Production time is significantly determined by the speed of laser cutting, which in turn affects manufacturing process efficiency and throughput. The speed at which laser cutting equipment operates determines how quickly materials can be sliced, engraved, or processed.
The efficiency with which a machine can process materials is directly proportional to its cutting speed, measured in inches per minute or millimetres per second. Three main criteria determine the appropriate cutting speeds: material, thickness, and design complexity.
Increasing the cutting speed typically results in shorter production times since it shortens the cutting process. A few adjustments to your laser cutting equipment's settings, such as the power level and the material thickness, are required for clean, accurate cuts every time. Since processing materials takes less time when cutting at a higher pace, productivity rises. Cutting or engraving at a rapid speed, however, could lead to subpar results like imperfect cuts or uneven edges.
When working with heavier materials or more intricate patterns, however, cutting at a slower speed may result in more accuracy and finer details. Even these slower speeds increase processing time overall, they are usually necessary to maintain precision and provide great quality in the end result.
To achieve optimal cutting quality and precision without compromising production efficiency, one must determine the optimal cutting speed. Laser cutting speed optimises industrial efficiency by balancing speed and quality, which in turn impacts production time.
Table of Contents
How Laser Cutting Works?
Laser cutting makes use of a powerful laser, with optics and computer numerical control (CNC) guiding the beam or material. A motion control system is typically employed in the process, which adheres to a G-code or computer numerical control (CNC) design indicating the desired pattern for cutting the material. As the concentrated laser beam dissipates, melts, burns, or is blown away by a gas jet, it leaves behind a flawlessly finished edge on the surface.
A laser beam is created by electrical discharges or lamps stimulating lasing materials within a sealed container. The energy of the lasing material is amplified by reflecting it back into it through a partial mirror, which then allows it to emerge as a coherent monochromatic light stream. Fibre optics or mirrors increase the light's intensity before directing it to the work area via a lens.
The narrowest point of a laser beam is typically less than 0.0125 inches (0.32 mm) in diameter, but very thin kerf widths of 0.004 inches (0.10 mm) are possible with some materials.
The piercing technique involves creating a hole in the material using a high-power pulsed laser. It is used when the laser cutting process needs to start somewhere other than the edge of the material. An example would be the 5–15 second required to burn through a 13 mm (0.5 inch) thick stainless steel sheet.
The Laser Cutter Procedure
An essential industrial procedure, laser cutting is quickly replacing traditional methods as the go-to for material cutting. It outperforms competing methods in terms of speed, cleanliness, and efficiency while reducing labour and administrative expenses. A collimated beam of light energy is produced by a coherent light source and used in a laser cutter. The cutting tool is then concentrated on a little area of the material's surface.
With the right laser, you can cut almost any material this way. When everything is running well, even sheets of 100 mm thick complicated composites or hardened steel are no problem.
Here are the stages of laser cutting:
Getting The Materials Ready
Workpieces must be appropriately prepared in order to achieve a clean cut. Lasers can be used to cut a wide variety of materials, including metals, polymers, composites, glass, rocks, textiles, and many more. Because of the potential risks involved, laser cutting isn't an option for some materials, and it may have no effect on others at all.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) emits toxic chlorine gas when burned, whereas acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) pools and bubbles instead of cutting. Cutting materials is another area where laser technologies fall short. This limit is defined by the absolute laser power, beam quality, and the material's absorption spectra.
Before you start setting up the laser cutter, double-check that the workpiece is securely resting on the cutting bed. Upload the design to the computer of the cutter. Verify that the file is devoid of any layers or colours that might cause the cutting programme to fail. It should only contain lines.
Verify that the cutting parameters (gas assist, laser power, speed, focal length, etc.) are suitable for the material and task in question. In addition to making sure your machine's filtration and extraction systems are working, ensure that there is sufficient airflow in the room.
Light Emitting From Lasers
The process that produces laser light is known as Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, or simply LASER. A solid, liquid, or gas (single-atom or mixed) that can have an atomic makeup when excited to higher energies is the first requirement for the laser medium.
These higher-energy states are created by injecting energy into the medium. Methods such as electrical discharge, optical pumping (flash tubes, other types of lasers, etc.), chemical reactions resulting in energy-emitting flashes, or direct stimulation by electricity at a semiconductor junction can achive this goal.
