Equipment For Laser Cutting

Equipment (installation, the machine) for laser cutting usually consists of:

• the emitter;
• system formation and transport of radiation and gas;
• coordinate and devices
• automated control system (ACS).

The emitter generates a laser beam with the required optical cutting, energy and space-time parameters. It includes:

• elements of the pump;
• the active medium;
• cavity mirrors and
• if necessary, the device modulation of the radiation.

As the radiator is usually used gas (CO 2 ) and solid-state lasers that can operate in both pulsed and continuous modes.

The system of formation and transport of radiation and the gas is used for transmitting a laser beam from the source to the workpiece, as well as to generate the required parameters of the gas entering the cutting zone through a nozzle. The structure of this system include:

• alignment laser;
• optical shutter;
• optical transformers (lens);
• rotating mirror;
• unit rotation of the plane of polarization;
• focusing system;
• stabilization of the focal plane and the gap;
• gas delivery system;
• nozzle.

With the coordinate device is performed relative movement between laser beam and the details in the space. Such a device includes motors, drives, actuators.

ACS is designed to monitor and control the parameters of the laser, the transmission of commands to the execution units of the coordinate system of the device and the formation and transport of radiation and gas. The structure of ACS include:

• sensor subsystem of the laser parameters (temperature, pressure, composition of the working mixture, etc.);
• sensor subsystem of the radiation parameters (divergence, power, stability-axis radiation pattern, etc..)
• subsystem of the gate;
• management subsystem with adaptive optics;
• management subsystem coordinate device.

Mechanisms of transmission of laser radiation in the treatment zone
Modes of transmission of laser radiation in the treatment zone conditionally divided into two groups:

1. With the constant optical path length from the source to the laser unit area of ​​cut. With this method may move either the emitter or the workpiece, or the emitter and the product simultaneously, or can be rotated optical elements.
2. With variable-length optical path from the source to the cutting zone. In this case, the radiator itself is stationary, and the transfer of radiation in the cutting zone by means of the moving optical elements. It may also be provided for the movement of relatively small pieces.

The transfer of radiation at a constant optical path length. In the simplest case, the transfer is done using a focusing lens placed between the fixed installation and the emitter laser machined workpiece. When cutting the product can be moved translationally in the plane perpendicular to the axis of the focused beam, or rotate about its axis.

To turn the laser beam to the desired angle between the source and the lens is placed a mirror or a system of mirrors or prisms.

Perhaps moving the emitter with respect to the fixed lens products, or the simultaneous movement of the emitter and the workpiece.

However, these methods may be used only for processing on a circle of planes and solids of revolution.

The transfer of radiation in the optical path length of the variable. In the first method provides for the joint motion of the mirrors 1 and 2 and the lens axis X, and the axis Y - only two moving mirror with the lens.

The translational movement of the mirrors and lenses can be replaced by the rotational motion of the mirrors 1 and 2 and the lens around the axis of the emitter and the translational movement of the mirror 2 and lens in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the emitter.

XY movement of the laser beam at a small area of ​​treatment can be performed by rotating the mirrors 1 and 2 about mutually perpendicular axes.

To rotate and focusing of laser radiation is possible to use only one spherical mirror.

The next mode (see figure below) the transfer of the laser beam in the treatment zone by using a mirror fixed in a gimbal suspension, and rotating with respect to two mutually perpendicular axes. Turns mirrors enable you to handle the product for a given circuit.

When processing the inner cavity of a cylindrical workpiece is applied at the same time moving the mirror and the lens along the axis of the laser beam and the rotation around this axis.

For easy handling of long tubes or materials supplied in coils (for example, metal foil), using the simultaneous movement of the mirror lens and the workpiece, which can either rotate around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the laser beam or progressively moving perpendicular to the beam axis.

When the perforation sheet radiation can be transmitted by a rotating multifaceted mirror drum and a fixed mirror system.

Laser cutters
The simplest device is a laser cutter shown in the figure below. For the gas in the cutting zone between the lens and the workpiece is placed the nozzle in the form of a truncated cone. The gas coming under pressure from the nozzle of the laser beam, in addition to technological functions protects the lens from the products of laser processing.

The surface of the lens cutter facing the workpiece is also protected by shielding diaphragms clear of rotating and stationary screens, rotating metal disk with windows on the path of the laser radiation, magnetic and electro-discharge devices.

To ensure a long lifetime of powerful focusing elements (more than 3 kW) units appropriate to the application of metal optics. The figure below shows the design of the cutter with metal mirrors that focus the radiation emitted from an unstable resonator.

Ring laser beam enters the burner through the plane window, which is transparent to this wavelength. Reflected from the mirror and passing through the nozzle, the beam is focused on the workpiece. Auxiliary gas under pressure is fed in through the hole, cooling the surface of the mirror at the same time.

The cutter may be an optical system for tracking the mutual position of the lens and the workpiece.

Equipment for laser cutting
In Russia, Laser cutting machine for producing company "TehnoLazer" (Shatura, Moscow Region), JSC "Laser Systems" (Shatura, Moscow Region), SPC, "Lasers and Equipment TM" (Zelenograd, Moscow region), LLC "EDO" Bulat "(Zelenograd, Moscow region), Ltd." SPC "Alpha" (Moscow), "Center for Laser Technology" (St. Petersburg), the company Laser Northwest Regional Center (LRSZTS, Mr. . St. Petersburg - LLC "Joint Venture" Lazerteh ", OOO" NPP "Mobile Laser Systems", LLC "Laser Center", CJSC "LazerInformServis"), as well as other companies.

Among the foreign manufacturers of laser cutting systems: the company Trumpf (Germany), Bystronic (Switzerland), ESAB (Sweden), Mazak (Japan), Koike (Japan), Hankwang (South Korea), Multicam (USA), and other well-known producer of carbon dioxide lasers is a company PRC (USA).

Laser cutting machines Mazak Space Gear-U44 (top) and Hyper Gear (bottom)

TABLE. For information about the equipment for laser cutting of metal

Mark	Laser power (kW)	Appointment
LC-2015 LC-3015 LC-4015 (CJSC «Laser Systems", Russia)	to 5 depending on the model	Plant (machinery) laser cutting of flat products (sheets)
Series LMC-1200, LMC-2000, LMC-3000, LMC-6000 (JSC "Tehnolazer", Russia)	Up to 6 depending on the model
Hankwang series FL (can be supplied with a system for cutting pipes), FS (South Korea)	2,5 / 3,3 / 4 / 6
Hankwang series HS (South Korea)	2,2 / 3,3 / 4
Mazak Hyper Gear (Japan)	2,5 / 4
Mazak Super Turbo-X44, Super Turbo-X Mk II (Japan)	1,5 / 1,8 / 2,5 / 4
Mazak Super Turbo X 48/510 Champion (Japan)	1,3
Koike series Lasertex (Japan)	1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6
ESAB Alpharex	Up to 6
Trumpf TruLaser Series 1000, 2000, 3000, 5000, 7000, 8000 (Germany)	to 15 depending on the model
Bystronic ByVention 3015, BySprint 3015, BySprint Pro 3015, Byspeed (Switzerland)	Up to 6 depending on the model
Mazak Space Gear-U44, Space Gear-Mk II (Japan)	1,5 / 1,8 / 2,5 / 4	Plant (machinery) laser cutting flat (sheets) and volume (pipes, ducts, etc.) products
Trumpf TruLaser Cell Series 1000, 3000, 5000, 7000 (Germany)	to 15 depending on the model
Bystronic series Bystar, Bystar L (Switzerland)	Up to 6 depending on the model

See also:
technology of laser cutting
technology of laser welding
waterjet