CO2 & Fiber Laser Technology: Which is ideal for you?
This careful
and comprehensive analysis examines not solely the cutting instrumentation
itself, however additionally the impact the new instrumentation can wear
different existing sheet fabricating processes.
Evolution of Fiber optical maser Cutting Technology
Fiber optical
maser cutting has been one amongst the foremost “disruptive” technologies
introduced to the shaping market since dioxide lasers were 1st introduced for
cutting within the Nineteen Eighties. Fiber optical maser technology is taken
into account a riotous and “revolutionary” modification as a result of it's
compact the whole establishment in sheet fabrication. and also the
opportunities ar simple to understand.
Over a
comparatively short amount of your time we've seen exponential advances in
Fiber optical maser technology used for flat sheet cutting. in precisely 5
years, Fiber lasers achieved the 4kW cutting threshold that took dioxide lasers
about fourfold as long to achieve. when 10 years, Fiber lasers have achieved
the 15kW power level for cutting. altogether fairness, Fiber lasers – some
surpassing 20kW – are employed by different industries for several years in
applications aside from sheet cutting.
Advantages of Fiber optical maser Cutting Technology
The primary
blessings of cutting flat sheet with Fiber optical maser technology ar derived
from its monolithic, Fiber-to-Fiber, compact solid state style configuration
that's maintenance free and provides a lower value of operation than is achieved
with comparable dioxide lasers. Fiber light beam characteristics additionally
offer for abundant quicker cutting speeds than dioxide as we are going to
explore below.
The centered
beam of even a 2kW Fiber optical maser demonstrates a 5X bigger power density
at the center of attention compared with a 4kW dioxide optical maser. It
additionally possesses a a pair of.5X bigger absorption characteristic thanks
to the shorter wavelength of the Fiber optical maser. (see Figure one and
Figure 2).
The higher
absorption of the Fiber wavelength and also the higher power density created by
the centered beam mix to realize up to a 5 time increase in cutting speeds in
materials that ar but 1/2 in. thick.
Fiber optical
maser cutting systems will actually cut quite one in. thick with higher Fiber
optical maser powers and even cut quicker once utilizing gas because the assist
gas, however the “sweet spot” wherever the foremost important advantages ar
accomplished is within the 1/2 in. and beneath vary for steel once creating
comparisons with dioxide systems. certainly, if you're process untainted,
aluminum, brass or copper materials, Fiber optical maser technology is that the
quickest and most economical notwithstanding thickness.
Figure 1. Power density comparison of dioxide and Fiber lasers at the center of attention.
Figure 2. Absorption comparison between dioxide and Fiber lasers supported wavelength and thickness.
The speed advantages ar most profound once gas is utilized as Associate in Nursing assist gas as a result of the liquified material is expelled from the kerf by the gas even as quick because it is dissolved. the upper the light beam power density, the faster the fabric is delivered to a liquified state, the quicker the feed rate.
Sheet metal elements 1/8 in thick and fewer, cut with a fiber optical maser system.
Effectively
utilizing the speed advantages from high power Fiber lasers takes careful
coming up with and management of all processes. With a 3 to four time bigger
outturn and a value of operation that's half the dioxide optical maser, the
money gains is game dynamical. The results ar a lower value per half, higher
potential profit margins and shorter come on investment time. Let’s not forget
the additional benefit of inflated machine capability currently that you simply
ar process traditional half volumes abundant quicker, providing the chance to
require on extra work to more increase your sales revenue and profits.
Fiber will cut
copper, brass and Al far better and a lot of safely than dioxide as a result of
the beam is a lot of pronto absorbed and not mirrored. Fiber optical maser in
operation prices ar generally half what a dioxide system offers thanks to the
lower electrical consumption and high electrical potency of Fiber lasers.
One of the most recent advancements in Fiber optical maser cutting is that the addition of ‘Beam Shaping’ technology that changes the beam profile for thick plate cutting with gas. as a result of the fiber optical maser is delivered through fiber optics, the beam profile is inherently tiny and and creates a slim channel because it centered through the fabric. whereas this can be advantageous to the facility density for cutting with gas because the assist gas, this can be not the case with gas assist cutting. once cutting with gas, a wider beam profile with less power density is most well-liked because it creates a wider channel within the material by that to expel the liquified steel. the broader beam profile produces quicker cutting speeds, and inflated cut edge quality on thicker steels. Beam Shaper technology achieves the broader beam profile necessary to realize this inflated performance.
1.250 in. thick steel sample cut at twenty five inches per minute with a 15kW fiber optical maser.
There ar several aspects of in operation a dioxide optical maser cutter that don't exist with in operation a Fiber optical maser cutter:
- A high power Fiber optical maser cutter is capable of cutting up to five times quicker than a traditional dioxide optical maser and utilizes 0.5 the in operation prices.
- Fiber optical maser cutters don't want any preparation time – generally regarding ten minutes per start-up for a dioxide optical maser.
- The Fiber optical maser cutter has no beam path maintenance like mirror or lens cleansing, bellows checks and beam alignments. this may consume another four or five hours per week for a dioxide optical maser.
- Fiber lasers have a totally sealed Fiber optic beam path each at the facility supply and at the Fiber delivery to the cutting head. The beam isn't subjected to beam path contaminates as is that the case with dioxide lasers.
- Fiber optic beam methods maintain consistent nozzle beam centering.
Thick metal
items bigger than 1/4 in. cut with a Fiber optical maser cutting machine.
What becomes of
all of this saved time? Higher productivity and bigger machine capacity! With
the Fiber optical maser capable of 5 times quicker cutting speeds, generating 3
to fourfold a lot of elements per unit of your time and matched with five
hundredth less in operation prices as compared to dioxide, this represents an
outsized chance supported having created a lot of machine capability.
Whatever the
final conclusion, don’t ignore the impact of this investment on your downstream
processes: What impact will adding this new optical maser cutting system wear
the flow of operations before and when the elements ar cut?
Certainly
knowing and making ready beforehand that front-end workplace systems can have
to be compelled to carry on with the productivity of the Fiber optical maser
helps fabricators alter their front-end processes to stay the Fiber optical
maser cutting, instead of expecting jobs. Knowing that materials can have to be
compelled to be given to the Fiber optical maser during a timely manner can
drive new potency in material handling and inventory. Knowing that inflated cut
half volumes have to be compelled to be met with extra bending capability can
facilitate prepare the bending space for the inflated volume. For fabricators
mistreatment dioxide optical maser cutting systems, creating the move to Fiber
technology represents a large window of chance that can’t be unmarked.
If you're running multiple lasers, maybe you may think about replacement 2 dioxide optical maser cutting machines with one Fiber laser?
The question of
that technology is true for you actually boils right down to your operation.
however well will the system suit your explicit application? what quantity
quicker and the way far more value effective ar your elements planning to be
produced? With this in mind it'll be necessary to form a careful analysis of
the pertinent information, together with application vary, in operation prices,
throughput, value of possession and, of course, the investment prices.
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