Metal fabrication, a cornerstone of modern industry, plays a crucial role in shaping our world. From airplanes to rail transit, from medical devices to electronics, metal materials are everywhere.
With the development and progress of technology, traditional metal-cutting technologies have gradually revealed their shortcomings, such as low efficiency, high energy consumption, material waste, and low precision.
Thus, laser cutting technology stands out in metal fabrication due to its outstanding performance and wide range of applications. Metal cutting laser machines, as the core carrier of this technology, have brought revolutionary changes to metal processing with their well-known advantages of high precision, high speed, and non-contact processing.
So, what’s so special about sheet metal laser cutting machines? Why have they become the preferred choice for metal fabrication? In the following article, we will delve into the working principle, advantages, comparison with other metal processing technologies, and purchasing guide of laser cutting machines. We hope this article will bring you valuable information and inspiration.
What is a Sheet Metal Laser Cutting Machine?
Imagine holding a flashlight on a cardboard. The difference is that this beam of light is very focused and high-energy, just like a magnifying glass focusing sunlight, and can burn a hole in a metal plate. The laser cutting machine uses this principle to cut various shapes on the metal plate by controlling the movement path of the laser beam.
The laser beam emitted by the laser is skinny and can cut wonderful patterns, just like drawing on paper. The reason why laser cutting sheet metal machines can complete metal processing so efficiently and accurately is due to several core technologies behind it.
Core Technologies of Laser Cutting Machines for Sheet Metal
- Laser Generator: This is the “heart” of the sheet metal laser cutting machine, the core component responsible for generating high-energy laser beams. Common laser generators include CO2 lasers, fiber lasers, and YAG lasers. They have their characteristics and are suitable for different types of metal materials and cutting needs.
- Laser Beam Transmission and Control System: After the laser beam is generated, it needs to be transmitted and focused through a series of mirrors and lenses, and finally accurately irradiates the surface of the metal workpiece. This process requires a high-precision control system to ensure the stability and accuracy of the laser beam.
- CNC Numerical Control System: Laser cutting machines for sheet metal are usually equipped with a CNC numerical control system, which can control laser cutting paths, speeds, power, and other parameters through computer programming. This enables the laser cutter to perform complex cutting tasks and ensure consistent cutting quality.
- Cutting Head: The cutting head is the “terminal” where the laser beam contacts the metal workpiece. It consists of a focusing lens, nozzle, and other components. The focusing lens focuses the laser beam into a tiny spot to increase the cutting energy density; the metal nozzle is responsible for injecting auxiliary gas to blow away the slag and smoke generated during laser cutting.
- Auxiliary Gas System: When laser cutting some highly reflective materials, auxiliary gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, and argon are usually required. Auxiliary gas can help blow away the slag generated during cutting, protect the cutting surface, and can also react with the metal material to improve cutting speed and quality.
- Cooling System: Laser cutting machine sheet metal generates a lot of energy and heat during operation, and an effective cooling system is needed to ensure the stable operation of the equipment. The cooling system usually adopts water cooling or air cooling to dissipate heat in time.
- Bed Structure: The bed structure of the laser fiber cutting machine determines its stability and accuracy. Common bed structures include plate-welded beds, large-square tube beds, and gantry-type composite beds, all of which use high-strength welding processes and undergo high-temperature annealing to relieve stress, effectively reducing vibration during processing and improving cutting accuracy.
Significant Advantages of Laser Cutting Machines for Sheet Metal
Metal-cutting laser machines are favored in the field of metal processing due to the following significant advantages:
Precision and Efficiency
Optic laser cutting machines have extremely narrow kerf widths and high precision, enabling complex cutting patterns and fine processing details. After cutting, the workpiece surface is smooth and flat, without the need for additional grinding, polishing, or other post-processing procedures, which greatly saves time and cost and improves production efficiency.
Environmentally Friendly
Sheet metal CNC laser cutting machines are highly automated and equipped with fully enclosed metal covers, effectively reducing pollution such as dust and noise, and providing a safe working environment for operators. At the same time, automated operation reduces manual intervention and human error, ensuring the stability of cutting quality.
