What to Consider When Buying a Laser Cutting Machine?

What to Consider When Buying a Laser Cutting Machine?

Laser Cutting Machines: An Investment in Efficiency

Fiber laser cutting machines are highly efficient processing tools widely used across various manufacturing industries. However, many buyers and users of these machines are not fully aware of the factors that determine the quality of its operation. So, how should we make this judgement? Here are some key points to consider.

Criteria for Evaluating Laser Cutting Machines

1. Roughness

Metal laser cutting machines are high-quality, efficient processing tools. When a laser beam acts on a metal sheet, it creates vertical lines. The deeper these lines, the rougher the cut surface. When the power of the machine we use matches the thickness of the sheet, the cut surface of the metal laser cutting machine will be smooth, stripe-free, and without brittle fracture. Roughness not only affects the appearance of the edges but also the performance. In most cases, the lower the roughness, the higher the quality of the processed product.

2. Verticality

For high-power metal laser cutting, the verticality of the cutting edge becomes crucial when the thickness of the material to be processed exceeds 1 cm. As the distance from the focus increases, the laser beam diverges. Depending on the position of the focus, the cut widens towards the top or the bottom. The cut edge should not deviate more than a few millimeters from the vertical line. The more vertical the edge, the higher the cut quality.

3. Cutting Width

Generally, the cutting width does not affect the quality, but when particularly precise patterns are to be created within a component, the cut width should match the smallest achievable inner diameter. As the thickness of the sheet increases, the cutting width also increases. Therefore, to ensure high precision, regardless of the cutting width, the workpiece should remain stable on the area of the laser cutting machine.

4. Burrs

During the processing of the metal laser cutting machine, the laser beam irradiates the surface of the workpiece, generating high energy that vaporizes the workpiece surface and then evaporates. The slag on the workpiece surface is blown off by the auxiliary gas. If the auxiliary gas is not used, the slag cools down to form burrs that stick to the cut surface. Since burr removal requires additional work, the quality of the cut can be directly judged by the number of burrs.

Making the Right Choice

Understanding these aspects can help you make an informed decision when purchasing a laser cutting machine. These machines are a significant investment, so it’s vital to choose one that matches your specific requirements, ensuring efficiency and high-quality output.

Tags: #Laser Cutting #Fiber Laser #Metal Cutting #High Precision #Efficiency