Metal laser cutting is one of the most important applications of laser processing. With the development of fiber laser technique, metal laser cutting machine will gradually replace traditional metal cutting device.
Metal laser cutting is quite different from traditional metal cutting in working principle. Metal laser cutting indicates posting laser light beam to the surface of the metal part. Then the metal part will melt or evaporate so that cutting and engraving purpose can be fulfilled. Laser cutting has many advantages, such as high speed, material saving, low operation cost and smooth cutting/engraving edges.
Based on the working principle, metal laser cutting can be categorized into 3 types:
1.Cutting through evaporation
This indicates using high energy and high density laser beam to heat up the metal . The metal part that absorbs the laser beam will evaporate in a short time and become vapor, leaving a cut on the metal surface. Since heat of evaporation is generally big, this kind of laser cutting requires laser beam of high power and high density
2.Cutting through melting
With this kind of laser cutting, the metal material will melt down after absorbing the heat from the laser. It only needs the 1/10 energy of the first cutting type. It is mainly used to cut dysoxidizable or reactive metals, such as stainless steel, titanium, aluminum and its alloy.
3.Oxygen cutting
It uses laser as the preheating source and use reactive gas like oxygen as the cutting air. Using this kind of laser cutting, the cutting speed is much faster than the cutting through evaporation and melting. Oxygen cutting is commonly used to cut oxidizable metal materials such as carbon steel, titanium steel and heat treatment steel.
As the major laser source of metal laser cutting machine, fiber laser plays an important role and needs special protection. And the ideal protection would be sufficient cooling by a laser cooling unit. S&A Teyu CWFL series laser cooling unit is specially suited for cooling fiber laser and is characterized by dual temperature control system.
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