All laser cutting processes have their own inherent advantages and disadvantages, but it appears that the benefits of fiber laser cutting machines far outweigh that of any of the other processes. It’s one of the newest forms of laser cutting, as it’s only picked up traction in the last couple decades or so. However, the benefits that fiber laser cutting machines provide, which we will discuss below, have been quickly realized by metal fabricators all over the country. Fiber laser cutting machines can easily and seamlessly adapt between industries for a huge range of applications. Continue reading to learn more about the other benefits of these powerful machines.
Fiber lasers offer several primary advantages. The light propagating in the fibers is well shielded from the environment, and fiber lasers tend to be very compactly designed. They offer a large gain bandwidth, wide wavelength tuning ranges, and have the capacity to generate ultra-short pulses. Operating at high power with great efficiency, they are suitable for many types of cutting procedures.
Fiber lasers can cut through thin materials at very high speeds. They also have the ability to cut reflective materials without risk of reflections causing damage to the machine, which allows metals such as copper, brass and aluminum to be cut without issue.
The laser that is emitted from a fiber laser cutting machine is incredibly powerful, which is why it can so easily cut through thick materials like steel. Yet, one of the great benefits of fiber lasers is that they can be so precise that the beam won’t cause any damage to the surrounding material of the object that they are working in. Many industries can benefits from this. Consider the electronics industry, where the beam needs to work at incredibly small sizes without damaging any of there components essential in having those electronic devices working correctly.
You’ll also find that fiber lasers offer a superior performance over many of their counterparts. Fiber lasers provide a much higher level of beam quality which can be highly focused to achieve extremely accurate levels of precision, as well as increased power densities.
This also means that tasks can be completed at a quicker rate and at a much lower power consumption rate.
The main reason to employ fiber laser cutting techniques is to reduce the mechanical stress that a sheet metal form experiences while being cut. Lasers help to eliminate the impact stress that can adversely affect sheet metal products during cutting, and beyond that, the heated zone is incredibly small. This means that the rest of the work piece is exposed to little or no heat, preserving the properties of the material being handled, which is incredibly important.
Also, it’s important to consider that since laser cuts can be made incredibly close to one another without negatively impacting the sheet metal, they help to minimize waste— closer cuts allow you to make more parts per square foot of sheet metal you use.
For more information on the benefits of using laser cutting for your parts, contact CAMM Metals.
One of the goals when designing for manufacturing is to achieve a simple solution rather than a complex one. After all, complex designs are more difficult to manage, increase the chances of errors and generate waste in the form of materials, energy, labor and time. Laser cutting technology is a suitable tool for creating all shapes and sizes of components and is one of the most efficient and cost effective fabrication methods.
Complex cuts with superior edge quality can be accomplished with accurately on laser cutting equipment. Precision laser beams are capable of creating close tolerance components in a quick, clean and efficient manner with minimal operator intervention. Sophisticated software and minimal kerf allow tight nesting of parts to maximize yield and minimize material waste.
CAMM Metals recently acquired a Prima Power Platino Fiber Evo machine, which is able to adapt to a wide variety of applications. The SMART cut option, a heads down rapid pierce feature, allows for hyper-fast cutting of sheets up to 3/16", while reducing cycle times up to 30%. The MAX cut allows for fast laser cutting of medium-high thicknesses, reducing processing times up to 40%. The NIGHT cut allows for intensive production with higher piercing and cutting process safety.
The Platino Fiber Evo allows for high performance in cutting any thickness in range. The machine is reliable and efficient, with laser power of 3 kW. In addition to its high power and precise, efficient cuts, the machine is very green and conserves energy. It uses less energy than other cutting mechanisms and has no laser gases because of high brilliance fiber laser sources.
With years of experience, CAMM Metals has become the expert in precision laser cutting services in Connecticut. WE have state-of-the-art facilities in Windsor, Connecticut in order to better meet our customers’ engineered laser solution and laser cutting requirements. We have the experience and resources necessary to help you reap the cost and quality benefits that laser cutting has to offer. Beyond that, we have a deep understanding of differing materials and employ design guidelines that ensure the most robust performance at minimum cost.