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The Laser User Magazine
Issue 051 - Summer 2008
Laser cutting: a technology with some surprises in store
Author: Bill O'Neill
I would imagine that the typical reader of AILU magazine is familiar with most laser based manufacturing technologies, particularly heavy weight processes such as laser cutting. Most research in this area was carried out in the 1970’s and 80’s and equipment manufactures’ have developed extremely robust systems that are capable of operating with minimal operator intervention. The CO2 laser have been used almost exclusively in this application and has benefited from increased beam quality (slab lasers), stable operation, and high levels of automation. One could argue that the process itself is mature, at the top end of its innovation cycle, and as such exhibits incremental advances in its technical specification rather than quantum leaps in performance. I think I would have agreed with this had I not attended the Laser Technologies Forum in Stuttgart this year, 4th -5th March 2008. The conference was very well attended and was the first to be held at the impressive Stuttgart Expo. The conference was also accompanied by an exhibition of the latest and greatest outputs from industrial laser vendors.
One or Ten?
The arrival of the high power Yb fibre laser has stimulated increased research efforts in laser cutting technology and process applications, with researchers keen to identify the abilities of these new sources in the area of laser cutting. My research team has been engaged, like many others, in examining the capabilities and limitations of Yb fibre and Disc laser technology when applied to laser cutting. The last few years has seen a good number of research outputs from industrial and research base. The early results were suggesting that one micron sources were in fact far better than the incumbent technology at cutting thin sections with record speeds being attained, particularly on thin sections (< 3mm). ......