High Long-term Benefits
Many customers believe that the fibre laser cutting machine price is high. In fact, in long-term, large-batch production, the advantages of laser cutting gradually become apparent. Laser cutting does not require tool replacement, reducing consumables costs; in addition, the high cutting accuracy reduces human error, ensuring cutting quality while reducing the time and cost of post-manual grinding.
Easy to Operate
Laser cut machines for metal have extremely high processing speeds and low inertia, allowing them to quickly respond to control commands and achieve high-speed cutting. Combined with CAD/CAM software programming of the numerical control system, the operation is more convenient, and design drawings can be directly converted into cutting paths, eliminating tedious manual operations and significantly improving overall production efficiency.
Wide Range of Applications
The high energy density of fiber laser cutting machines for metal sheets allows them to easily melt various metal materials, including difficult-to-process materials with high hardness, high brittleness, and high melting points. This makes laser cutting machines irreplaceable in fields such as aerospace and automobile manufacturing where special materials need to be processed.
Small Heat-Affected Zone
Laser cutting energy is concentrated, with a short action time, and the generated heat diffuses rapidly, resulting in a very small heat-affected zone on the workpiece, avoiding thermal deformation and thermal stress problems. In addition, the non-mechanical contact processing method also eliminates the influence of mechanical stress on the workpiece, making it particularly suitable for the processing of precision parts.
Flexible and Efficient
Laser cutting is perfectly combined with computer systems, allowing for convenient programming and modification to achieve personalized customization. For sheet metal parts with complex shapes and small batches of multi-variety products, laser cutting does not require mold opening, saving mold costs and production cycles, and has obvious technical, economic, and time advantages.
Applications of CNC Laser Cutting Machines
After long-term technological accumulation and industrial application practice, the laser processing industry has formed a complete industrial chain system. Various sheet metal products in our lives may be the masterpieces of laser cut metal machines. Next, we will introduce in detail the applications of laser cutting in several popular industries.
Laser Cutting Machines for Sheet Metal in the Kitchenware
Industry Kitchenware is one of the essential metal products in our daily lives. Traditional kitchenware processing methods face problems such as low work efficiency, high mold consumption, and high usage costs. Laser cutting machines for sheet metal have fast cutting speed and high precision, improving processing efficiency.
Additionally, laser cutting can achieve customization and personalized product development, solving the problems of kitchenware manufacturers and gaining their recognition.
Laser Cutting Machine Sheet Metal in the Automotive Manufacturing Industry
There are many precision parts in automobile manufacturing, such as automotive brake pads. To improve the safety of automobiles, cutting accuracy must be ensured. Traditional manual methods make it difficult to achieve the required precision and have low efficiency. Laser cutting can quickly process in batches with high precision, high efficiency, no burrs, and one-time forming. These advantages are the reasons why laser cutting machines are widely used in the automotive industry.
Tube Fiber Laser Cutting Machine in the Fitness Equipment Industry
The diversity of fitness equipment also puts high demands on processing, with various specifications and shapes making traditional processing complex and inefficient. Tube fiber laser cutting machines are highly flexible and can be customized for different tubes, and the finished products after processing are smooth and burr-free, without the need for secondary processing, greatly improving quality and efficiency compared to traditional processes.
Laser Cut Metal Machine in the Sheet Metal Industry
With the rapid development of sheet metal processing technology, traditional sheet metal cutting equipment can no longer meet the current process and cutting shape requirements. Laser cutting gradually replaces traditional equipment with the advantages of high flexibility and fast cutting speed. The wide application of fiber laser cutting machines in sheet metal processing is an inevitable trend.
In addition to the above industries, laser cut metal machines are also widely used in aerospace, shipbuilding, machinery manufacturing, medical equipment, steel structures, and other fields, bringing more efficient and precise solutions to metal processing in various industries.
