Laser cutting is an exciting process that has transformed manufacturing. The primary benefits of laser cutting include a swift and effective cutting procedure and repeatable, highly-reliable results.
Read on to learn more about these benefits and the key applications of laser cutting.
Understanding Laser Cutters
Laser cutters use highly-concentrated beams of light to focus large amounts of energy onto a surface. These concentrated beams can be targeted with great precision and moved across a surface according to a set pattern or design. The material is vapourised when the laser comes into contact with the surface, creating a cut along a fine edge.
The result is a highly effective and programmable cutting process. When intricate cutting and design are needed, and the job must be repeated over and over again with the same results, lasers are ideal – these are a few of the primary benefits of laser cutting.
Laser Cutting: Changing the Manufacturing Industry Forever
Laser cutting has numerous benefits, and these advantages have changed the manufacturing industry forever.
Powerful Cutting Without Mechanical Stress
Lasers achieve a high-powered cut without any mechanical force or stress on other parts of the material. This enables the creation of sophisticated designs, eliminating the risk of damaging other areas of the material. Simpler cuts can also be achieved with no potentially damaging force or strain on the material.
A More Straightforward Process
Traditional forms of cutting tend to be inefficient. Even after the cut is complete, secondary processes are required to refine the edge and finish the job. This is not required with laser cutting, as the laser achieves a smooth edge the first time.
Reduced Wastage
Laser cutting is highly precise, reducing the potential for material wastage. This precision and reliability also mean there is no need to repeat the process in the event of an incomplete cut, eliminating wasted time and resources.
Which Materials Can Be Laser Cut?
Many materials can be cut with a laser, including wood, paper, metals, and plastics. Acrylic materials and reinforced plastic are common choices for laser cutting processes, but laser technology is highly-versatile and can be deployed across a diverse range of applications.
Different types of laser-cutting processes are used to work on different materials.
Sublimation does not use an auxiliary gas and instead sublimates the solid material directly into a vapour. This method is suitable for cutting through thin materials, such as some metals, plastics and wood, and is sometimes known as vapourisation cutting.
Fusion cutting utilises an auxiliary gas – typically nitrogen – to remove molten material from the cutting area. This is generally used for cutting aluminium and stainless steel.
Flame cutting uses oxygen as an auxiliary gas, creating extreme temperatures and a flame. This is suitable for mild steel, carbon steel and other metals.
