Laser cutting

CO2 lasers are ideally suited to applications requiring a continuous wave. When equipped with 2-D and 3-D cutting technology, they provide a reliable, precise and cost-effective way to cut sheet metal. Producing a smooth cut, FANUC CO2 Lasers ensure a perfect parts fit regardless of material thickness. They are also energy efficient – with FANUC smart solutions providing additional gas and energy savings.

Seventy percent of the costs incurred by laser are attributable to initial procument, not day-to-day operating expenses. In financial terms, CO2 lasers offer huge advantages over fibre machines on applications involving complex shapes and extremely exacting degrees of accuracy and repeatability. This is because acquiring the same results from a fibre machine would involve making costly upgrades such as adding rigidity and fitting a high-end linear motor - something that would ultimately make taking this route too expensive.

On laser cutting applications energy accounts for 5 to 7 % of the total cost per part. C02 machines also include additional energy saving features. To create the most efficient setup for you, it's best to get advice and go through all your options with an expert.

CO2 lasers are complex machines that require maintenance, especially to the turbine and mirrors. Given the costs involved in this, make sure you choose a machine built for maximum reliability. Some machines, for instance, only require maintenance work to be carried out after extremely long intervals. One manufacturer even guarantees the turbine for 24,000 hours.

Supplemented with tending robots a CO2 laser machine can work continuously around the clock. More efficient and cheaper than a fibre machine on this kind of application, this results in low average per part costs.

Fibre laser machines use 1 μ wavelength and, consequently, require the enforcement of very strict safety criteria. Machines need to be completely enclosed, reducing the operator's ability to influence the process and extending downtime should an issue occur. Since they only use 10 μ, CO2 lasers on the other hand allow the operator to get close up and restart the cutting process as quickly as possible in the event of an incident.

When it comes to bevelling, CO2 is more accurate than plasma cutting and faster than milling. A good CO2 machine, for instance, will allow you to bevel edges of up to 40 mm - the perfect solution for cutting steel plate for instance.

A laser machine will mark, etch and engrave as well as cut. Eliminating the need for two machines and to transfer parts between them, this inherent versatility reduces per part costs even more.

CO2 lasers cut clean without leaving oxide residue on the workpiece. This makes using a C02 machine a great alternative to milling on stainless steel parts requiring an excellent finish. Given extra productivity resulting from its speed, it makes sense to seek advice on the pros and cons of laser cutting as an alternative to milling.

CO2 machines make it possible to cut intricate shapes and tiny grooves down to a fraction of a millimetre.

Laser cutting is ideally suited to cutting wood, plastics and Perspex. It leaves beautifully edges on Perspex, cuts plywood and can be used to punch paper and cardboard. A method that is both versatile and cost effective, laser cutting makes a great solution for suppliers to the media and advertising industries.

Getting more productivity from older or specialist machines by adding tending solutions is easy since all you need to replace is the laser system. The availability of ready-made solutions means that creating your own setup from various pieces of equipment is not necessary.

When deciding on a laser, good support in the form of specialist advice and knowhow is indispensible. What about incorporating a laser into your machine? Does it come with the right machining software and meet all your cutting requirements across a wide range of materials? And what about setting up and calibrating it? If you are starting from scratch, it us best to ask an expert.