How thick of metal can a laser cut?

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Depends on material type, thickness, and desired cut speed. It is well known that laser cutting machines are widely used in the sheet metal processing industry. With the development of the industry, laser cutting machines are loved by more and more customers for their fast cutting speed and perfect cutting seams. The thickness of the metal that can be cut with a laser depends on the power of the laser cutting machine. We recommend that first of all to choose the right power, we can according to their own factories often cut carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper plate thickness to choose, such as cutting carbon steel below 20mm, we recommend that you choose 3kw. and in the choice of power, to choose a larger power appropriately. In general, cut the same thickness of the plate, the greater the power, the faster the speed.

How to choose the power of a fiber laser cutting machine?

To choose the right power for your fiber laser cutting machine, you must first determine the actual material to be processed and the thickness to be cut. In a nutshell, the machine power, and the working area. Make sure that the cutting surface is very smooth, that the cutting speed is fast, and that there is little material distortion.

Precision plasma cutting is best suited to carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum from 0.45 to 50 mm thick and up to 160 mm thick.

(1) The unit cost of cutting the length section or 6.35 to 50 mm thick carbon steel is the lowest relative to other processes.

(2) Easy to use and software equipped with the latest CNC, the plasma is very easy to use. There are no experience requirements for the operator because professional process parameters are already built into the nesting software.

(3) The laser has a fast cutting speed when the productivity thickness is greater than 6.35mm. When the thickness is less than 50 mm, the cutting speed is that of a flame. Plasma cutting technology is the fastest and most efficient of all technologies.

(4) cutting accuracy Steel cutting element tolerance of ± (0.38 ~ 0.5) mm. for thickness less than (9.5mm) plate, the slope is 2o ~ 3o. for thickness greater than 12.7mm plate, the slope is within 1o.

(5) Edge quality and metallurgical properties Heat affected zone is very small, generally <0.25mm. good weldability in the section and smooth slag.

How to use a laser cutting machine to cut high-quality workpieces?

It is a matter of speed, process reliability, flexibility, and of course cost. When using laser cutting machines to cut thicker or more accurate workpieces, the requirements for the cutting process are relatively high, so what are the factors that affect the cutting quality of laser cutting machines?

  1. The thickness of the metal material

With the development of fiber optic technology, the wattage of fiber laser cutting machine is also increasing, and the thickness of the metal that can be cut is also increasing. The thickness of the metal piece to be cut must correspond to the relative wattage of the laser cutting machine in order to achieve better results.

  1. Cutting speed

Cutting speed is too fast or too slow will affect the quality of the cut. Laser cutting speed needs to be determined according to the thickness of the material to be cut.

  1. Surface roughness of the material

Laser cutting machine processing is not limited by the shape of the material, but the surface roughness of the material determines the quality of the cut. The smoother the surface of the material, the better the cutting effect. The smoother the surface of the material, the better the cutting effect. Therefore, in order to maintain the cutting quality, try to choose materials with smooth and rust-free surfaces.

  1. Cutting focal point

The position of the focal point is one of the key points of the cutting quality. Only with the accurate focus can the ideal cutting effect be achieved.

Which laser machines are best for cutting sheet metal?

Generally speaking, to cut metal, you need to use a fiber laser cutting machine with different laser powers depending on the material and thickness. Laser power is available in 1000w, 1500w, 2000w, 3000w, 4000w, 6000w, 15kw, 20kw,30kw and so on. Generally speaking, a 1000w fiber laser cutting machine can cut about 10mm carbon steel plate, stainless steel plate is slightly more difficult to cut. If you want to increase the cutting thickness, you have to increase the power of the laser cutting machine. The laser-cutting process does not actually heat the material but melts it. With a 30W fiber laser, you can cut sheets of brass up to 1/8″ thick. The sheet could be thicker, but there would be too much heat involved. The heat will soften the sheet and make it difficult to cut to the depth you want.

What you need to know before you buy a laser cutting machine

The intensity of the laser is of paramount importance for cutting. Remember that the thickness of the material that a laser can cut is determined by the focus of the lens, not by the power of the laser. Therefore, adding a more powerful laser will not allow you to cut thicker material. But it will allow you to cut faster and more reliably. Before you buy a laser cutter again, you’d better know what material you want to process and the thickness of the cut, because the thickness of the laser cutter depends on the power of the laser cutter.