Fiber Laser Cutting Machine Breaks Through the Metal Cutting at the Maximum Thickness

In the field of metal sheet processing, fiber laser cutting machine offers unique advantages in terms of cut quality, speed, absence of tool wear as a result of no contact cutting. It has gradually replaced the traditional processing technology and has become the mainstream equipment in metal sheet processing.

In the processing of medium and heavy plate metal plates, fiber laser metal cutting machines face various difficulties. On the one hand, the thicker the plate, the greater the power of the laser cutting machine, the higher the price of the equipment, and the early stage investment is huge; on the other hand, the problems that occur in the processing of thick metal plates also limit its efficiency.

In the face of these problems, the appearance of the MORN LASER 12kW laser cutting machine has opened up the metal processing market with a thickness of more than 40mm, which provides better solutions and more possibilities for the processing of thick metal plates.

Technological breakthrough of MORN LASER 12kW fiber laser metal cutting machine

As fiber lasers gradually break through the power limitation, from 12KW to 20KW and 25KW, the highest power fiber lasers on the market now have been launched at 30KW. The stability of functional components has become an obstacle to the development of ultra-high power laser cutting equipment.

Laser cutting head is the key to realize long-term stable cutting under high power continuous working state. Compared with ordinary cutting heads, it requires tighter sealing and more adequate cooling measures, a wider focus range and more high-temperature coated lenses. Due to the high-power thermal lens effect, the beam drifts when the cutting head works for a long time. Overcoming the focus drift is an important difficulty for high-power laser cutting equipment. The MORN LASER 12kW fiber laser cutting machine uses an updated gas path design and the new nozzle, which improves the cutting speed and stability of thick plates.

In addition, higher laser power means faster operating speed and acceleration. MORN LASER’s “Lightning Machine Bed” equipped with a 12kW fiber laser generator has been re-developed and designed for its beam and drive. Its characteristics are: 30% lighter weight and significantly improved dynamic performance; the maximum moving speed can reach 200m / min, the dynamic response characteristic with an acceleration of 4g. After the design of the base is updated, the weight is increased by about 20%, and the fixing method of the machine bed is changed to eliminate the impact of high acceleration motion on the impact force of the machine tool.

Thick plate laser cutting is no longer a problem with laser cutting machine power increases

When cutting stainless steel plates with a thickness of 3-10mm, the cutting speed of the 12kW laser cutting machine is more than twice that of 6kW; at the same time, the 12kW laser cutting machine can achieve a rapid speed of 18-20mm / s in carbon steel cutting applications. Bright surface cutting is twice the normal standard cutting speed; carbon steel within 12mm can also be cut with compressed air or nitrogen, and the cutting efficiency is six to seven times the speed of oxygen cutting carbon steel.

The 12kW laser cutting machine can cut aluminum alloy sheets up to 40mm and stainless steel sheets up to 50mm. This thickness can already cover most metal sheet processing needs. With the successive introduction of 15kW fiber laser cutting machines, the thickness limit of material cutting will continue to be broken.

Recently, MORN LASER’s hot-selling product 12kW CNC fiber laser cutting machine was delivered to customers, and 8000 high-speed perforations were made on 25mm thick plates at one time without blast holes, demonstrating the processing strength of12kW fiber laser cutting machines in thick plates.

Changes to the sheet metal processing industry

The first change is to increase the thickness range of different plate cutting processes. In the era of CO2 laser cutting, the maximum power of the laser is limited to 6000W. The thickness of early fiber laser cutting plates is also limited to carbon steel within 20mm, stainless steel within 12mm, and thicker materials It still uses traditional processing techniques such as fine plasma, wire cutting or waterjet cutting.

The first revolutionary change in the field of sheet metal processing by 12kW fiber laser cutting is the continuous improvement of the thickness of different materials (Figure 1 and Figure 2): aluminum alloy sheet can reach 40mm, stainless steel sheet can reach 50mm, with 12kW and 15kW Fiber laser cutting machines have been launched one after another, and the thickness limit of material cutting will continue to be broken, and the processing price of thick plates will be further reduced, so it will trigger more laser cutting applications in the field of thick plates, such as shipbuilding, nuclear power, national defense, etc. This results in a virtuous circle, with the result that the application area of laser cutting is further expanded.

Stainless steel laser cutting

Figure 1 SS Bright Surface Laser Cutting

CS Laser Cutting

Figure 2 CS Laser Cutting

In addition to the increase in cutting thickness, the cutting efficiency of 10,000-watt laser cutting in the field of medium and thin plates is also improved by multiples. When cutting stainless steel plates with a thickness of 3 to 10 mm, the cutting speed of the 10 kW laser cutting machine is more than twice that of 6 kW; at the same time, the 10 kW laser cutting machine can achieve a fast bright surface of 18 to 20 mm / s in carbon steel cutting applications. Cutting is twice the normal standard cutting speed; carbon steel can also be cut with compressed air or nitrogen within 12mm, and the cutting efficiency is six to seven times the speed of oxygen cutting carbon steel. The efficiency of high-power laser cutting sheet metal has greatly improved the speed of surpassing people’s imagination in the past, which is also the main reason why high-power laser cutting machine is popular in the sheet metal market. From the perspective of economic benefits, the price of a 10kW laser cutting machine is less than 40% higher than that of 6kW machine, but the output efficiency per unit time is more than twice that of 6kW equipment, and it saves labor and space. Favored by the boss of laser processing enterprises.

Laser generator localization speeds up cost-effectiveness

For fiber laser cutting machines, thickness is no longer a problem. With the rapid pace of localization of high-power fiber lasers and the price reduction of imported lasers, the cost performance of high-power fiber laser cutting machines is also increasing.

Some research institutions predict that high-power lasers will replicate the path of price reduction after the localization of small and medium-power lasers. In 2016, compared with 2012, the price of low-power lasers below 500W fell by an average of 40% to 60%, and the price of 2000W high-power lasers fell by 17%.

At present, the localization rate of high-power lasers is only 10%. The rapid rise of localized laser manufacturers such as Ruike and Chuangxin will impact IPG’s oligopoly position in the global laser market structure, and high-power lasers have further room for price reduction. And this will also drive down the price of high-power laser cutting machine equipment, and the cost performance of high-power laser cutting machine will be further improved.

Taking MORN LASER CNC fiber laser cutting machine as an example, the equipment can be equipped with Raycus laser(top Chinese brand), the processing effect is comparable to imported, but the equipment procurement and maintenance costs can be reduced by 15% -20%.

Higher, faster and stronger is not only the pursuit of the sports industry, but also the direction that the intelligent equipment manufacturing industry has been working hard. It is foreseeable that in the future, with the breakthrough of laser power and the increase of localization rate, cost-effective fiber laser cutting The application scope of the machine will be further expanded.

Metal laser cutting enters the era of high power

The upgrade of fiber laser cutting power has reached a point of rapid change. If a worker wants to do his job well, he must first sharpen his weapon. The era of meager profit of laser processing has arrived, which means that the efficiency and performance requirements of the main production tool-laser cutting machine are getting higher and higher. Now it is no longer the era of making money by making parts together, laser cutting The total market value of processing will become larger and larger, but the price of processing will go further lower, so that we can hold the sharp edge in the fierce market competition with a sharp weapon. In three months, the MORN LASER laser has installed nearly 12kW laser cutting equipment in China, which fully illustrates the market demand and recognition for high-power laser cutting machines.