|
Design
for Manufacturing Menu | Laser
Cutting Services
Laser cutting is a common manufacturing process employed to cut many types of materials.
Materials which may be laser cut include; ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, stone,
plastics, rubber, and ceramics. Laser cutting works by directing a high power
pulsed laser at a
specific location on the material to be cut. The energy in the laser beam is
absorbed into the surface of the material, and the energy of the laser is
converted into heat, which melts or vaporizes the material.
Additionally, gas is focused or blown into the cutting region to expel or blow
away the molten metal and vapor from the cutting path.
There are several advantages of laser cutting over mechanical cutting, since
the cut is performed by the laser beam, there is
no physical contact with the material, therefore, contaminates cannot
enter or embed into the material. Laser cutting can produce high accuracy cuts, complex
shapes, cut several parts simultaneously, produce clean cutting edges which require
minimal finishing, as well as, low edge loads during cutting, which will reduce distortions.
The width of laser cut or kerf, and quality of the cut edges, are effected by
power of the laser, laser beam pulses, and the motion of the laser beam, and
work-piece.
The following are typical cut or kerf widths resulting from
laser cutting process:
|
Laser Cutting kerf Width vs. Material Thickness |
| Material |
Material Cut Thickness |
Material Removed (Kerf) |
| Aluminum |
.100 |
.010 |
| Plastics |
.002
- .018 |
2 times the
beam diameter |
|
Steel and Iron |
0.060
0.090
0.120
0.250 |
.002
.005
.008
.0012 |
© Copyright 2000 - 2008, by Engineers Edge, All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
|
