Technology is changing with each passing day, therefore, it is very important for industrialists to upgrade their equipment. This is very important for people who work in cutting and CNC machines. Companies that use laser cutting instruments understand the advantages these machines offer. Owning these machines can give you an edge over your competitors.
Using a laser machine is a fast and efficient way to cut and engrave objects. In addition, these machines produce cleaner cuts than traditional machines. In addition, these machines require less finishing and deburring after cutting.
When talking about laser cutting machines, one must understand that there are many different kinds within this field. One of these is the fiber laser cutting machine.
Fiber Laser Cutting Machine and How It Works:
Fiber laser cutting machines are very popular equipment in many industrial circles. However, before delving into the details, let's first understand what this machine is and how it works.
Fiber Cutting Machine:
Fiber laser cutting machine is a machine used for precision metal cutting. The machine is mechanized by a fiber laser. The quality and capacity of the beam emitted from the optical fiber determines the cutting speed. The higher the quality of the beam, the faster the cutting speed and the higher the precision. The advantage of this machine over some other cutting machines is that the work it produces, i.e. the cuts are accurate and well-defined.
Working Principle of Fiber Laser Cutting Machine:
Reading the above, one can't help but wonder: Why is this machine so good and why has it won more fans in the industry? First of all, this dexterous machine has a sophisticated working structure, which is its trade secret. And here to decrypt this trade secret is to let others know how it works and thus invest in this wonderful invention.
The working principle of fiber laser cutting machines in China or other parts of the world is the same. It can't be different! It's just a misunderstanding. Back to the point, this is the working principle; the last generator of the machine emits a high-power density laser beam through a system that is more like an optical path.
The laser beam is then irradiated to the surface of the workpiece in a focused manner until it reaches the melting point or boiling point of the workpiece. When the gas pressure is high, the beam is aligned in such a way that it either blows away the metal being used or evaporates it for further use.
In this way, as the beam moves with the proportional position of the metal or workpiece, the main purpose of cutting and splitting the metal is achieved.
How this machine works
The working principle of the fiber laser cutting machine is similar to that of laser welding, except that the temperature of this machine exceeds 11000℃, which is enough to vaporize any material, making vaporization an important part of melting during the laser cutting process.
In addition, the laser cutting process of some materials such as carbon and ceramics is directly part of the vaporization process. At this time, the inert gas flows, and the cut melts the metal, which helps to form a smooth and straight cut. Then the injection of oxygen is used to increase the cutting speed. This cut is usually narrow, accurate in size, smooth in surface, and the cutting quality is better than other cutting materials using heat.
How do these machines achieve high speeds?
Speed is the key! Whether it is the laser engraving machine industry in China or the engraving machine industry in other countries, this has always been the case. However, the extremely high speed of these machines is the first choice for customers who want to improve the efficiency of their companies. Although there are many cutting machines on the market, none can surpass the accuracy, speed and quality of fiber laser cutting machines.
However, what fascinates everyone is how these machines achieve such high speeds? The reason is that these machines are designed to provide speed and aggressiveness to the cutting process. In addition, make it more powerful. Without high power and speed, it is difficult to accurately cut deeper materials. Therefore, most of these machines are rated at about 50W, which can program the fiber laser cutting machine for deep markings with clear cuts.
Life expectancy of these machines
The life expectancy of fiber laser cutting machines is longer than other machines on the market. The diode module in the fiber laser is three times longer compared to other technologies, which helps to extend the life of the machine.
In addition to this, most lasers on the market have a life of about 30,000 hours, which in layman's terms is 15 years of normal use. Moreover, the life of fiber lasers can reach 100,000 hours, which roughly equates to 45 years of machine use.
Advantages of using this machine:
So, as a reader, what characteristics have you observed here? High precision, no restrictions on cutting modes, fast cutting speed, low working cost, smooth cuts, these are some of the characteristics that can be found when reading, and there may be more when using. Now ask, if you use a traditional mechanical knife or a machine without laser function, can you find these characteristics?
Fiber laser cutting is gradually improving and is replacing traditional metal cutting process equipment. Moreover, its benefits are very compelling for many manufacturers. So, let's take a look at them:
The best thing is that the mechanical part of the laser cutting machine does not come into contact with the workpiece, so it does not leave any scratches on the surface of the workpiece.
Fast speed, smooth cuts, and no other processing of the workpiece is required.
Small cutting heat action area, small plate deformation, and narrow kerf.
No burrs or mechanical stress.
High accuracy and excellent repeatability.
Operation of planar drawings in CNC programming.
Large pieces of the entire plate can be cut without opening the mold, saving time.
Cleaning places/precautions
There are many cases where many users do not operate the machine properly, causing the machine to malfunction or completely break down. Therefore, before picking up a rag and starting to clean the laser operator, you need to know some precautions to clean this excellent machine.
Let's take a look at some of the parts that should be focused on during maintenance:
Torch
This is the key part to perform any operation related to laser cutting. There are some parts of the cutting torch that need to be cleaned; these parts include the cutting torch body, protective window, nozzle, and connected lines and cables. Another part that the laser operator needs to clean is the Z-axis cover.
Consider using a clean, lint-free rag with isopropyl alcohol for cleaning. Use it to wipe these areas to remove any debris from the torch. By doing this, you can achieve consistent quality in your laser operations.
Drive System
This is another area that requires a high level of maintenance. The drive system consists of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, which are the three dimensions of the laser machine that guide the torch for the cutting operation.
The belts and bellows are drive components that need to be checked. A soft brush, vacuum cleaner, or rag can be used to clean any byproducts left inside the machine during the laser cutting process. Cleaning the belts and bellows ensures that there are no premature failures and that the parts are wearing properly.
Slats
This is also another very critical area that needs to be checked from time to time. Also, measuring the height of the slats regularly is essential. Not checking the height of the slats can cause the laser to not start the cutting process due to wear. Also, the torch may go below the software limit of the laser, which is an alarm sign for the laser operator.
To maintain the height of the slats, reduce slag accumulation and try to use tools specifically designed for slag removal; otherwise, slag can only be removed manually, but only if the operator is experienced and knows how to do it accurately.