How Laser Cutting Machines Work

Laser cutters operate by focusing a stream of light made of photons

, or laser, on a focused site on an object in order to slice through it rather than using a solid object, like a blade, to slice through the material. A computer system enabled with vector graphical software will also be needed. Commands are communicated to the laser cutter via the software which deciphers design geometry to numerical CNC machine code. A laser can also take input from drawings made with the help of computer-aided design (CAD) software.

Laser Cutting Machine Configurations

The configurations of the machine are defined based on the way the laser beam will hit the object to be cut. There are three main setups that work on the X and Y axes. The first is called moving material. In this setup, the material to be cut is placed below the cutter head. The next setup is the hybrid laser. Both the table and the cutter head move in opposite axes, offering optimal stability of the beam's pathway. The third configuration is the flying optic configuration, used by Maloya, where the cutting head is the part of the machine that is in motion. The object being cut is static and this type of setup creates neat work. Its rate of motion is also the fastest among the three setups. The flying optic system also does not require clamping down the material being cut, aiding in the speed of the workflow. There are also machines utilizing up to six axes.

Workflow with Laser Cutting Technology

Loading and unloading can take up valuable production time but the speed of cutting with a laser can make up for this. The unnecessary need for material clamping can also save time. Another consideration is if the laser cutter can be left on. Workers may have to turn the machine off to unload the machine and interrupt the flow of cutting. Lighting is another consideration in a manufacturing environment. Light emitting diode (LED) lighting is becoming more popular for saving energy. More green ways of lighting these types of environments are becoming available such as using motion sensors so lights are not used when no one is working.

Maintenance of Laser Cutting Machines

With the money spent on laser cutting machines, proper maintenance can ensure that they keep running in a safe and reliable way. If the machine is not running optimally, bad cuts can be made. Process control such as inspecting cutting nozzles, lenses and other optics should be conducted regularly. Simply making regular checks on their alignment can save many headaches later. Sources of air can affect focal lenses of the cutting machine. Lens clarity is extremely important. Operators can look at a focal lens and tell if it is dirty as well as by checking it with a polarizer. A lens can then be cleaned with alcohol and fine tissue or replaced. Laser optical components are in the category of consumables. Maintenance of chiller units is also important. They should be run prior to cutting. A laser cutter will not be as fast if it has not been maintained. Replaceable parts should also be kept in stock for easy replacement. Keep exhaust systems up to par as well.

Training on Laser Cutting Systems

Training of use of a laser cutting machine should include hands-on training as well as additional training in a classroom environment. It should include basic usage of the laser cutter such as how to start and shut down the machine, operation and programming of the machine, upkeep and maintenance as well as safety. Oftentimes the purchaser of the machine will receive training from the supplier of the machine. Other training involves how to create drawings and load them into the laser machine, scaling, and rotation. File usage and code as well as use of databases and laser tables and metrics need to be learned. CAD and computers need to be comprehended to use a laser cutter. One should understand how to measure thicknesses of materials in relation to whether the machine can handle cutting them. Blueprint reading should also be a skill held by a laser cutter user. Users need to be educated in quality control and geometric tolerance to know the range of precision of a laser cutter. Material Requirements Planning (MRP) involves planning everything needed for a job as well as inventory taking. Software is utilized for these functions. Proper training on these systems is key as the common problem with them is the data often has errors. Some of these errors can be eliminated through training. One should be able to use measuring tools such as calipers or a vernier caliper which can offer more accurate measurements. Other basic tools someone should be able to use are a ruler, protractor, compass and basic mathematical tools.

Quality Control

In order to keep improving workflow processes, Corrective Action Requests (CARs) and Corrective Action Notifications (CANs) can be done. This involves reporting a problem that occurred, the cause of the problem, and future problem preventions. Software can take care of these issues and is called workflow quality management software. For example, if one event occurs, a notification in a certain form such as an email will go out to a person who handles that problem. Problem correction will be the next step. Much knowledge and skill is required in operating a laser cutter. Having the knowledge and skills to operate the machine correctly in a proper environment will keep a machine working optimally for a long period of time.

by: Roger Hug

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