Purchasing Guide for Sheet Metal Laser Cutting Machines
To purchase a sheet metal laser cutting machine, you first need to be clear about your business scope and whether you need this machine for small-scale production or large-scale production. Secondly, for better cutting results, you also need to determine the power and processing size of the laser equipment.
Business Scope
The business scope of a laser cutting sheet metal machine refers to what your processing projects are, whether metal or non-metal. If you process metal materials, choose a fiber laser cutting machine. If you process non-metal materials, choose a CO2 laser cutting machine or others.
Power
Generally speaking, the higher the power, the greater the thickness that can be cut and the faster the cutting speed. Many beginners believe that no matter how thick the plate is cut, the higher the power, the better. This is not the case. High-power laser cutting machines are suitable for cutting thick plates, for example, a 12kw laser cutting machine can cut carbon steel and stainless steel above 50mm; if you need to cut medium and thin plates, then choose a medium-power laser cutting machine accordingly, such as a 6kw laser cutting machine. This is because cutting quality depends not only on power but also on optical quality. Don’t be fooled by some industrial laser cutting machine manufacturers and buy equipment that doesn’t meet your needs.
Processing Size
The size of the bed of the sheet metal laser cutting machine determines the workload you can complete with it. The size of the bed is a permanent feature that cannot be changed. So before buying a laser cutter, be clear about the amount of cutting work you plan to do. For example, if you need to use a laser cutting machine to handle large projects a large format fibre laser cutting machine can better meet your processing needs.
Optical Quality
As mentioned earlier, the performance and cutting quality of a laser cutting machine largely depend on the quality of the optical components. Many people think that power consumption is an important factor in determining the working efficiency of a machine. But the most important thing is not power, but optical quality. The first thing that determines optical quality is the laser. The best lasers in the world are currently made by IPG in Germany and SPI in the UK, and of course, these two brands of lasers are also more expensive. Many customers will choose to use Raucus, Reci, etc. as alternatives. Another factor that determines optical quality is the cutting head, whether the optical lens group can output high-quality laser, and whether there is a precision adjustment system.
Other Configurations
The current laser industry is developing rapidly, and laser cutting machine brands are constantly emerging. The price of laser cutting machines is becoming increasingly fierce, and the configuration of laser cutting machines is also uneven. In addition to the lasers and cutting heads mentioned above, you should also pay attention to other core accessories of the equipment, such as servo motors, guide rails, beds, cooling systems, exhaust systems, etc. To a certain extent, these will affect the cutting accuracy of the machine.
The above are the precautions for purchasing laser cutting sheet metal machines. Many customers may have another concern, that is, whether it is necessary to buy a big brand to have a guarantee when buying a laser cutting machine. That’s not necessarily true. There are currently many CNC laser cutting machine suppliers that focus on laser equipment, and their machine quality and service are good.
Just like XTLASER in China is a good choice. Their laser cutting machines are of high quality, cost-effective in terms of configuration and price, and have relatively complete after-sales service, making them the first choice for many small and medium-sized metal processing enterprises.
How to Maintain and Care for Fiber Laser Cutting Machines for Metal Sheets?
How to maintain a fiber laser cutting machine for metal sheets? To achieve the ideal cutting speed and cutting effect when using a fiber laser cutting machine for processing, we need to learn the techniques of using and maintaining fiber laser cutting machine equipment to better utilize the effectiveness of the equipment and improve work efficiency.
Cutting Head Maintenance
Regularly check the laser cutting head, keep it clean, avoid any debris blocking the laser beam, and check whether the fixing screws of the cutting head are tightened to prevent displacement.
Water Chiller Maintenance
The water quality and water temperature of the cooling water directly affect the service life of the laser tube. It is recommended to clean the water tank and replace the cooling water regularly. Ensure that the optic laser cutting machine is filled with circulating water before operation.
Keep the Steel Belt Tight at All Times
The steel belt is made of steel, and if it is not tightened during equipment operation, it may cause the cut workpiece to be thrown out, posing a safety risk to both the equipment and the operator. Therefore, the steel belt should be checked frequently to ensure there are no foreign objects or looseness.
