Jan. 06, 2025
Cutting is the most basic and widely used process in metal fabrication. Laser cutting is the go-to technology to perform such jobs in the industry because of its many advantages over other methods.
Goto Cylion to know more.
At the same time, it does have a few downsides as well. So let&#;s explore those great qualities and disadvantages more closely.
The reason why engineers prefer a laser cutting service lies with the long list of upsides it offers. The advantages of laser cutting are flexibility, precision, repeatability, speed, cost-effectiveness, great quality, contactless cutting, versatility and automation possibilities.
Laser cutting does not require an exchange of tools for each separate cut. The same setup is suitable for cutting a lot of different shapes within the same material thickness. Also, intricate cuts do not pose any problems.
Accuracy is one of the primary advantages of laser cutting when compared to other thermal cutting methods.
An accuracy of +/-0.1 mm gives an opportunity to achieve high precision without any after-treatment. In most cases, such a high standard means that no added tolerances are required.
+/- 0.05 mm ensures parts that are pretty much replicas of each other.
Laser cutting is a lot quicker than traditional mechanical cutting methods. Especially in the case of more complex cuts.
When comparing it to other thermal cutting methods like plasma or flame cutting, laser beats them in speed up to a certain thickness which is around 10 mm. The exact advantage point boils down to the power of the laser cutter, though.
The job needs little manpower as contemporary laser cutting machinery is highly automated. An experienced machine operator still plays a big role in the final quality but the speed of cutting and little need for manual labour result in lower costs compared to other cutting methods.
Many machines even come with feeding systems as well as follow-up conveyors. Of course, such setups make for a higher-priced laser cutting machine.
Using the right setup, laser cutters only leave a small burr. Often, it is not necessary to even remove it. Of course, it depends on the material, its thickness and other factors.
Another perk is having a small heat affected zone. As the microstructure along the HAZ changes, a smaller HAZ area results in more predictable and reliable parts.
In case of laser cutting, only the beam comes into contact with the material. Therefore, there is no mechanical friction that could wear tools.
This is probably one of the most important aspects of laser cutting&#;s greatness. The versatility manifests itself in two ways.
Laser cutting is suitable for a lot of different materials. Among them are different metals, acrylic, MDF, wood, paper, etc. One machine can be configured to perform different jobs. Of course, the ability to cut some of these materials depends on the power of your machine.
Many laser cutters are not for cutting only. Laser marking is another way to utilise these machines. And marking has a lot of applications when producing everyday products.
A standard laser cutting head cannot be used for welding and a laser welding head cannot meet the cutting speeds and quality needed for cutting. Some machines allow swapping the heads if a different operation is needed to perform, combi-heads are also being developed in the background but these haven&#;t taken off yet due to various limitations they have.
Lastly, the technology is suitable for a variety of profiles. Tube laser cutting can perform the process on anything from box sections to open channels.
Although used to produce parts in almost every industry, laser cutting does have it downsides. Namely, the need of expertise, limitations to metal thickness, costs and hazardous fumes are all things to consider before turning to laser cutting.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Fiber Laser Uncoiler Production Line.
As we already said, a specialist operator is a must in order to make the most of a laser cutter&#;s potential. The right setup makes sure the cutting quality is up to the standard people are expecting from this technology.
Comparing laser cutting to other thermal cutting methods, it is not suitable to cut very thick plates. The largest suitable thickness depends on the available machinery and the know-how at hand. On average, metal fabrication companies tend to laser cut metal up to 15 or 20 mm.
Laser cutting machine prices can reach upwards of £1,000,000 . Lasers can be twice as costly compared to waterjet or plasma cutters. Although the running costs and efficiency make up for it in long term, the initial investment is still quite large.
One of the advantages of laser cutting is its suitability for cutting different materials. At the same time, the thermal cutting method makes material melt, resulting in emitted gases and dangerous fumes.
This rings especially true when cutting plastic. Thus a good, but often costly, ventilation system is a requirement for a safe working environment.