Interacting with a photon of sufficient energy can cause an atom in this excited state to emit even more photons. The atom experiences an unsustainable state of extremely high energy for a single second. This stimulated emission mechanism generates a pair of photons that are identical in terms of their energy, phase, direction, and polarisation.
When two photons, one incident and one newly emitted, are in phase and moving in the same direction, the light is amplified. These photomultiplication reactions, when repeated, generate a steady stream of coherent photons within a narrow frequency band.
The generated photons are reflected by a pair of mirrors, one at either end of the laser medium. The end product is an optical cavity or resonator that allows the photons to gain strength as they travel through it. A partially see-through mirror allows for the observation of a coherent beam of light emanating from the resonator.
Laser Directing
A laser beam can be focused by directing its energy into a smaller, more concentrated area. This method is useful for a variety of applications, such as cutting, drilling, welding, and laser microscopy, and it frequently makes use of lenses or mirrors to improve the specific energy, power density, and precision. When the focal length is longer, the cut is narrower, and when the focus spot is smaller, the kerf is more uniform.
There are various ways to focus the beam, and they all depend on the laser system's characteristics. The most common types of lenses used are convex and converging. When light rays bend by diffraction within a lens, a "focus point" is formed at a precise distance from the surface of the lens. The distance from the lens to the focal point determines the level of beam converge or divergence. Also, the beam quality limits the laser's specific energy at the 'work' point since it decides how small the spot can be.
They have the ability to focus light beams just like the mirrors in a reflecting telescope. A concave mirror focuses all of the light that reflects off of it into a tiny pinpoint. Mirrors, on their own or in combination with lenses, can concentrate energy.
Adaptive optics enhance real-time beam control for more complex systems, particularly those requiring atomic precision. These systems employ digitally controlled flexible mirrors or variable-focal-length lens arrangements to correct beam distortions and aberrations brought on by optical defects or temporary obstructions. By constantly checking and adjusting the focal length, they are able to concentrate and maintain an optimal beam quality.
Setting Up Cutting Parameters
To get the highest possible cut quality, it is necessary to optimise the machine's laser cutting parameters. Cutting depth and speed are both impacted by the strength of the laser beam, which is in turn determined by the laser's energy level.
Power settings that are not calibrated correctly can cause a wider heat-affected zone (HAZ), even though they allow for faster cutting. The size of the HAZ is proportional to the beam's intensity, the condition of the beam, and the target's reaction to the incident energy.
Both the cut quality and the process's productivity are greatly impacted by the speed. Since there is less time for heat to disperse from the laser's point of incidence at faster cutting speeds, the heat-affected zones tend to be smaller. On the other hand, if you're cutting at a rapid pace, the melt leftovers might not clear the cut and end up bubbling into an imprecise, uneven surface.
Get the laser's focus point right on top of the material, or just below it. Reducing the spot size at the key cut initiation point raises the specific energy, which is defined as power per unit area. To manipulate the kerf or cut zone shape, you should sometimes adjust the focus so it's lower than the target's top surface.
The gas assist nozzle's diameter should be chosen in relation to the material's thickness and the cutting quality that is required. Nozzles with smaller diameters make for finer cuts, whereas those with bigger diameters may facilitate higher cutting speeds and greater clearance.
Piercing through any material takes time, but it takes much longer through thicker materials. A test is necessary to ascertain the precise values, which are highly dependent on the type of material, thickness, and laser power.
The kerf width is the measurement of the laser's cut width. Factors such as material characteristics, focus quality, cutting speed, and laser power all have a role. When producing components with precise dimensions, it is essential to think about the kerf width.
Pre- or post-heating the material can improve its performance in some instances. The cutting process is enhanced by preheating the workpiece so that the laser doesn't have to exert as much effort to penetrate thick materials. Post-heating lessens the possibility of distortion caused by residual tensions in the cut areas.
You will need to modify the cutting parameters due to material differences. The machine's cutting capabilities are affected by the material's reflectivity, thermal conductivity, and melting point. For the best results, it's best to refer to the material's specifications and do test cuts.
Before cutting any material using a laser system, make sure you have read and understood the manufacturer's instructions. You may see what changes need to be made to the parameters by doing test cuts. For complicated applications, fine-tuning your configuration will probably require numerous test iterations.
Cutting Method
The cutting procedure can commence once the testing of the machine parameters has confirmed their accuracy. The laser cutter will execute the tasks specified in its software. Quickly heated by the laser, the substance is vaporised. A thin kerf is created along the appropriate cutting path by blowing vapour and droplets clear and cooling the post-cut portions with the gas assist.
