Laser cutting machines use the heat emitted by a laser beam guided by mirrors or optical fibers. Depending on the type of laser, you can cut different types of materials.
CO2 laser cutting machines are generally used for cutting plastic, foam, wood, glass, textile or soft steel. A CO2 laser cannot cut reflective metals such as copper or brass.
The more powerful fiber laser cutting machines are reserved for cutting sheet metal, steel, stainless steel, aluminum and some plastics.
Laser cutting allows you to cut different materials without having to change tools, simply by setting the laser parameters. It is a very precise process, with a very small notch width allowing for complex contours. Depending on the material to be cut, the cutting speed can be very fast. Laser cutting machines are fully automated and require very little human intervention, which greatly limits the risk of accidents.
The main limitation of laser cutting is its shallow cutting depth of around 25 millimeters. As a result, the main applications of laser cutting are the manufacture of sheet metal (especially for the automotive industry) and frames (for electrical cabinets, computers, etc.). For workpieces thicker than 25 mm, plasma cutting is the most suitable method. The area heated by the laser beam is not very large, but since it is subject to a strong temperature increase, it can become highly deformed.
Laser cutting produces gaseous emissions, so it is important to ensure that the room in which the machine is located is well ventilated.