Quick guide to laser technology

 A laser manufacturer has to master the entire technological spectrum to be able to provide his customers with the right and thus the most economical laser for every application. The demands placed on production facilities are as diverse as the areas of application in industrial materials processing.
 The processing result not only depends on the type of laser used, but also on the systems technology, as well as influences arising from the process itself. This means that a large number of different factors need to be taken into account when choosing the right laser.
 With the capacity to cut stainless steel, aluminum and carbon steel, lasers are extremely useful in structural applications where the volume and precision of the metal required for production is critical.
 Emirates Building Systems, a subsidiary of Dubai Investments Industries (DII) and a regional pioneer in the fabrication and construction of steel structures, announced this year that it has invested in a full line of technologically-advanced industrial laser cutting machines in Europe.
 According to Samir Akra, General Manager of Emirates Building Systems, lasers can simultaneously cut, bevel and achieve maximum precision in length and inclination angles. High speed, pin point accuracy and increased tolerances are some of the added benefits of the new machines.

Laser cutting
 Laser cutting separates parts quickly and accurately, creating smooth, burr-free cuts with a remarkably small heat-affected zone.
 Lasers can cut just about any contour shape-even delicate and complex shapes- without requiring a tool change. The high flexibility associated with laser cutting offers special benefits for projects involving small lot sizes, significant variation and prototype production. Edges are smooth and burr free, eliminating the need for refinishing.
To cut a contour, the laser beam first penetrates the material at a specific point. This process is known as piercing. The material melts and then is blown out of the kerf with the help of the cutting gas. The cutting gas is blown out of the nozzle coaxially with the laser beam. The desired kerf is created by moving the workpiece or the cutting head.

For flame cutting, oxygen is used as the cutting gas. This technique is particularly well suited to cutting mild steel. As the material melts, most of it oxides; it is then blown out of the kerf along with the ferric oxides. The oxidation process supplies additional energy (through an exothermic reaction), which enables higher cutting speeds (compared to cutting with nitrogen) as well as the processing of thicker materials. Flame cutting is not used to cut stainless steel since the cutting surfaces would no longer be corrosion resistant.
In fusion cutting (for stainless steel and other materials), nitrogen or argon is used as the cutting gas. The high gas pressure ensures that cutting edges are virtually burr-free without slag. The use of inert gases produces oxide-free cutting edges.
The laser sublimation cutting, the material changes from a solid to vapour without passing through the liquid state. This method is used primarily for organic materials that do not become liquids (for example, wood or paper).
Finally, laser processing is a technology that continues to advance rapidly, while never ceasing to fascinate and amaze.