Laser cutting is a process that aims a high-power laser through optics to cut materials for industrial manufacturing applications. This type of manufacturing is classified as a sheet metal cutting process since it is often used to cut this form of metal. Laser cutting is also, however, commonly used for quality welding and to cut other materials such as composites, rubber, glass, wood, and aluminum. There is also 3D laser cutting, which uses CNC (computer numerical control) machines to create cuts with depth, as opposed to 2D cuts which simply cut pieces out of a flat surface.Laser cutting involves using a focused, high-powered beam of coherent light to cut through materials, often in sheet form. Material hit by the laser is vaporized and blown away by gases to ensure a clean cut. There are several types of lasers used depending on the material that needs shaping, but all of them rely on programming to carry out a specific pattern of cuts for creating one or more finished parts. While laser cutting is faster and more accurate than plasma cutting, you will find waterjet cutting is more effective with thicker materials, as well as materials that have lower melting temperatures.Laser cutting is used to cut parts in materials ranging from aluminum to composite to acrylic to wood. Because of the flexibility, quickness, and accuracy of this method, it is popularly used in industries including the aerospace, general manufacturing, automotive, medical, and electronics fields. When designing for this process, make sure your design file is a vector, your design relieves stress points, and you take the width of the kerf (the laser beam’s cut) into account. It’s also essential to know the material you need for your parts to ensure they have the right properties.
How the Laser Cutting Process Works
All lasers are controlled through a CNC program inputted by the operator that interprets the part shape into the series of cuts it must make (hence the other term for the process, CNC laser cutting). The laser itself is adjusted to the type of material and its thickness.
From there, laser-focusing optics, including mirrors and lenses, direct energy into a high-intensity focused laser beam. Once light emerges from the laser resonator and cutting head, it hits the workpiece. Cutting gas, such as nitrogen or oxygen, is emitted from the nozzle to blow molten material out of the kerf, and the cut edge gains a drag line pattern. The code controls the movement of either the workpiece or the laser beam until the cuts are finished. From there, the machine can go on to cut other parts from the same sheet or move on to the next workpiece.
Common Laser Cutting Materials
CNC laser cutting is often chosen as a manufacturing option since it produces highly durable parts with its ability to cut through a variety of strong sheet metals. Metal laser cutting is not the only type available, however. Plastics, wood, foam, rubber, and other materials can also be cut by laser.
Applications of Industrial Laser Cutting
Laser cutting offers a cost-effective way to fabricate 3 main types of custom parts— enclosures, chassis, and brackets. Fabricated enclosures may include device panels, boxes, and cases for applications like rackmounts, “U” and “L” shaped parts, and consoles and consolets. The chassis can be fabricated in the form of handheld or industrial-sized electromechanical controls. Brackets that are used in lightweight or corrosion-resistant applications are often laser cut.
More broadly, laser-cut parts are popular in the aerospace, automotive, electronics, medical, and manufacturing industries. Aerospace especially requires precision parts, often using aluminum and alloys designed for both weight reduction and the ability to withstand extreme conditions; technology companies also require precision in manufacturing small circuit boards. Automotive companies need large numbers of easily reproduced parts. Medical technology also uses laser cutting for its ability to quickly shape hard-to-cut exotic materials, as well as titanium. Overall manufacturing, meanwhile, finds laser-cut parts in applications ranging from farming machinery to contract manufacturing to military parts, which sometimes must be made from tough-to-cut materials.
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