Maximum cutting speed for thin materials

Fibre  laser,  also  known  as  solid-state laser, is efficiently used for fast processing of thin sheet metals. Beside  mild  steel  stainless  steel  and aluminium it can cut copper and brass.

Laser stands for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. Focused laser light is ideal for cutting, welding, and marking. Using beams of light to process materials is a method that combines efficiency, precision and a high degree of automation. 

Laser processing does in contrast to punching not involve any contact and as such no wear of a “tool.” Laser cutting separates parts quickly and accurately, creating smooth, to a high extend burr-free cuts. Laser welding produces deep narrow seams or visible seams with minimal distortion for visually and   technically perfect  results with a remarkably small heat-affected zone which leads to less tension and stress of the material – rework can be avoided.

Fibre laser is a type of laser commonly found in materials processing. The active medium is a doped crystal or glass.  Typical examples  are  Nd:YAG  and Yb:YAG (neodymium-doped and ytterbium-doped yttrium aluminium-garnet) or yb:Glass. The wavelength of the fibre laser will depend primarily on the doping ion and is about one micrometer for the media mentioned above. 

Because of their flexible beam delivery, fibre lasers can be easily integrated into production lines and are often also utilised in combination with robots for cutting and welding.

TRUMPF  introduced  the TruLaser 1030 fibre to the South East Asian market at the Manufacturing Indonesia exhibition last December. I interviewed Dr. Hans-Peter Laubscher, Managing Director of Asia Pacific at TRUMPF to find out more.

Dr. Hans-Peter Laubscher, Managing Director of Asia Pacific at TRUMPF

“We consider this machine as a perfect match for this region, as it is easy to operate, has compact dimensions, and is gentle on the budget – still featuring the high TRUMPF quality standards. The 2D laser unit is equipped with a 2000 Watt TruDisk solid state laser, therefore expanding the range of applications for the TruLaser Series 1000,” Dr. Laubscher said. 

“In addition to aluminium, stainless steel and mild steel, this new unit also cuts non-ferrous metals like copper and brass. Furthermore,  the TruDisk  2001  fibre-guided laser offers a cost-effective entrance into laser welding by making use of the LaserNetwork where several machines make use of the same laser beam source.”

The TruLaser 1030 fibre shows its strengths in the variety of materials it can work and its perfection to process thin sheet metal. It is designed to cut a wide range of materials focusing on thin sheets. It can cut copper up to 2mm thick or brass up to 3 mm thick. Mild steel, stainless steel and aluminium can be cut at gauges of 12, 6 and 5mm, respectively. However, the superior speed performance kicks in while cutting thicknesses up-to 3mm with Nitrogen with a speed advantage of 100% in comparison with a CO2 laser.

The TruDisk laser offers additional advantages with lowering the electrical power consumption by 50% and the ability to supply other application within a laser network. In the Laser Network, for instance, a welding unit can use the same laser beam when the TruLaser 1030 fibre is not actively cutting. That makes for affordable entry into the world of laser welding. Several machines can useWomens Nike Cortez