Flatbed Fiber Laser Cutting System Makes Sheet Metal Fabrication Easier

Choosing a CO₂ laser or fiber laser cutting system for sheet metal fabrication can be a hassle for users. After reading this article, you will understand what is the best laser cutting machine for sheet metal.

With the recovery of the global economy and the rapid development of laser technology, laser cutting systems have been widely used in key industries such as aerospace, rail transportation, automotive manufacturing and sheet metal processing. The introduction of fiber laser cutting machine is undoubtedly an epoch-making milestone in the whole history of laser cutting.

Shearing, stamping and bending are the traditional methods of sheet metal manufacturing. During the processing, these methods are inseparable from the molds, and hundreds of molds are often assembled during the process. The extensive use of dies not only increases the time cost and capital cost of products, but also reduces the accuracy of product processing, affects the repeatability of products, and is not conducive to changes in production processes. This is not conducive to improving production efficiency. The use of laser processing technology can save a large number of molds in the production process, shorten production time, reduce production costs and improve product accuracy. Laser cutting of stamping parts can also ensure the accuracy of mold design. Undercutting is a previous coating process, which usually modifies its dimensions.

Why are fiber lasers rapidly occupying the market? To sum up, there are mainly the following points.

1. The short wavelength of fiber laser is 1070nm, which is 1/10 of the wavelength of CO₂ laser, which is conducive to be absorbed by metal materials, making it cut carbon steel, stainless steel, pure aluminum, brass and other highly reflective materials. Fiber laser cutting machine is faster than the traditional CO₂ laser cutting machine cutting speed.

2. High quality of laser beam allows for smaller spot diameter. Even at longer working distances and deeper focal depths, it can still provide faster processing speeds and greatly reduce workpiece tolerances. Take IPG 2000W fiber laser generator as an example, the cutting speed of 0.5mm carbon steel can reach 40m/min.

3. Fiber laser generator is the lowest comprehensive cost laser generator, can save a lot of costs. Due to the fiber laser electro-optical conversion efficiency of up to 30℅, reducing the cost of electricity and cooling use. Take the same power of 2000W fiber laser and CO₂ laser liquid nitrogen cutting 2mm thick stainless steel for example, fiber laser than CO₂ laser hourly savings of 33.94 yuan. Based on 7,200 hours of operation per year, the electricity alone will cost the 2000W fiber laser. That's a savings of up to $250,000 per year compared to a CO₂ laser of the same power. At the same time, the fiber laser cutting speed is twice as fast as CO₂, subsequent maintenance and space saving, making fiber laser cutting machine the first choice of many manufacturers for sheet metal processing.

4. Long life and maintenance-free pump diode makes fiber laser the first choice of manufacturers. Fiber laser pump source uses telecom-grade high-power single-core junction semiconductor module, with an average failure-free time of more than 100,000 hours. The single-core junction semiconductor module does not require water cooling and can easily introduce double-clad fiber with high efficiency. Complex optical focusing and light-guiding systems are not required. Single-core junctions can produce the same high output power, higher beam quality and longer run times as arrays. Fiber lasers have an extremely small active core diameter, avoiding the thermal lens effect of conventional lasers. Energy transfer takes place in the fiber waveguide, eliminating the need for separate components. The fiber grating replaces the cavity mirror in conventional lasers to form a resonant cavity. without the need for adjustment and maintenance.

5. Fiber laser has a small size, light weight, compact structure, flexible light guide, easy to integrate into the motion system. This reduces the complexity of using large cutting platforms; these lighter weight components use fewer components and lighter structures that can move at high speeds, reducing the consumption of motion energy while ensuring accuracy, while also saving manufacturers significant land occupation costs.

6. Fiber laser has super high stability, and can still work normally under certain shock, vibration, high temperature or dust. And its harsh environment, showing extremely high tolerance. It is because fiber lasers have many unique advantages that will accelerate their expansion in the global laser cutting market. Since 1980, the global installed base of thin-plate laser cutting systems using high-power CO₂ lasers as the light source is about 50,000 units; annual sales are about 3,500-4,000 units. Thus, market penetration of high-power fiber lasers will set off a boom in system supply. First, fiber lasers are likely to take market share from CO₂ laser suppliers. Fiber lasers are becoming a growing and competitive rival in the eyes of high-power CO₂ laser suppliers. Second, fiber lasers could expand the fiber laser cutting market by absorbing new system integrators who have not yet shown interest in CO₂ lasers. Third, many of today's global companies with systems integration supply flatbed cutting machines. When they encounter new competition, most of the steps they take are to add laser machines to their marketing mix, and these three elements are driving the current changes in the laser cutting market.