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To understand laser cutting machine fundamentals you must first realize that there are three unique configurations of industrial cutting machines: Moving material, Hybrid, and Flying Optics machines. These can be characterized by the way in which the laser is moved over the material to be cut. Just like on a graph the axes of motion are named the X axis and Y axis. If the cutting head may be adjusted (ie. raised and lowered) it is named as the Z-axis.

The most distinctive characteristic of flying optic lasers is the fixed surface on which materials are placed. The laser moves over the material along both axes. This allows flying optic cutters to hold the piece in one spot during the cutting process, and often don’t require the material to be secured. The moving mass is constant, so dynamics aren’t affected by the changing size and weight of the material, unlike a moving material lasers. These types of laser cutting machine are the fastest of the three and have higher accelerations and top speeds than other machines.

Moving material lasers use a movable table beneath a fixed laser on which the material is moved. This technique provides a constant distance from the laser and the work piece and a central point from which cutting slag or ejecta can be removed. The benefit with these machines is that they needs less optics. The only problem is that the size of the material that can be cut is fixed by the table’s ability to safely move it into position. Because the machine needs to be constantly loaded and unloaded one piece at a time these types of machine are typically the slowest of the three.

Hybrid lasers combine flying head and stationary head laser cutting machines. A table runs along one axis and the laser along another. The advantage over a flying optics machine is that they deliver a more constant beam delivery path and also a simplistic beam delivery system. Because of this, hybrid laser cutting machines are also more energy efficient than flying optics lasers.

Pulsed lasers are excellent for piercing jobs and for cutting holes. They also offer benefits when it comes to dealing with lightweight materials as they don’t provide a steady beam which might overheat and possibly melt the material. Many industrial lasers have the ability to either pulse or cut using a sustained wave – often referred to as CW cutting.

To increase hole quality double pulse lasers might also used. These are a series of pulse pairs that can be used to improve material removal rate. This method is very straight forward; the first pulse cuts a hole in the surface and the other prevents the ejecta or “slag” from bonding to the area around the hole. Once again, the reward is a smoother material surface.

The outstanding quality of materials cut by laser greatly exceed that which was cut by orthadox cutting machines. This is due to the beam providing a finished clean surface. The use of any of these machines facilitates more accurately cut parts within a shorter amount of time than with ordinary methods.

Marc Anderes is the Vice President of Operations of Maloya Laser which specializes in (http://www.maloyalaser.com) Metal Manufacturing and (http://www.maloyalaser.com/capabilities_equipment.php) Laser Cutting with advanced laser technologies, servicing aerospace, scientific, transportation, medical and machinery needs.