High power does not necessarily equal high profits

The laser light source has a decisive influence on the productivity of the laser cutting system. However, it is not just that the laser power alone can make high profits as a matter of course. The perfect coordination of the entire system is also crucial. Not all laser cutting machines cut the same. Even today, when this technology has experienced endless innovations, there are still significant differences between the corresponding machines. The customer’s position is unquestionable: they need a system that can produce high-quality cut parts at a low cost, and the system must be highly usable in order to complete the work within the predetermined deadline. As a result, as much work as possible is processed per unit time, so that the investment in the system can be recovered in the shortest possible time. In short: the higher the productivity of the laser cutting system, the more profit you can earn from it. An important factor affecting the productivity of a laser cutting system is the laser light source used in the system. In terms of laser power, as one of the leading suppliers of overall solutions for sheet metal processing, Bystronic provides lasers ranging from 2.2 kilowatts to 6 kilowatts. Of course, it is not only the kilowatts of the laser power that needs to be concerned, but the cooperation between the laser and the entire system is also of great significance. This can only be guaranteed when the system and the laser come from the same supplier, and the two are inextricably developed together. Interaction is the key The newly developed perforation method, namely controlled pulse puncture (CPP), represents a high level of laser pulse performance requirements. When processing plates with a thickness of 4 to 25 mm, CPP cuts the cutting time by half. The processing is carried out in two stages, firstly pre-piercing. Keep a large distance between the cutting head and the plate to prevent excessive contamination of the nozzle and lens. Then reduce the spacing to complete the entire perforation. When the perforation is completed, the sensor on the cutting head detects the precise position according to the reflected light and generates the corresponding signal. Then the system immediately starts the cutting process. This processing procedure not only saves time, but also keeps the hole diameter as small as 1 mm on a 10 mm thick sheet. In addition, almost no stains can be seen on the processed surface. At the same time, CPP greatly improves the processing safety of the machine tool. The introduction of zero puncture time requires the laser light source to have great reliability, and it must be able to accurately increase and decrease the power even at the required position. This is no longer a piercing process, but a direct cutting process without time loss, suitable for materials with a thickness of less than 8 mm. Shows how the cutting head travels in an arc (1) to the cutting mark (2). Once in place, the system immediately starts cutting. The green dashed part is completely represented by parameters. At the same time, the actual cutting parameters are converted immediately at the starting point of the contour line (3), so that the cutting process can be executed according to these parameters. Subsequently, the cutting head travels in an arc to the next contour to be cut. Compared with the traditional piercing method, using this method all the time can reduce the workpiece gas cutting time by up to 35%.