How Does Fiber Laser Cutting Work?
Fiber laser cutting is a highly efficient and precise technology widely used in industries such as Metal fabrication, automotive and aerospace. It uses a fiber laser to cut through various materials, primarily metals, by focusing a high-energy laser beam into a small, concentrated spot, like plasma cutting, buy high precision.
Let’s explain how the process works and why it is so effective.
1. The Basics of Fiber Laser Technology
When the laser source is powered on, PUMP diodes convert electricity into laser light at an efficiency rate of about 30-40%. Inside the laser source, there are also components like beam combiners and amplifiers, which gather the laser beams generated by different pump diodes, combining them to increase the overall power output. The laser beam is then transmitted to the fiber laser cutting head through an optical beam delivery system. Inside the cutting head, the laser is focused, and adjustments can be made to the focal length. Assist gases (such as nitrogen or oxygen) are also used in the cutting head to help cut different materials of varying thicknesses effectively.
Key Components in Fiber Laser Cutting Machines
- Laser Source: The heart of the system, where the laser is generated and amplified.
- Fiber Optic Delivery System: Transports the laser from the source to the cutting head with minimal energy loss. Normally, it is one part of the laser source.
- Cutting Head: Houses the focusing lens, and nozzle, and assists the gas system to focus the beam to cut different thicknesses of steel.
- CNC System: A computerized control system that guides the laser head’s movement to cut sheet metal into different size, such as 1500x3000mm, 2000x4000mm, 2500x6000mm etc,
- Assist Gas Supply: Delivers oxygen, nitrogen, or air to assist in the cutting process, different gas to get different cutting result, Normally nitrogen is used for stainless steel cutting to get white cutting edge. and Oxygen is used for cut thick carbon steel, compressed air to be used to cut thin steel to save the running cost.
- Water Chiller:As we know, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of a laser is not 100%, typically around 30-40%. The higher the conversion efficiency, the more energy-efficient the laser operation. However, only a portion of the electricity is converted into laser light for cutting, while nearly 70% is released as excess heat. To manage this heat, a water chiller is essential to dissipate it and ensure the laser operates normally. If the water chiller malfunctions, such as if the water temperature is too high or there is no water, it can trigger a laser alarm, halt operations, or even damage the laser.
