Creating a Higher Standard with "Dual-Effect" Comprehensive Upgrades
In the realm of ultra-high-power laser sources (cutting versions) above 20 kW, Raycus is committed to meeting customer demands. Based on extensive client usage data and multiple technical exchanges and testing with leading cutting head manufacturers, Raycus has established a higher enterprise standard that surpasses industry and international norms. This achievement enables comprehensive enhancements in cutting efficiency and performance through system-level matching.
Fiber Core and M2 Standard by Raycus
For ultra-high-power laser sources, achieving excellent application results requires more than just fiber core output. It necessitates a match between the fiber core and M2 value to attain optimal application performance. If the overall quality of the laser source system is ordinary and the fiber core is simply reduced without a proportional reduction in beam quality (M2 or BPP), it becomes extremely challenging to achieve satisfactory cutting results. For example, in a 20,000 W laser source with a 100 μm output, considering the best cutting results and compatibility with thick and thin plates, the optimal M2 value should be around 11.
We offer fiber core outputs of 100 μm to 150 μm for 20 kW to 60 kW laser sources, strictly controlling the M2 range. This approach allows for seamless adjustments in cutting processes from low to high power, minimizing variations between models of the same type.
M2 Standard by Raycus：
Figure 1: Beam Quality Test Illustration
Figure 2:Measured Beam Quality of Raycus 40 kW Laser source
Comprehensive Divergence Angle Standard:
While M2 represents 86.5% of energy distribution, it is only suitable for describing single-mode or near-single-mode laser sources. To address the properties of multi-mode laser sources, Raycus has pioneered the concept of a comprehensive divergence angle—utilizing the 99.84% description to cover the full energy divergence angle. This standard eliminates issues commonly found in conventional laser sources, such as overheating due to excessive protection, direct heating of collimators, excessive scattering in protected mode, aperture burning, and nozzle heating. Raycus' high-power fiber laser sources lead the market and achieve the highest domestic shipment volume due to this stringent standard.
Divergence Angle Standard by Raycus: 20 kW to 60 kW, Total Divergence Angle (99.84%, half-angle) ≤ 0.13
Figure 3: Illustration of Beam Aperture Burn and Return Due to Excessive Divergence Angle
Addressing Aperture Damage and Ensuring Stable Cutting Performance
The reason for establishing the comprehensive divergence angle standard is that most high-power cutting heads on the market have an optical aperture around 0.13. Thus, the collimators limit the laser source light before the aperture, restricting the excess or stray light. If the proportion of excess light (stray light) is too high, it means that the laser source's total divergence angle is too large, which can lead to aperture damage. Moreover, due to the diffraction at the edge of the aperture, some stray light will irradiate the collimator, resulting in severe thermal effects and unstable cutting.
Figure 4: Illustration of Light Path with Raycus Standard, Minimal Stray Light
Nonlinear Standard
To meet the increasing demand for efficient processing of large-format and thick plates, the power of laser source systems has been escalating. However, this has led to nonlinear effects and increased stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) in transmission optical fibers due to the reduced fiber core size and increased length.
Nonlinear Standard by Raycus: 20 kW to 60 kW, SRS Effect: ≥ 30 dB @100% Power
Figure 5: Nonlinear Spectrum of 30 kW Laser source, 100 μm, 30 m
Independence of Standards
Each standard maintains its independence, and no compromise is made in one standard at the expense of others. Raycus products with ultra-high power output from 20 kW to 60 kW, featuring 100 μm to 150 μm fiber core, do not compromise any standard, even with increased cable length or power. The standard cable configuration for high-quality Raycus laser sources is 20 m to 40 m and can be customized for longer lengths.
Achieving Higher Standards, Built on Years of Technical Accumulation
To achieve higher standards, Raycus has relied on years of technical accumulation and achieved a series of breakthroughs since 2021. These include advancements in beam quality control technology, active control of divergence angle technology (designated as "A"), and nonlinear suppression technology (designated as "S").
Figure 6: Comparison Before and After Beam Quality Control
Figure 7: Comparison Before and After Active Control of Divergence Angle
Figure 8: Cascade Tilted Gratings for SRS Suppression
Nonlinear Suppression Technology (Raycus Internal Code S, Suppression of SRS)
The Raman suppressor works by filtering out Raman seeds produced by the module through tilted Bragg gratings, preventing the amplification of Raman seeds in the non-source power transmission part, while isolating the power transmission part and external optical path from Raman feedback to the module. However, there are currently certain problems with Raman gratings. To achieve a deep filter bandwidth, a large chirp rate and a large length are required. This requires significantly higher engraving difficulty and costs, while increasing the filter ratio requires increasing the adjustment depth, which can lead to increased loss and even impact the beam quality.
Therefore, Raycus, based on the above disadvantages, has adopted a cascading tilted grating. By serially connecting two tilted gratings, a wider filtering effect and lower cost can be achieved, thereby maintaining a low nonlinearity of the module.
Figure 9: Cascaded Raman Suppressor with Double Gratings
A Higher Standard System, Delivering Stunning Application Results
Since the introduction of the 60 kW laser source in 2023, Raycus has garnered significant attention in the market due to its outstanding cutting advantages. A comparison of cutting speeds for stainless steel with different thicknesses between the 60 kW, 40 kW, and 30 kW laser sources reveals the remarkable advantage of the 60 kW laser source, particularly for stainless steel plates with thicknesses above 50 mm. Real footage of the 60 kW laser source cutting 70 mm and 125 mm thick stainless steel showcases the brilliance of its cutting performance.
Figure 10: Comparison of Cutting Speed for 60 kW, 40 kW, and 30 kW Laser sources on Stainless Steel
Leading the Way and Setting the Benchmark: High-Quality Development of Ultra-High-Power Laser Sources
As we enter 2023, Raycus believes that the development of industrial fiber laser sources goes beyond merely increasing power—Raycus already achieved the 100 kW laser source in 2021. The future development of laser sources above one megawatt should focus on comprehensive improvement in laser source quality. Raycus remains committed to technical breakthroughs and product innovation, actively creating a higher standard of quality system, providing high-quality fiber laser source products to global customers, and promoting the high-quality development of domestically-produced laser sources.