Many industries rely on precision and accuracy. Thanks to the improvements in modern technology, and especially to the advanced techniques like laser cutting, the much required precision is possible. Laser cutting has gained much popularity over the last few years and it’s not hard to understand why. It is a technique described as a thermal process. A laser beam focused on a certain material will melt it with very high precision. You can move the laser to dictate the direction of cutting, or you can use a CNC (computer numerical control) to cut materials without dealing with high temperatures and staying out of harms way.
If you ever find yourself in need of an accurate laser cutting service, there are many companies that offer it. There are multiple ways the process can go down, however, it mostly involves stimulating a lasing material by releasing electrical discharges or laps inside a closed container.
As the material that is being cut is stimulated, the beam is reflected internally by a partial mirror, until sufficient energy is achieved to allow it to escape as a stream of coherent monochromatic light. The mirrors or fiber optics are usually used to direct the light through a lens, which allows the light to be focused at the work zone. The smallest point of the focused beam is less than 0.30 millimeters in diameter. Depending on the thickness of the material, widths as small as 0.10 millimeters are possible.
The reasons why many people will opt for a laser cutting service over mechanical cutting is the easier work holding and reduced contamination of the piece that you are working on. There is no cutting edge which can be contaminated by the material or contaminate the material itself. Furthermore, there is better precision since the laser doesn’t wear down during the process. Some materials are impossible or very difficult to be cut by any other type of cutting except laser. There are three ways that the laser beam can be moved over the material in order to cut it or process it – by moving the material, by moving the optics system or hybrid.
- Moving the Material – If the laser beam is operated by moving the material, it’s done below a stationary cutting head. This process requires fewer optics to work, but you’ll also need to move the piece of equipment you are cutting.
- Moving the Optics System – Flying optics lasers are the complete opposite. They feature a stationary work table and the cutting head is moved over the cutting material. This type is the fastest and it’s overall better for cutting thinner materials.
- Hybrid – Hybrid lasers are a mix of both. The table upon which the material is placed moves in one direction, while the head moves in another. This results in a simpler beam delivery system and a sustained beam delivery path.
All in all, this cutting technique is far more superior than any other available at the moment. Therefore, if you need any material shaped and cut into a certain form or size, it’s the right way to do it. Don’t hesitate to contact a company that offers laser cutting services and get the work you need done, done right!