Unless you need to stop it to clean the nozzle or move the workpiece, the laser cutting machine will run constantly, even while cutting several parts or larger jobs. Better machinery might'see' different causes of breakdowns or operator involvement.
It is common practise to clean, deburr, or surface treat the cut components once cutting is finished before referring to the product as finished.
Motion Control
To accomplish programmed movement, one can either move the cutting table or the optical head, or perhaps both at the same time. Mobile optics are used on larger machines because to the lower centre of gravity of the optical head compared to a large workpiece, which enables for more rapid manipulation.
Transferring big plates and heavy loads from one cutting station to another might eat up a lot of processing time. Cutting platforms often move along at least one axis of motion on smaller industrial machines with limited cutting capabilities. This helps to simplify the optical setup. In contrast, desktop machines often have stationary lasers, which means the cutting table is the only moving part.
A G-code-based CNC method is always used to control the movements. For smaller machines, the driving force is provided by stepper motors, whereas for larger machines, it is typically closed-loop regulated DC motors. The computer controller takes the movement instructions from the G-code and turns them into motor drive and positioning instructions for these positioning motors.
Optional Gas Assist
Gas help is useful for several things while cutting with a laser. The primary purpose of gas assistance is often to remove melted material and ash. Typically, after cutting into a natural material, it will burn and then be blown away. While some metal may evaporate, the majority of the kerf residue consists of molten material that must be removed in order to reveal more of the cut zone. In addition to reducing the HAZ, the fast-moving gas cools the surrounding uncut material.
When cut, many materials produce smoke and vapour. As a result, residues may settle on the optics or the surrounding material, diminishing the product's surface quality or interfering with the intensity and purity of the beam. Using gas assist helps to eliminate these effects from the cut area and optics as a whole.
By injecting oxygen into the cut, gas assist can improve the cutting process in some instances more directly than with other methods. Oxidation and even burning can remove some of the substance. Having this on hand is invaluable for cutting through heavy steel.
Gathering And Finishing
When the cutting process is complete, the cut components will stay put on the cutting table. Once the machine has stopped moving and the laser is off, they can be safely removed. Be cautious, though, because the pieces that have been chopped may have hot residue and sharp edges.
Allow enough cooling time for the components before handling them after laser cutting, as the procedure involves extremely high temperatures. Careful handling is also required to avoid damage; stacking without interleaf protection can harm several items.
In order to preserve the finish, it is important to undergo processes such as deburring, stress relief operations, chemical or mechanical surface cleaning, etching, plating, painting, and protective packaging.
How Accurate Is Laser Cutting Depending On What?
CO2 laser cutting is a great method for accurately processing a wide variety of non-metallic materials, including multi-layer wood and materials like plastic films. It allows for exceedingly complicated cutting geometries while reducing the likelihood of breakage and material waste. Here are five elements that influence precision in cutting.
Power Cutting
When running, the cutting portion can be kept clean and smooth with the right amount of force. Slag will hang if the laser power is too low and the heat isn't enough to decrease the viscosity of the molten product at the workpiece's bottom edge.
An excessively broad kerf is the consequence of excessive airflow burning caused by a high input heat from a powerful enough laser. If the laser power is off, the high-pressure airflow won't be able to disperse the molten product, which will damage the material's appearance. Finding a happy medium between cutting efficiency and precision is so essential.
Centre Of Gravity
For clean, accurate cuts, it's important to keep the laser beam focused. In order to have the best cutting effect, the focal point has to be placed exactly on the material's surface.
The accuracy will be negatively affected if you stray from the proper focal point. The wavelength and focusing lens of a laser determine its capacity to focus on a small area. Achieving consistent cutting quality throughout the operation relies on maintaining a constant relative location between the workpiece and the focal point.
Quality Of Beam
An additional factor influencing cutting precision is the CO2 laser generator's beam quality. An increase in cutting precision is possible due to the uniform intensity distribution over the whole cutting region produced by the well-focused beam. Optical design, resonator stability, and focusing lens condition are three elements that can impact beam quality in a laser generator.
Tempo At Which The Blade Is Sharpened
Cutting speed has a direct correlation to the precision of CO2 laser cutting. Cutting at higher rates reduces the time the laser spends interacting with the material, which can lead to less precise cuts. Cutting at a snail's pace could lead to overheating, which in turn widens the kerf and creates a rough cut portion. The key to successful cutting is finding the sweet spot between rapidity and precision.
