Laser Cutting Thickness Choosing Guide

There is no simple answer on the thickness a laser system can cut. http://am.co.za/ Since a laser is a light, it will lose power on propagation and reflection, and tends to be more complex when the machine size is larger. http://am.co.za/ So we have compiled this guide for the laser system that we sell, which gives you a good idea of all kinds of materials that a laser can mark, engrave, drill and cut from the commercially available options that we provide.

CNC Laser System

Laser Generating Device We Sell ( Laser Tube Warranty )

We only use and sell top glass laser device with outstanding technical parameters for top performance.

SKU CO2 Laser System Rated Power http://am.co.za/ Max Burst Power http://am.co.za/ Beam Divergence Angle http://am.co.za/ Beam Quality
( M2 )
Spot Diameter
LC-TUBE/30 TruCUT Standard 30W 30 W http://am.co.za/ W http://am.co.za/ mrad http://am.co.za/ http://am.co.za/ mm ±1mm
LC-TUBE/40 TruCUT Standard 40W 40 W http://am.co.za/ W http://am.co.za/ mrad http://am.co.za/ http://am.co.za/ mm ±1mm
LC-TUBE/60 TruCUT Standard 60W 60 W http://am.co.za/ W http://am.co.za/ mrad http://am.co.za/ http://am.co.za/ mm ±1mm
LC-TUBE/80 TruCUT Standard 80W 80 W http://am.co.za/ W http://am.co.za/ mrad http://am.co.za/ http://am.co.za/ mm ±1mm
LC-TUBE/100 TruCUT Standard 100W 100 W http://am.co.za/ W http://am.co.za/ mrad http://am.co.za/ http://am.co.za/ mm ±1mm
LC-TUBE/130 TruCUT Standard 130W 130 W http://am.co.za/ W http://am.co.za/ mrad http://am.co.za/ http://am.co.za/ mm ±1mm
LC-TUBE/150 TruCUT Standard 150W 150 W http://am.co.za/ W http://am.co.za/ mrad http://am.co.za/ http://am.co.za/ mm ±1mm
Laser Beam Diameter

30W/40W/60W CO2 Laser Tube http://am.co.za/

Our Low Power TruCUT CO2 Laser is suitable for fine surface engraving. Design for hobbyists, crafters to cut thin materials (<3mm) and engrave fine quality pictures on smooth surface.

80W/90W CO2 Laser Tube http://am.co.za/

Our TruCUT 90W CO2 Laser is suitable for laser marking, laser cutting and laser engraving which is the ideal choice of laser cut on thin plates include perspex, softwood etc, http://am.co.za/ laser cloth cutting and marble marking.

100W CO2 Laser Tube http://am.co.za/

Our TruCUT 100W CO2 Laser is suitable for leather carving and hollowing-out or embossing, http://am.co.za/ cloth cutting, lampshade making, signs, marks and artwork processing and truly boasts excellent engraving and cutting performances.

120W/130W CO2 Laser Tube http://am.co.za/

Our TruCUT 120W/130W CO2 Laser is suitable for the cutting of die-cutting plates, http://am.co.za/ thick acrylic plates and so on. It is widely used in the packaging industry which uses large quantities of medium density fiberboard and plywood cut by die-cutting machines. http://am.co.za/ In addition to the packaging industry, this Laser is also popular in the signage industry with the prominent usage of perspex, light guiding plates and display screens.

150W/160W/180W CO2 High-Power Laser Tube http://am.co.za/

Our TruCUT 150W - 180W CO2 Laser, which outputs between 150W and 180W of power, http://am.co.za/ is capable of cutting thin metal plates.

