Application Scenarios

High Power Laser Cutting

Laser cutting is primarily a thermal process in which a focused laser beam melts material in a localized area. Coaxial gas jets are used to eject molten material and create cuts, allowing continuous cutting to be achieved by moving the laser beam or workpiece under CNC control. Improvements in precision, edge flatness and control of heat input mean that laser processing is increasingly replacing other profile cutting technologies such as plasma and oxy-combustion. Advantages of laser cutting include: Narrow cut width, smooth edges and good appearance; The heat affected zone near the cutting edge is small; The heat is small and the workpiece deformation is small; Precise control of average power eliminates excessive combustion during acceleration and deceleration; There is no mechanical deformation of the workpiece; No cutting tool wear, maintenance or replacement issues. YOFC has developed several single-mode and multi-mode high-power fiber lasers (1.0-30kW) for cutting ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Laser cutting is performed using different auxiliary gases and processing parameters, i.e. oxygen, air, nitrogen and argon to cut different materials and thicknesses. Cutting quality was analyzed in terms of cutting speed, cut edge appearance, burr formation and kerf width. The photos below show laser cut edges in a variety of materials and assist gases, including thin aluminum sheets cut at high speeds (>53 m/min).