Check Tool Angle
During the use of the fiber laser cutting machine, the angle of the cutting head should be adjusted in time when cutting different materials to ensure that the cutting head does not deviate, affecting the qualification rate of the cut samples and increasing production costs.
Frequent Dust Removal
Fiber laser cutting machines often generate a lot of dust inside and outside during cutting. We should use a vacuum cleaner to suck away the dust and dirt inside the machine every week to ensure the machine’s operating accuracy.
Lubricate Components
Guide rails, racks, and other cutting machine components need to be lubricated regularly to ensure flexible operation between components.
Lens Cleaning
Lenses need to be cleaned daily, taking care to wipe gently to avoid damaging the surface coating. Handle with care during wiping to prevent dropping. In addition, be sure to keep the concave side down when installing the focusing lens.
The above are some maintenance methods for laser cutting equipment. It is recommended to formulate corresponding maintenance plans and maintenance measures according to the specific model and usage of the equipment, and pay attention to safe operation and daily maintenance during use.
Precautions During Operation of Laser Cutting Sheet Metal Machines
Laser cutting machines can be dangerous if they malfunction during operation. Novices must be trained by professionals before operating independently. Based on experience, we have summarized several details for the safe operation of laser cutters.
- Follow the general safety operating procedures for laser cutting machines. Strictly follow the laser startup procedure to start the laser.
- Operators must be trained, familiar with the equipment structure and performance, and master the relevant knowledge of the operating system.
- Wear labor protection equipment as required, and wear protective glasses that meet the regulations near the laser beam.
- Do not process any material before clarifying whether it can be irradiated or heated by laser to avoid potential hazards of smoke and steam.
- When the equipment is running, the operator shall not leave the post without authorization or entrust others to take care of it. If it is really necessary to leave, the machine should be stopped or the power switch should be turned off.
- Place the fire extinguisher in an easily accessible place; turn off the laser or shutter when not processing; do not place paper, cloth, or other flammable materials near the unprotected laser beam.
- If any abnormality is found during processing, stop the machine immediately and troubleshoot or report to the supervisor in time.
- Keep the laser, bed, and surrounding areas clean, tidy, and free of oil stains. Workpieces, plates, and waste materials should be stacked according to regulations.
- When using gas cylinders, avoid crushing welding wires to prevent electric shock accidents. The use and transportation of gas cylinders should comply with the gas cylinder inspection regulations. Do not expose gas cylinders to the sun or near heat sources. When opening the bottle valve, the operator must stand on the side of the nozzle.
- Observe high-voltage safety regulations during maintenance. Maintenance should be carried out according to regulations and procedures every 40 hours of operation or weekly, and every 1000 hours of operation or every six months.
- After starting up, manually move the machine bed at low speed in the X and Y directions to check for any abnormalities.
- After inputting a new workpiece program, test run it first and check its operation.
- Pay attention to the operation of the machine during work to prevent the cutting machine from moving out of the effective travel range or colliding with another machine, causing accidents.
- Auxiliary gas selection and pressure setting. The typical pressure value for high-speed cutting of thin plates is 150-300kpa, and cutting 12mm thick iron plates usually only requires 40-60kpa.
- When the cutting speed is too slow, the feathery spark particle beam is directly downward; when the flow speed is too fast, the feathery spark particle beam forms an acute angle with the vertical direction and is unstable. The appropriate cutting speed is when the feathery spark particle beam forms an obtuse angle with the vertical direction.
Conclusion
Sheet metal laser cutting machines can not only meet the requirements of various industries for metal workpieces and shapes but also save labor, improve production efficiency, and help enterprises increase production profits. From carbon steel and stainless steel to various high-strength alloys, a high precision laser cutting machine can help you achieve it. Ultimately, with its superior performance and excellent expressive power, it has been widely used in the field of metal manufacturing.
With the continuous development of laser technology, metal cutting laser machines will surely play a greater role in more fields. The development trend of laser cutting, such as higher power, lasers with higher photoelectric conversion, and control systems with higher automation, will bring broader development space for laser cutting machines.
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