Surplus Gas
To enhance the cutting quality of CO2 laser cutting, auxiliary gas is commonly employed. By treating the molten or evaporated materials with compressed gas or inert gas, excessive combustion in the cutting area can be suppressed for non-metallic and some metallic materials. Using nitrogen as an assist gas will result in a clean cut with a nice surface finish; using other assist gases can alter the cutting speed and cut quality.
Property That Is Material
The cutting qualities of a material can have an effect on how accurately it is cut with a laser. Accuracy in CO2 laser cutting is affected by several material parameters such as thickness, reflectance, electrical and thermal conductivity, and so on. To attain the necessary cutting precision, it is necessary to optimise the cutting parameters based on the material.
Concentrating Light
A crucial component in guiding the laser beam to the material is focusing optics, which includes lenses. Accurate cuts require high-quality lenses that are properly aligned. The cutting precision can be negatively affected if the beam diverges or deflects due to any contamination or misalignment.
Mechanical Stability And Rigidity
The stability and rigidity of the laser cutting machine's structure also affect the precision of the cuts. Machine vibration or bending when cutting can cause mistakes and reduce cutting precision. For more precise cutting, invest in high-quality machinery with sturdy frames and reliable motion control systems.
Management And Code
Also impacted by the control and programming system is the cutting accuracy of the CO2 laser cutting machine. For accurate cutting, you need precise positioning, motion control, and material-laser synchronisation. Cutting efficiency and mistake rates are both improved by using a well-planned and programmed approach. Minimise potential accuracy concerns by considering parameters such as corner radii, lead-in lines, and lead-out lines.
System For Exhaust
In CO2 laser cutting, materials are melted and burned. The extremely harmful fumes and small particles produced during the cutting of plastics and other combustible materials might impede the CO2 laser cutting process and diminish the cutting effect.
Conclusion
Laser cutting is a powerful industrial process that uses a collimated beam of light energy to cut materials, resulting in precise and accurate results. The speed of laser cutting equipment directly impacts manufacturing process efficiency and throughput.
The optimal cutting speed depends on three main criteria: material, thickness, and design complexity. Increasing the cutting speed results in shorter production times, but it can lead to subpar results. For heavier materials or intricate patterns, slower speeds may result in more accuracy and finer details.
Laser cutting is replacing traditional methods in terms of speed, cleanliness, and efficiency, while reducing labor and administrative expenses. The process involves getting the materials ready, preparing the workpiece, uploading the design to the computer, and ensuring the cutting parameters are suitable for the material and task.
Laser directing involves directing energy into a smaller, more concentrated area, useful for cutting, drilling, welding, and laser microscopy. Common lenses used are convex and converging, and adaptive optics enhance real-time beam control for complex systems. To optimize cutting parameters, consider the strength of the laser beam, power settings, and material properties. The gas assist nozzle's diameter should be chosen based on the material's thickness and cutting quality.
Pre- or post-heating the material can improve performance, and material specifications should be considered. Modifying cutting parameters based on material characteristics is essential for optimal results. The laser cutting machine will execute tasks specified in its software, vaporizing the substance and creating a thin kerf.
Motion control is achieved through mobile optics on larger machines and stationary lasers on desktop machines. A G-code-based CNC method is used to control movements, with stepper motors for smaller machines and closed-loop regulated DC motors for larger machines.
Gas assist is a useful tool in cutting with a laser, removing melted material and ash, and cooling the surrounding uncut material. It can also help reduce the HAZ and improve the cutting process. After the cutting process, components should be allowed to cool before handling, and careful handling is necessary to avoid damage.
Accuracy in CO2 laser cutting depends on factors such as power cutting, center of gravity, beam quality, cutting speed, surplus gas, material properties, focusing optics, mechanical stability and rigidity, management and code, and exhaust system. Achieving the right balance between efficiency and precision is crucial for successful cutting.
The cutting quality of a material, focusing optics, mechanical stability, and synchronization of the laser cutting machine are also important factors. Proper management and programming can improve cutting efficiency and reduce mistakes. Exhaust systems can also be crucial in preventing harmful fumes and small particles from affecting the cutting effect.
Content Summary
- Production time is significantly determined by the speed of laser cutting, which in turn affects manufacturing process efficiency and throughput.
