Using a laser cutting machine can be a great way to get the job done in a short amount of time. If you’re looking to cut through materials such as wood, metal, or plastic, a laser can do the trick for you.
CO2 lasers
Whether you’re buying a laser cutting machine for home use or industrial purposes, there are several factors you should consider before making your purchase. You will need to evaluate your current needs, as well as your long-term vision.
The most common type of laser is the CO2 laser. A CO2 laser is a gas laser that uses a gas mixture of nitrogen and helium to produce light. It has a wavelength of 10.6 uM. This means it is not ideal for cutting metals, but it is suitable for cutting non-metals.
CO2 lasers are used in a variety of industries. For example, the automotive industry uses them to cut airbags, and the clothing industry uses them for texturing. They also engrave ceramics and glass.
CO2 lasers can cut a wide variety of materials, but are not ideal for metals. Metals produce fine particulates, which can be harmful to humans and machine components. The process can also produce fumes.
Fiber lasers
Unlike CO2 lasers, fiber lasers are ideal for laser marking metal surfaces, as they produce detailed details. They are capable of cutting a wide variety of materials, including plastics, cardboard, cork, and wood. They are used in applications such as cutting, drilling, marking, and micro welding.
While fiber lasers are relatively new, they have been gaining acceptance in a wide variety of applications. They are also a great way to transfer data, as they are able to travel through a small tube of fiber optic cable.
Fiber lasers are better for cutting metals, but they also offer a speed advantage over CO2 lasers. This can be seen by the fact that a 4KW CO2 laser can cut a 16 GA Mild Steel sheet in 260 IPM, while the same sheet would take two passes with a fiber laser.
Remote cutting
Using a laser cutting machine is a cost effective and time-saving method of cutting materials. It is also a good way to process soft metals and elevator material. Besides, it can be used to cut stainless steel, carbon steel and mild steel.
It is a good way to process thin sheet metal without the use of assist gas. It uses a high-intensity laser beam to partially evaporate the material.
It also allows for a very thin cutting gap. It also increases the process’ flexibility and reduces costs. It is also useful for cutting sensitive materials.
Normally, it is used to cut a hole. However, it can also be used for cutting complex shapes. The laser cutter turns on and off rapidly to make the cuts.
The laser is usually a pulsed Nd:YAG laser wavelength (1064 nm) which matches the band gap in silicon wafers. The pulsed laser generates a high-power burst of energy for a short period of time.
Stealth dicing
Traditionally, dicing processes were used for machining various types of materials. However, these methods were not able to meet the high machining precision of silicon.
Silicon is a crucial material in many applications, including electronics and biology. Stealth dicing is a process that is able to reduce kerf widths and increase production yields. It is also known for its zero-waste, minimal debris, and low heat damage. It has been used on a variety of materials, including silicon, sapphire, and MEMS.
The dicing process uses a laser beam that is focused inside the wafer to form a modified layer. The modified layer is then removed using a dry etching process using XeF2 gas. This process enhances the entire structure of the device die. The distance of the modification spots is determined by the pulse frequency and dicing speed.
Thermal stress fracture cutting
Using the thermal stress fracture technique for laser cutting, thermal stresses are generated in the material to produce cracks that separate the material. This method offers significant benefits over conventional laser cutting methods. It also offers improved precision and lower energy loss. Besides, the process is pollution-free.
The method is a non-chemical method that is used for cutting thin ceramics, glass, ceramic tiles, and other brittle materials. This method has been widely used to cut ceramics and glass. The thermal stress method also offers better cut quality. The temperature gradient and thermal load are controlled by processing parameters such as laser power and scanning speed.
The heat source is a CO2 laser with a wavelength of 10.6 um. This laser beam enters the lens and exits through a series of mirrors. The temperature distribution is calculated through a numerical plane stress model.