Application of a laser beam in production
In modern production for the processing of metals for the manufacture of various parts, laser cutting is used. It allows you to achieve complex cutting contours of sheet metal with unprecedented accuracy and productivity. The resulting parts have the highest quality indicators and do not need additional processing. The amount of waste in the cutting process is small because the laser beam is precisely focused on the area of the metal. With high quality, such cutting is inexpensive.
Laser cutting of metal is used in various fields of industry and construction. It is indispensable for the manufacture of iron fences and gratings, used in construction and repair work. She easily copes with structures of high complexity. The laser beam is capable of cutting even fragile materials. However, there is a slight limitation on the thickness of the metal sheet. It should be no more than 20 mm.
A small characteristic of laser cutting metal
Laser cutting has the international abbreviation LBC - short for Laser Beam Cutting. Among the many methods of metal processing, it has a large list of advantages. Unlike plasma cutting, it allows you to machine very dense material. Features of laser cutting of metal consist in melting the material with a special laser beam. In this case, the beam has a number of properties that noticeably distinguish it from, for example, light. It is monochromatic, that is, it has one radiation wavelength. This property makes it easy to focus with optics. The laser beam is characterized by the property of coherence. This means that the wave oscillations occur in concert and come into resonance. In this case, the radiation power is greatly increased. Due to the aforementioned properties, the use of a laser allows focusing on the metal surface an energy density of up to 108 W /cm2.
Comparison with other types of cutting
The laser beam is capable of cutting almost any metal - stainless steel, aluminum and alloys, copper, brass. The resulting narrow cuts are of high quality, have a width of 0.1 to 1 mm and a small thermal area. After applying the cut, there are almost no temporary and permanent deformations.
The laser works with high efficiency with steel up to 6mm, observing the quality, it maintains a high cutting speed. However, it is not recommended to use it for metal thicker than 40mm. In this case, it is more correct to use plasma or oxygen cutting.
Source: s-laser.ru
