A job shop is only as diverse as the parts it produces. The same applies to those who operate a tube laser. Parts of different sizes can be found in one tube. Laser-cut parts as small as 2 inches must be unloaded by the machine. Each one can be as long as 15 feet. You must also be able unload the parts without damaging them. This can be difficult with soft metals like aluminum.
Machine manufacturers have begun using cameras to perform tube inspections. They can reduce the time it takes to inspect quality tubes and also reduce the amount of rotations needed. This allows for both productivity and accuracy to be maintained.
You don't need to spend a lot of money or be very technical in order to have your own laser tube cutting. Anybody can cut like no one has ever seen, from students to engineers.
Some things are extremely obvious. The size of the laser "generator," on a fiber laser, is much smaller than that of a traditional CO2 resonanceator. The fiber laser is made up of banks of diodes. Each module can hold 600 to 1,500W. Multiple modules can be spliced together in order to create the final powered-resonator. This module is typically about the same size and shape as a small filing box. Fiber-optic cable channels the light generated and amplifies it. The light is still the same quality and power when it exits the fibre-optic conduit. It is then adjusted for the type and focus of the material to be cut.
You should remember that there are no perfect tubes. They have bows. They may protrude from the interior as well as the exterior of the tube. It is difficult to process this material in a consistent and rapid manner when there are such inconsistencies among products.
This machine can be used for processing XXL-sized tubes. This machine, which is a solid state laser, can be used in many ways to make tubes and profiles.
How can you compensate? Traditionally, you would touch the contact points by coming down. Next, rotate the tube and touch the opposite side. This will give the control an indication about how bent the tube may be. This can be used to ensure that through-holes fit the application. Be aware that this reduces your ability to deliver very precise tolerances every time the tube rotates.
This fully-automatic solution guarantees maximum productivity as well as rapid production changes. Tube O Range min. 0.47" (12 mm) - max. 6" (152.4 mm)3D cutting modeFiber laser
Let's take a look at the benefits of an automated tube and section bar storage with a Lasertube cutter system.
Leaders in the manufacture of advanced laser-cutting solutions including CNC controls and automation systems.
The FABRICATOR is North America's leading magazine for the metal forming and fabricating industry. The magazine delivers the news, technical articles, and case histories that enable fabricators to do their jobs more efficiently. The FABRICATOR has served the industry since 1970.
StarCut Tube® SL laser cutting system provides the highest precision, reliability and performance for complex medical devices like stents, aortic valves replacements or hypotubes.
ExactCut 430 allows for precise laser cutting of metals and alloys. It also automates the production of brittle materials like ceramics, sapphire, and PCD.
The other factor to keep in mind is that the traditional method of checking for bows and twists in the tube can take up to five or seven seconds before cutting commences. With the traditional means of touch sensing, you have to trade productivity for accuracy. Again, in the age of fiber laser cutting, this can seem like a lifetime, but working with tube is not as simple as working with sheet metal.
Maximum material cutting thicknesses by 1000W fiber laser cutting machine: Carbon steel has a maximum thickness of 10mm; stainless steel has a maximum thickness of 5mm; aluminum plate has a maximum thickness of 3mm; and copper plate has a maximum thickness of 3mm.
A fiber laser cutting machine generates a laser beam using active optical fibers and transmits it to the machine's cutting head via a transport fiber. This extremely hot laser is condensed into a narrow beam and is used to cut through various metal thicknesses.
Laser tube cutting is a method and technique for cutting tubes, structural shapes, or channels. These items will be cut to the required length during the process. It can also make holes or designs in tubing. It is a precise cutting method. It can also be used on a variety of materials in a variety of shapes and sizes.