Laser cutting sheet metal – function & order

Laser fusion cutting/
Laser fusion cutting

In laser fusion cutting, the parts of the material to be removed are slowly and continuously melted along the contour to be cut. The molten material, the so-called alation material, is then finally blown out with a gas jet under high pressure. To avoid possible oxidation, the laser beam energy must be set very precisely.

Laser flame cutter/
Laser torch cutter

Laser flame cutters burn the material to be removed directly at the cutting edges. Laser steel flame cutters are often used for thick materials. In this case, the precise cut that is possible is achieved using pure oxygen, which is blown onto the cutting point. Together with the material, it generates a high level of heat.

Laser sublimation cutting

In laser sublimation cutting, the material to be removed is vaporized at the cutting edges instead of being melted. The process is called sublimation. Gas is also used in this method. However, the gas does not blow out the joint in this method, but is used to protect the mirrors and lenses in this case. Laser sublimation cutting is a good choice for plastic, among other things, as it produces clear cut edges.

Tube laser cutting

The most modern form of processing pipes and profiles allows several conventional processes to be processed in just one step. In addition to round shapes, rectangular, square or oval cross-sections are also no problem. On request, contours can also be produced perfectly.

2D laser cutting

The 2D laser cutting method is often a good and cost-effective alternative to the conventional punching process. It can be a good solution for various material groups and especially for the production of small quantities.

In two-dimensional laser cutting, the laser beam hits the material, causing it to melt or burn. If very thin material such as leather or paper is processed, it can also be processed immediately under certain circumstances.

3D laser cutting

3D laser technology is the crème de la crème of non-machining process technologies. It can be used to produce even the most complex geometric workpieces to a very high quality in the shortest possible time. Modern laser cutting systems can also be used in combination, for example for laser punching work.

Quality and precision

The decisive advantages of laser cutting are the quality, precision and accuracy of the technological cutting process. To name just a few figures that are possible when laser cutting sheet metal, among other things:

• Contour accuracies of ± 0.01 mm
• Cut joints/cutting gaps of approx. 0.03 mm
• Tolerances of ± 0.1 mm

The laser cutter also makes it possible to cut edges at an exact right angle. The use of gases means that hardly any post-processing is required. Laser cutting is therefore one of the most economical processes available on the market.

Flexible use

There is no other cutting process on the market that offers such a wide range of materials. The laser can be used to precisely cut through and process almost anything, from steel and ceramics to plastics and fiber composites. It can also be used to incorporate fine geometries or engravings within combined processes. Sheet metal is given the finest cutting lines of the highest quality.

Economic efficiency

Lasers have a very high cutting speed with consistent quality, post-processing is almost never necessary. No other cutting process comes close to this combination of laser cutting of sheet metal and other materials. The material utilization is 1A. Another aspect of cost-effectiveness is that the computer-aided CNC laser process does not incur any set-up and wear costs for other tools. In addition, geometries can even be changed if necessary.