Cutting is one of the most basic and widespread processes in metal fabrication. It&#;s crucial in shaping simple metal sheets into smaller, more complex parts. There are many different cutting methods that manufacturers use to process metal &#; but laser cutting is one of the most advanced and offers a long list of upsides compared to others. Read on to learn about the benefits of laser cutting, and how this method can work with your metal project.
Laser cutting does not need tooling or an exchange of tools to achieve separate cuts. They require no hard tools, which means there is no need for tool changeover or sharpening in between cuts. And, the setup you start with is the same setup you can use to cut a variety of shapes within the same material thickness. Laser cutting machines are flexible and can achieve intricate cuts without costly downtime or inefficiencies &#; even in large production runs.
Accuracy is another advantage that laser cutting offers. When compared to other cutting methods, laser cutting can produce cuts within a smaller margin of error &#; having an accuracy of +/-0.1 mm. This allows manufacturers to create highly precise parts without the need for secondary services. In some cases, this high accuracy also means that no added tolerances are required.
Some laser cutting machines are equipped with multi-axis layers. This mechanism allows them to cut a wide range of custom designs and shapes. And, they can cut materials of all different types and thicknesses &#; including other metals and alloys. These machines are capable of cutting even the most complex structures with ease.
Laser cutters can create complex shapes in a variety of materials &#; even capable of processing several different materials at once. These capabilities mean that the types of designs that laser cutting can fulfill are almost limitless.
As laser cutters are highly precise and capable of working with a variety of materials, they can create parts and assemblies that are accurate and repeatable. You can ensure that the cuts will be exactly the same from the first part out of the machine to the thousandth part. This helps manufacturers create multiple copies of the same product, of the same quality, and in a consistent production flow.
Laser cutting &#; aside from being precise and reliable &#; can be done a lot quicker than other cutting methods (especially traditional and mechanical options). This advantage is particularly useful in the case of more complex cuts.
When making complex or large metal assemblies, cutting using other methods like plasma or flame cutting can take a considerable amount of time. Laser cutting can break them in speed alone even with materials as thick as 10mm.
Using laser cutting also requires little manpower or human intervention to work properly. Thanks to technological advances, laser cutting machines are now highly automated. Nowadays, most machines are compatible with CNC CAD/CAM programs, feeding machines, and follow-up conveyors &#; which enhance their speed, precision, and consistency. While they still need experienced operators to ensure safety, proper cutting, and quality, there is now little need for manual labor throughout the entire process. Thus, laser cutting also has lower costs compared to other methods.
Because laser cutters are highly precise machines, they tend to leave behind fewer surface imperfections (such as burrs). Edges made by laser cutters are smooth, and any burrs they leave behind are small and easy to remove.
Another advantage also comes from their precision. To achieve accurate cuts, laser cutter beams must be tightly focused. This means there is a smaller heat-affected zone (HAZ), which reduces the risk of internal flaws due to heat exposure &#; creating predictable, sturdy, and reliable metal parts.
When using a laser cutting machine, only the focused beam comes into contact with the workpiece. Therefore &#; unlike with mechanical machines &#; there is less friction and force that could wear down the laser cutting tools. And, given that it is a noncontact process, there is less workpiece distortion, warping, tearing, and other problems common with mechanical methods.
The efficiency and speed of laser cutting also lead to it using less energy overall when compared to other cutting methods. Typically, laser cutting machines will use around 10kW of power in one cutting session. Compared to the 50kW of power average of other cutting machines, laser cutting is more energy efficient by a landslide. Using a laser cutting machine is a great way to reduce your manufacturing project&#;s energy consumption and make your process more cost-efficient.
In a nutshell, there are multiple benefits to laser cutting. These benefits make it one of the most important and cost-efficient methods in the metal manufacturing process. Using laser cutting, many people have been able to get their products to the market in record time and with reduced costs overall.
Interested in using laser cutting for your product or next metal project? Consult with Metal Exponents today. With our years of experience, top-of-the-line equipment, and extensive product portfolio, we have the right set of skills across the board to help you create quality metal products for a variety of applications.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Single-platform Fiber Laser Cutting Machine.
If you are interested in sending in a Guest Blogger Submission,welcome to write for us!
All Comments ( 0 )