2-axis cutting is the CO2 flight optical laser (and its hybrid), which can be used in a variety of materials. Neodymium (Nd) lasers are used where high energy but low repetition is required. Nd- Nd aluminum garnet (Nd-YAG) lasers are used where very high power is required. Ultraviolet (UV) laser is mainly used to produce non-metallic parts.

Some advantages of laser cutting

With laser cutting, it is obvious that the laser beam will not wear out during the cutting process. This means that the cutting process does not degenerate and the results can be easily and accurately repeated.

While laser metal cutter technology is ideal for complex shapes, there are some advantages for simple 2-axis cuts. Laser cutting can produce small cuts as small as 0.004" (0.10mm) in width; However, these results and the incision width will depend on the thickness of the material. On thin metals, the laser can cut precisely, with tolerances up to ±0.001".

Lasers can be used with many metals and different material thicknesses. In the case of pipe cutting methods, the laser method can be used. However, the inside of the tube must first be coated with splash preventer - an additional step (and added cost) in the cutting process.

Some disadvantages of laser for metal cutting

Cutting thicker material requires a more powerful laser, resulting in a coarser surface finish. Therefore, using lasers for metal cutting is not ideal when you need to cut material that is more than 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) thick. In addition, laser cutting of metals is not suitable for high reflectivity metals such as aluminum, brass and copper.

The heat generated by the laser is very intense, so the laser must be carefully set up, monitored and adjusted to prevent thermal stress from damaging the workpiece. Also, it's worth noting that lasers consume a lot of energy, which can increase operating expenses.

When using laser cutting, one material must be cut at a time and cannot be bundled together to achieve multiple cuts. The need to cut parts individually has an adverse impact on production time and cost. This is another feature that makes lasers slower and more expensive than other precision metal cutting methods.

Resist temptation?

For 2-axis cutoff, the cost of laser cutting in time and money is often beyond what is reasonable, especially when other methods can produce excellent results at a better price. (Of course, one day we might be talking about 3D additive laser printing of metals as a way to make precision parts. But, for now, the technology is not ready!

Determining whether laser is your best choice for precision metal cutting requires an in-depth understanding of your unique application and its specific parameters, as well as an understanding of other cutting methods and realistic cost estimates.

Please contact us at zhang@pride-cnc.com