Laser Cutting And Its Commercial Uses

By Author: santhosh
Total Articles: 7
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Laser Cutting is a technology typically used in many industries all over the world for various applications. This technology uses the laser, a device that emits electromagnetic radiation to cut, modify the materials and it is once of the finest technology that helps industries to yield more accurate products. It is the one and only technology that helps to cut materials like metals, plastics, papers, wood, clothes etc.

Laser cutting is mainly used in Industries but now-a-days it is widely used in many places like schools, small businesses, medium scale industries, hobbyists and more.

This technology works mainly with the help of computer; the computer directs the output of high power laser at the material to cut. With its increased flexibility, high level of accuracy and its high power makes the material to either melt, burn, vaporizes away leaving an edge with a luxury surface finish.

There are two types of lasers normally used for cutting one is the Carbon-dioxide CO2 laser and another one is Neodymium (Nd) and Neodymium yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd: YAG) both come under Nd but with different specifications. ...
... The Carbon-dioxide CO2 laser is suited to boring, cutting and engraving while the Neodymium (Nd) laser is used for high power boring, engraving where CO2 laser is not able to do. But both lasers work well in welding.

The commercial uses of laser cutting differ from fields to fields but to be frank it occupies most of the places and it is widely used. Laser cutting are quick, accurate and silent and it’s sever materials at speed between 400 to 500 inches per minute. They simply reduce costs and it helps fasten manufacturing up to the core. Below the areas which is widely used:

In Textiles

Here laser cutters helps to sheets of fabric for clothing. There are textile laser cutting machines available that suits for clothing, textiles and leather, etc. It is especially designed for the cutting of non-metal materials. Lower-power lasers, fewer than 100 watts, can cut these softer materials.

In Metals

The lasers are helpful to cut sheets of metals with good surface finish. It also helps modify the materials, fixing and other process. Here the energy is used over 1000 watts.

In Plastics, Rubber and Wood

Being softer than metals the rubber and plastic are easier to cut where lasers use lesser energy, but the issues like odors, gas emission exist still today.

Lasers can engrave and cut wood in intricate, decorative shapes and patterns. Depending on the wood type, pieces up to 1 1/2 inch thick may be machined this way.

Laser cutters work their magic by focusing a high-powered laser onto a material. The beam is focused down to a point as small as one-thousandth of an inch and can burn, melt, or even vaporize the material it hits. What type of material can be cut depends on the strength of the laser. A 30 watt laser can cut paper, acrylic, and hardboard while a 10 Kilowatt laser can cut through stainless steel that's one inch thick.

To control the path of the laser all you need to do is create a vector file and send it to the laser cutter. Many programs can create these files such as CorelDRAW, or Illustrator, or even the free and open-source Inkscape. Once the laser cutter has its path it can cleanly cut out whatever you want. It's a direct path from idea to real object without worrying about making all of the cuts or messing up along the way.
Santosh is a blogger, freelancer and writer.

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