Fiber lasers have a wavelength of 1.06 microns, which is 10 percent smaller than that of a CO2 laser beam. With its much smaller wavelength, the fiber laser produces a beam that is much more easily absorbed by the reflective material; a CO2 laser is much more likely to reflect off the surface of these materials. Because of this, fiber laser cutting machines can cut brass, copper, and other reflective materials. It should be noted that a CO2 laser beam that reflects off the material can not only damage the machine’s cutting lens, but also the entire beam path. Using a fiber-optic cable for the beam path removes this risk.
Leaders in advanced laser-cutting solutions and CNC controls.
The subject of material loading and unloading automation is well established in sheet laser cutting with a multitude of solutions and complexity. In contrast, tube laser cutting systems equipped with vertical storage systems, for tubes and section bars, capable of handling bars automatically and allowing for unmanned production changes have only been available for a few years.
Traditional tube features are time-consuming. FabLight makes it quick and easy to create exactly the look you desire.
Learn how the Coherent StarCut Tube and StarFiber laser-powered cutting machines helped NPX Medical gain a competitive edge in stent manufacturing and more.
Lasertube systems are our 2D and 3D laser cutting systems for tubes, bars and profiles, from 12 mm to 610 mm (.5” to 24") in diameter and up to 18 m (60') in length.
High-speed cutting is often the first thing fabricators associate with fiber laser cutting technology. Although this may be true for tube cutting, speed is a relative term. It is not about cutting speed, but the time it takes for a tube to be processed to meet its specifications.
Parts are held with automatic tabbing (done in FabCreator), and a set of jaws on the drive chuck and the idler chuck
Get a peek into our StarCut Tube manufacturing area and lab to learn about the multi-axis CNC machines that can be used for flat and tube production, as well as medical devices such stent shafts, hypotubes and PTCA devices.
StarCut Tube L 600 may be purchased with either a fiber, USP or both lasers. StarCut Tube SL Compact Model has the smallest footprint.
Many people believed that fiber lasers could only cut thin materials. The CO2, due to its longer wavelength created enough kerf when cutting thick materials. Fiber lasers couldn't produce the same result with thicker material. Recent developments have addressed this problem with collimating technologies that produce a larger fiber laser-generated beam which creates materials separation. Switchable beam width allows the machine to use the narrower beam for processing thin materials. This allows the machine to process multiple-sized materials more quickly on one fiber laser cutting machine.
Learn how Micrometric Ltd uses the versatile Coherent StarCut Tube laser cutting machine to deliver speed and precision for medical and aerospace products.
Perhaps you have noticed that we haven’t yet discussed cutting speed. Although it is possible to cut 500 inches per minute with a tube, this is not always feasible. Laser tube cutting should not be about how long it takes for a tube to be loaded, indexed so that it is in the right place for cutting, pierce it and then unload it. Laser tube cutting machines are more concerned with part-processing times than cutting speed.
Our system solutions have the most flexible selection available for small and large-scale production. They are available in diameters of 10 to 324 mm and lengths of pipe and profiles up to 12.5 m.
Maximum material cutting thicknesses by 1000W fiber laser cutting machine: Carbon steel has a maximum thickness of 10mm; stainless steel has a maximum thickness of 5mm; aluminum plate has a maximum thickness of 3mm; and copper plate has a maximum thickness of 3mm.
Laser cutting pipe is the best way to achieve repeatable and precise cutting in applications where the precision of the cut itself is important.
Pipe and tubing Cutting Procedures:
Rotate the pipe cutter around. Tighten the cutter slightly and rotate it around the pipe several times. Repeat until the pipe is severed by the blade. Steel pipe can be cut with a hacksaw, reciprocating saw, or steel-pipe tubing cutter.