Specifications precision tube cutting
From Ø0,6mm
Scratch, burr-free
Both prototypes and large series
Large variety of materials
Except: high reflective materials (for example pure copper)
Cleaning of different materials
Several cleaning methods are available to finish laser cut tube components. Different materials demand different finishing approaches. A common used finishing method is ultrasonic cleaning using a chemical solution.
Tube material on stock, supplied by the customer or custom made
If necessary, tube material can be made to measure by external suppliers. This way, tube components can be created with the exact, required dimensions in terms of inner and outer diameter, wall thickness, surface roughness, material properties, tensile strength, …
Laser wavelengths for thin metal cutting applications range from UV to NIR. High-speed fiber lasers (1064 nm) melt and ablate the metal quickly, while diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) lasers work well for applications requiring higher precision.
In addition, UV lasers achieve precise, detailed cuts, minimal kerf widths and low heat-affected zones. You can also use UV lasers if your application requires a clean cut edge. Finally, ultrafast femtosecond and picosecond lasers achieve the best cut quality and are used to cut metals and coated metals.
The two most common laser cutting methods are:
Gas-assisted thin metal cutting. A gantry or motion table moves the laser head and sheet metal—achieving the full cut depth in a single pass. On-axis gas assist further reduces the head-affected zone and oxidation on cuts while preventing slag on the back side.
Galvanometer-steered thin metal cutting. Using a galvanometer to steer the beam is an alternative method for laser cutting thin metals. The computer-controlled galvanometer enables high-speed cutting patterns, as well as multiple repetitions of the same pattern in quick succession—reducing heat-induced strain on the part.