Cutting Table Size Options

Desktop Laser http://am.co.za/ Cabinet Laser http://am.co.za/ Flatbed Laser #1http://am.co.za/
Base Model Number 4030 6040 9060 1390 1325 2030 2040
TruCUT CO2 Laser AM.CO.ZA® TruCUT™ Standard Range 600×400mm Cabinet Type Laser Cutting and Engraving Machine Barebone Unit AM.CO.ZA® TruCUT™ Standard Range 900×600mm Cabinet Type Laser Cutting and Engraving Machine Barebone Unit AM.CO.ZA® TruCUT™ Standard Range 1300×900mm Cabinet Type Laser Cutting and Engraving Machine Barebone Unit AM.CO.ZA® TruCUT™ Standard Range 1300×2500mm Flatbed Type Laser Cutting and Engraving Machine Barebone Unit AM.CO.ZA® TruCUT™ Standard Range 2050×3050mm Flatbed Type Laser Cutting and Engraving Machine Barebone Unit AM.CO.ZA® TruCUT™ Standard Range 2050×4000mm Flatbed Type Laser Cutting and Engraving Machine Barebone Unit
Width 400mm 600mm 900mm 1300mm 1300mm 2000mm 2000mm
Length 300mm 400mm 600mm 900mm 2500mm 3000mm 4000mm
Reflecting Mirrors Default Φ30mm Molybdenum Plated Laser Reflecting Mirror for CO2 Laser Beam Molybdenum Plated Laser Reflecting Mirror × 3 http://am.co.za/
Reflecting Rate ( Reflectivity ) ≈ 99% Each

Optional Φ30mm Silicon Reflection Mirror Plated with Multi-layer Dielectric Film for CO2 Laser Beam Silicon Mirror Plated with Multi-layer Dielectric Film × 3 http://am.co.za/
Reflecting Rate ( Reflectivity ) ≈ 99.85% Each

Optional Φ20mm K9 Crystal Glass Gold-Plated Laser Reflecting Mirror for ≤60W CO2 Laser Beam K9 Crystal Glass Gold-Plated Laser Reflecting Mirror × 3 http://am.co.za/
Reflecting Rate ( Reflectivity ) ≈ 99.5% Each ( for 60W Laser or less )
Optical Focus Lens Zinc-Selenide (ZnSe) Lens with Two Sides Anti-Reflection (AR/AR) Coating × 1 http://am.co.za/
Transmission Rate of AR/AR Coated CVD ( Chemical Vapor Deposition process ) http://am.co.za/
Zinc-Selenide Window ≈ 99%
Max Laser Travel Distance 1200mm 1500mm 2000mm 2700mm 1800mm 2500mm 2500mm
Propagation Loss
Use Silicon Mirrors
On Average, 3% http://am.co.za/ / Metre Energy Loss for Laser Beam Transmitted Through the Clean Air #2
3.6% http://am.co.za/ 4.5% http://am.co.za/ 6% http://am.co.za/ 8.1% http://am.co.za/ 5.4% http://am.co.za/ 7.5% http://am.co.za/ 7.5% http://am.co.za/
Laser Energy Efficiency 92.601% 91.737% 90.296% 88.279% 90.872% 88.855% 88.855%

#1 Laser Generating Device is mounted on Gantry on Flatbed model, therefor the length of cutting table won't effect the cutting efficiency. http://am.co.za/ General speaking, the laser cutting machines require to achieve laser efficiency higher than 90% with laser beam travel distance less than 3 metres.

#2 There is no absorption problem of laser light from either a Nd:YAG (1.06 microns) or CO2 (10.6 microns) laser in nitrogen, or in air without contaminants. http://am.co.za/ In real working environment, air has variable percentages of CO2 and water vapor and also tends to contain hydrocarbons, all of which absorb 10.6 um light. http://am.co.za/ If you do not have clean and dry working environment, the decrease of laser power is dramatically increase from 3% energy lose per meter to 20% or more per meter.

Laser Cutting Gas

A small air pump is included and functions as the default cutting air source for all our CO2 laser cutting tables. http://am.co.za/ Stronger pressure cutting air sources may be required if you are going to employ the melt and blown cutting method for non-metal materials, especially plastic materials. http://am.co.za/ This is to say, for melt and blown cutting on metal, except stronger air pressure requirements, as the cutting air compound may require to be replaced with oxygen or other metal cutting assistance gas for better cutting quality. http://am.co.za/ Otherwise, the molten dross tends to adhere to the underside of the cut surface. http://am.co.za/ For exceptionally clean cuts, very high gas pressures can be used.