- Increasing the cutting speed typically results in shorter production times since it shortens the cutting process.
- To achieve optimal cutting quality and precision without compromising production efficiency, one must determine the optimal cutting speed.
- The piercing technique involves creating a hole in the material using a high-power pulsed laser.
- It is used when the laser cutting process needs to start somewhere other than the edge of the material.
- An essential industrial procedure, laser cutting is quickly replacing traditional methods as the go-to for material cutting.
- A collimated beam of light energy is produced by a coherent light source and used in a laser cutter.
- The cutting tool is then concentrated on a little area of the material's surface.
- With the right laser, you can cut almost any material this way.
- Workpieces must be appropriately prepared in order to achieve a clean cut.
- Lasers can be used to cut a wide variety of materials, including metals, polymers, composites, glass, rocks, textiles, and many more.
- Because of the potential risks involved, laser cutting isn't an option for some materials, and it may have no effect on others at all.
- Cutting materials is another area where laser technologies fall short.
- This limit is defined by the absolute laser power, beam quality, and the material's absorption spectra.
- Before you start setting up the laser cutter, double-check that the workpiece is securely resting on the cutting bed.
- Upload the design to the computer of the cutter.
- In addition to making sure your machine's filtration and extraction systems are working, ensure that there is sufficient airflow in the room.
- The generated photons are reflected by a pair of mirrors, one at either end of the laser medium.
- A partially see-through mirror allows for the observation of a coherent beam of light emanating from the resonator.
- A laser beam can be focused by directing its energy into a smaller, more concentrated area.
- There are various ways to focus the beam, and they all depend on the laser system's characteristics.
- They have the ability to focus light beams just like the mirrors in a reflecting telescope.
- Mirrors, on their own or in combination with lenses, can concentrate energy.
- To get the highest possible cut quality, it is necessary to optimise the machine's laser cutting parameters.
- Get the laser's focus point right on top of the material, or just below it.
- The gas assist nozzle's diameter should be chosen in relation to the material's thickness and the cutting quality that is required.
- Pre- or post-heating the material can improve its performance in some instances.
- You will need to modify the cutting parameters due to material differences.
- The machine's cutting capabilities are affected by the material's reflectivity, thermal conductivity, and melting point.
- Before cutting any material using a laser system, make sure you have read and understood the manufacturer's instructions.
- The cutting procedure can commence once the testing of the machine parameters has confirmed their accuracy.
- The laser cutter will execute the tasks specified in its software.
- Unless you need to stop it to clean the nozzle or move the workpiece, the laser cutting machine will run constantly, even while cutting several parts or larger jobs.
- A G-code-based CNC method is always used to control the movements.
- The computer controller takes the movement instructions from the G-code and turns them into motor drive and positioning instructions for these positioning motors.
- Gas help is useful for several things while cutting with a laser.
- The primary purpose of gas assistance is often to remove melted material and ash.
- Using gas assist helps to eliminate these effects from the cut area and optics as a whole.
- By injecting oxygen into the cut, gas assist can improve the cutting process in some instances more directly than with other methods.
- When the cutting process is complete, the cut components will stay put on the cutting table.
- Allow enough cooling time for the components before handling them after laser cutting, as the procedure involves extremely high temperatures.
- Achieving consistent cutting quality throughout the operation relies on maintaining a constant relative location between the workpiece and the focal point.
- An additional factor influencing cutting precision is the CO2 laser generator's beam quality.
- Cutting speed has a direct correlation to the precision of CO2 laser cutting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, laser cutting is widely utilized in artistic and creative fields. It enables artists and designers to create intricate sculptures, detailed artworks, decorative pieces, and other unique projects across various materials.
Laser cutting generally produces minimal waste as it's a non-contact process. However, there might be some waste in the form of small cut-off pieces or debris, depending on the material being cut. Efficient nesting of designs on materials can minimize waste.
Laser cutting machines often incorporate cooling systems to maintain optimal operating temperatures for the laser source and other components. These systems dissipate excess heat generated during the cutting process, ensuring machine reliability.
Laser cutting transparent materials like glass or acrylic requires specific techniques. The laser energy might pass through transparent materials without affecting them significantly, so special coatings or additives may be needed to enable cutting.
The depth of cuts achievable with laser cutting depends on various factors such as material type, laser power, and focal length. While laser cutting excels in precision, achieving significant depths in a single pass might be limited based on material properties.