The winter that comes two years two years, salvagnini company begins to consider to apply fiber-optic laser technology to come the possibility of cut lame. With other company, this company ever spent gigantic available to be mixed at making machine of CO2Laser Cutting of be on sale, but administrative layer realizes, CO2 laser goose-step enters mature product phase, hard the technology goes up rise, won't have qualitative flight more. Salvagnini thinks the market needs a few new, better product, after the development of member of group of research and development of the company studies fiber-optic project, they become very excited. Original research is the fiber-optic laser of company of use IPG Photonic, in cut weak data speed per hour is spent unprecedented fast, and spend in the material speed per hour with a few deeper cut opposite slower. CO2 laser is when the material with the deepest cut expression still is best, but to lame treatment market, fiber-optic laser technology appears to suit more. Besides speed, the operation cost of fiber-optic laser is lower than CO2 laser also fivefold, of machine of this pair of fiber-optic Laser Cutting possessory for, mean investment pay back period to shorten, investment return rate is higher. After finishing preliminary research, foreground was made clear -- Salvagnini will use fiber-optic laser. Machine of the first fiber-optic Laser Cutting is in 2008 first half of the year, the engineers of this company are designed and assembled the plane of fiber-optic Laser Cutting of fiber-optic laser of the first use IPG of company, the structure is based on framework of system of L1 CO2 laser. This machine does not need warm-up, do not need laser gas, also do not need to move antrum, but as a result of its 1 small metric wave grows, the tall reflex such as red metal of cut of this cut function, brass, aluminium and galvanization steel spends material. Check result proof, the expression of 2kw fiber-optic laser almost laser of excel 4kw CO2, consequently stylist and engineer are beginning hand compose to build business machine of fiber-optic Laser Cutting. L1Xe fiber-optic laser was in Europe in October 2008 exhibition of metallic plate processing technique (EuroBlech) go up to be pushed to the world, 2009 American metal treatment is exhibited (FabTech) go up to be pushed to American market. Salvagnini company in March 2009 its lading of machine of the first fiber-optic Laser Cutting, be in two subsequently years each district of half lis of alive bound installed many 130 equipment. 2010, this company introduced power to be the system of the 2nd acting laser of 2kw and 3kw, no longer park on frame of foregoing CO2 laser plane, designed the frame of laser of fine of comfortable Yu Guang however, in order to fill minute of effect that develops fiber-optic technology. The solution of 70% since laser technology thin plate of metal of cut be introducinged, CO2 laser is powerful crouch market. But, fiber-optic laser increases increasingly in the portion in be being sold recently. relatively at CO2 laser, the simple and easy sex of fiber-optic laser clearly: The machine that uses fiber-optic laser is covered an area of small, laser illuminant and cooling system volume are minorrer also; Without laser gas cop, also do not need to move school lens. And power is 2kw or the fiber-optic laser illuminant of 3kw needs 4kw or specific power consumption of illuminant of 6kw CO2 laser only 50% can achieve same function, and speed faster, specific power consumption is lower, fewer to the effect that the environment causes. The key of the problem depends on laser illuminant. CO2 laser illuminant needs a lot of energy to arouse azotic element to come with CO2 element (laser gas) generation collides, make them launch photon, form finally can cut the laser that wears a metal bundle. A quantity of heat also is released while the molecular activity inside syntonic antrum is releasing a light, this needs a cooling system to cool laser gas. This is meant more energy should be wasted in cooling process, further cut can effect. Nextpage is additional on one hand, fiber-optic laser uses solid state diode to come ytterbium of mix into of layer of pump riverside double bag is fiber-optic the element inside, suffer arouse excitation light to cross fine core for many times, form laser to pass next transmit fiber-optic output to the focusing head that has cut. Happen in as a result of the collision between all elements fiber-optic inside, do not need laser gas, because what this requires the sources of energy,decrease greatly -- 1/3 what be CO2 laser about. Because the quantity of heat of generation is less, the bulk of condenser can narrow accordingly. Anyhow, below the condition that obtains same function, the integral specific power consumption of fiber-optic laser should compare CO2 laser low 70% . How to apply to contemporary workshop? Fiber-optic laser equipment is extremely general with efficient machine tools, can apply to the workshop of all sorts of size and complex degree. To cut all sorts of material are mixed the metal with differ ply, the L3 of Salvagnini company (see a picture 2) with L5Laser Cutting machine (see a picture 3 with the graph 4) do not need to change laser head, can cut is deep amount to 0. 70 inches of rolled steel, thick amount to 0.
394 inches stainless steel, 0.
315 inches of thick aluminous material and 0.
197 inches of thick copper reach brass. For the enterprise to taking speed seriously, fiber-optic laser in cut the expression when those ply are the 7 material to 12 Gauge must be not had but compare. For example, it is in cut ply 20 to 22 Gauge mild steel when, double the cut speed of fiber-optic laser is CO2 laser, deploy again on the head of focusing of laser of CompassTM patent technology of L5, cut rises noise is very low, cut surface is very slick. Exceed the 7 material to 12 Gauge to ply, speed advantage begins to disappear, till cut speed and CO2 laser differ very few, but the operation cost of fiber-optic laser still wants a few lower. Speed and versatility are crucial in manufacturing industry, because the cost of finished product can raise in workmanship. But gain profit ability state still needs to consider other cost. For example, the total operation cost of machine of Salvagnini fiber-optic Laser Cutting is about horary 56 cent, and the total operation cost of machine of typical CO2 Laser Cutting is horary 3.
19 dollars. In addition, machine of fiber-optic Laser Cutting does not need calibration viewfinder, do not need to change air-blower, do not need to move accurate syntonic antrum, do not need to change laser gas, maintain cost almost negligible not plan. Equipment of source of a laser predicts to be able to work 100000 hours, this is CO2 laser resonator is fivefold, and nonexistent change cost and breakdown shut down cost. Integrated consideration, double speed of fiber-optic laser cut is CO2 laser, and 1/6 cost is his, 70% what invest pay back period to be CO2 laser. Finally, also be important at the same time a bit, the platform of beam of light with extremely stable profit from of laser spare parts, can maintain good always quality, assure cut quality thereby -- although because metallic surface is uneven,be brought about,nozzle is mixed change be producinged by the distance between the thin plate of cut. Because the facula size of fiber-optic laser is small, cut seam rigor, implementing high speed cut while also can assure cut quality. This is meant reduced faulty part, production gives the finished product of high quality. The future of lame cut still saw without a few companies 2008 (perhaps not be willing to admit) the latent capacity of machine of fiber-optic Laser Cutting, but make manufacturer of much more important system subsequently people research and development the machine of fiber-optic Laser Cutting of a few. But the history tells us, technology forever won't backwater not before. Source of laser of solid state diode can upgrade, the power source group that is as high as 50kw already was assembled to be used at other utility, although this to lame cut power is too mighty, because this power is not a problem. Return somebody hard respect of optics of research and development, so that can the sheet metal with deeper cut. Till recently, cut film is a difficult problem all the time, but already offerred a solution in the light of this one problem, successful in sight. As the promotion of technical improvement and ability, fiber-optic laser is in laser of year of CO2 of the challenge on sale it is time problem only. Article author Ricky Hansson (electric mail: Ricky.
Hansson@salvagnini.
Com) it is application of company of Salvagnini United States and project management vice president. CNC Milling
CNC Machining