Laser Lens & Lens' Focus Length ( FL )

The longer of the lens' Focus Length the longer the Depth Of Field ( DOF ) which increases the cutting thickness. http://am.co.za/ Increasing of FL, however, also results in bigger Spot Size on material, which means a wider cutting gap ( Kerf ) and lower energy density meaning that less material can be cut. http://am.co.za/ Customized lenses will provide any FL, commonly commercially available lenses are:

Focus Length ( FL )
25.4 mm http://am.co.za/ 38.1 mm http://am.co.za/ 50.8 mm http://am.co.za/ 63.5 mm http://am.co.za/ 76.2 mm http://am.co.za/ 101.6 mm http://am.co.za/ 127.0 mm http://am.co.za/ 190.5 mm http://am.co.za/
Φ 18 mm -- Zinc Selenide Lens R 699 ZnSe Lens R 779 Zinc Selenide Lens R 619 -- -- -- --
19 mm -- Zinc Selenide Lens R 619 ZnSe Lens R 719 Zinc Selenide Lens R 719 -- -- -- --
20 mm -- Zinc Selenide Lens R 659 ZnSe Lens R 639 Zinc Selenide Lens R 1 299 -- Zinc Selenide Lens R 779 -- --
25 mm -- Zinc Selenide Lens R 1 099 ZnSe Lens R 1 399 Zinc Selenide Lens R 1 599 -- -- -- --

ZnSe Lens indicates the Zinc-Selenide (ZnSe) Lenses we sell and the price associated with Lens diameter ( Φ ). http://am.co.za/ We may expand our product range later with additional sizes. http://am.co.za/ Focus length 50.8 mm for smaller table and 63.5mm for larger table are the most commonly used FL and is installed as the default focus lens for most our CNC Laser Cutters.

Materials, Latent Heat Required for Fusion and Vaporization

:Laser Energy Absorption

  • Unknown
  • NOT ≤ 5%
  • Poor ≤ 20%
  • Fair ≈ 40%
  • Good ≈ 60%
  • Very Good ≥ 80%
  • Excellent ≥ 90%
Fusion
Temperature required to melt the material, useful to laser welding as well as blow cutting. http://am.co.za/ Not all materials can melt.
Vaporization

or.. Burning Temperature http://am.co.za/
Flame Temperature
Ignition Temperature
Burning
Temperature required to vaporize the material, useful for laser cutting. http://am.co.za/ Everything can be vaporized when the temperature rises enough. http://am.co.za/
If the material will burn at vaporization temperature, a risk of fire is tremendous as well as a burning marks being visible on the cutting edge.
Material Specific
Heat
Capacity
( kJ/kg )
Thermal
Conductivity
( W/(m·K) )
Density
( g/cm3 )
Temperature ( ℃ ) For Laser Energy Absorption Commonly Known as
Fusion Vaporization CO2 Nd:YAG
Plastic ABS 1.568 http://am.co.za/ 0.8 http://am.co.za/ 1.03 http://am.co.za/ 120 416 Excellent Unknown Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
Plastic PMMA 1.467 http://am.co.za/ 0.2 http://am.co.za/ 1.18 http://am.co.za/ 160 380 Excellent Unknown Poly (methyl methacrylate), Acrylic Glass, Perspex, Plexiglas, Plexiglass
Wood MDF 1.7 http://am.co.za/ 0.18 http://am.co.za/ 0.75 http://am.co.za/ -- 220 Burning Very Good Unknown SupaWood, Medium Density Fiberboard
Metal Stainless Steel 0.5 http://am.co.za/ 24 http://am.co.za/ 8 http://am.co.za/ 1510 -- 25% Excellent Inox Steel, Stainless Steel Alloy

Disclaimer: the above data is gathered from various sources which may not be accurate, please contact us for correction. http://am.co.za/ If you would like to know about a laser cutting result on a material not listed here, please send the material name and physical characters to webmaster@am.co.za.

Laser Cutting Capacity Chart

Please note, laser device size increases as power increases, http://am.co.za/ so it's not easy to fit high-power laser onto small table.

Laser Generating Device Duty Cycle On Table Size Use Focus Lens For Material

© Bates Trust, Advanced Machinery ™
http://am.co.za/
. 2013/08/24 13:51 . [ Homepage | Price List | Visit Us ]

Let Us Call YouCall Me Back