Laser Cutting Copper
Challenges in Laser Cutting CopperCopper is a highly reflective element. This made the cutting process difficult with conventional CO2 lasers because the laser beam reflects off the surface before the copper can absorb its energy. For this reason, manufacturers and fabricators chose alternative methods like water jets and stamping copper. However, innovations in fiber laser technology have made fiber laser machines ideal for this application. With a shorter wavelength, tighter focus, and greater power density, fiber lasers have become the best solution for cutting highly reflective materials like copper and brass.
Laser Cutting Copper Samples
Recommended Laser Cutting Systems
About Laser Photonics Corporation
Laser Photonics Corporation, based in Orlando, Florida, is the leading industrial company in high-tech laser systems for laser cleaning, laser marking, laser cutting, laser engraving, 3D printing, and other materials processing applications. Our systems are currently and historically, used by manufacturers in the aerospace, automotive, defense, energy, industrial, maritime, and medical industries around the world. The Laser Photonics brand is associated with a number of worldwide licenses and patents for innovative and unique laser products and technologies. Laser Photonics has, for over three decades, been the workhorse of industry-standard laser subtractive manufacturing. Laser Photonics systems have been implemented into the production and maintenance regimens of world-renowned organizations such as Sony, NIKE, 3M, Delphi, NNSY-Norfolk Naval Shipyard, NASA, Cannon Air Force Base, Eaton Aerospace, Blue Origin, GE, Caterpillar, Harley-Davidson, PPG, Eli Lilly, Smith & Nephew, Millipore, DuPont, Bosch, Gables Engineering, Champion Aerospace, Smith Aerospace, Metaldyne, and Heraeus.
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Laser Cutting Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is fabricated across almost every industry. Conventional methods include CO2 laser cutting, plasma, water jet, sheering, punching and stamping. Cutting with a Fiber laser can eliminate almost every other method. With the speed of linear motors and the power of a Fiber laser cutting up to 1”, almost every method of fabricating stainless steel becomes obsolete. Although other lasers can cut thick stainless steel, Fiber technology is extremely efficient, reliable and relatively zero maintenance. This positions Fiber laser cutting as the preferred method over conventional technologies.
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About Laser Photonics Corporation
Laser Photonics Corporation, based in Orlando, Florida, is the leading industrial company in high-tech laser systems for laser cleaning, laser marking, laser cutting, laser engraving, 3D printing, and other materials processing applications. Our systems are currently and historically, used by manufacturers in the aerospace, automotive, defense, energy, industrial, maritime, and medical industries around the world. The Laser Photonics brand is associated with a number of worldwide licenses and patents for innovative and unique laser products and technologies. Laser Photonics has, for over three decades, been the workhorse of industry-standard laser subtractive manufacturing. Laser Photonics systems have been implemented into the production and maintenance regimens of world-renowned organizations such as Sony, NIKE, 3M, Delphi, NNSY-Norfolk Naval Shipyard, NASA, Cannon Air Force Base, Eaton Aerospace, Blue Origin, GE, Caterpillar, Harley-Davidson, PPG, Eli Lilly, Smith & Nephew, Millipore, DuPont, Bosch, Gables Engineering, Champion Aerospace, Smith Aerospace, Metaldyne, and Heraeus.
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Laser Cutting Aluminum
Aluminum is widely used in metal fabrication but not exclusively cut by lasers. Aluminum is extremely reflective to conventional CO2 laser technology. Fiber lasers are the answer. Fiber lasers have a shorter wavelength and greater power density. This enables fiber lasers to cut up to 1” aluminum and penetrate a market in which plasma and water jet ruled.
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Recommended units: FLC >2kW
Fiber Laser Etching
This process is commonly used to create permanent part marking. Etching is typically a very shallow surface removal to create contrast. Applications range from etching electronics, tools and automotive components.
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Laser Processing & the Packaging Industry
Laser processing has only recently started to take hold of the packaging industry. Newer laser technology has finally met the high throughputs that older technology, like ink jet and stamping, had set the standards within automated lines. Laser processing is ideal for the high speeds and repeatability that the packaging industry requires. Laser Photonics systems can be seen in bottle marking lines, boxes, label making, and other consumable packaging products.
Laser Processing in the Firearm Industry
ATF regulations have led the firearms industry to seek laser solutions. With high peak power systems now available, firearm manufactures are able to meet ATF standards while manufacturing 24/7 with zero down time for maintenance or retooling. Laser Photonics’ Canyon Deep Engraving system was specifically designed to meet the performance demands of the leaders in the firearms industry.
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Laser marking application of a stainless steel medical grade ruler. The sample marked extremely well with the 20-watt Fiber Laser Marking System. See the Fiber Tower series for more details.
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The parts were marked with a 10-watt q-switched ytterbium fiber laser and a 160 mm focal length lens. The parts were surface etch, to create contrast. Some of the material was not able to mark well.
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UID marking was accomplished with a 20-watt q-switched ytterbium fiber laser with a 160 mm focal length lens. The small gear sample was marked on both sides. The side with the etched mark had a cycle time of 0.977 seconds. The side with the dark anneal mark had a cycle time of 6.33 seconds. All the 2D codes on the samples read at the lab. The dark 2D matrix code read best at the lab.
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Material: Silver plated 416 SS
Power: 20 Watt
The method used: Engraving
Frequency: 40kHz
Since there was not a rotary indexer configured at the time during the processing of this application, the most feasible solution was to rotate the parts by hand. The total marking area was broken into 3 sections. The 3 sections were all marked with the same parameters but did have different cycle times. The first part of the mark took only 0.96 seconds with the middle part taking only 0.79 seconds and the last part of the mark taking 0.74 seconds to lase. Giving the total laser marking a time of 2.46 seconds. This laser marking time does not include the 2 rotations needed to complete the mark.
Technology: Q-switched Fiber Laser
Focal Length Lens: 160mm
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Medical Implant Parts:
The titanium medical parts were laser marked using a 20 Watt Q-Switched Fiber Laser with a 160 mm lens. All parts were annealed using 16 Watts of power, frequency of 80 kHz, speed of 8″ per second. The screw heads had a cycle time of 1.58 seconds. The rod had a time of 9.68 seconds. The clamp had a cycle time of 4.87 seconds for each logo. The ball joint was marked on the opposite side of the pre-existing marks and had a cycle time of 7.24 seconds. High contrast marks were achieved.
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The parts were marked with a 10-watt q-switched ytterbium fiber laser and a 160 mm focal length lens. The parts were surface etch, to create contrast. Some of the material was not able to mark well.
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The parts were laser marked with a 20-watt q-switched ytterbium fiber laser with a 160 mm focal length lens. The UID marking sample was annealed marked to create a nice contrast mark. It had a cycle time of 10.63 seconds. All the 2D codes on the samples read at the lab.
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The B Case, C Case & E Case parts were marked in the applications lab. The parts were marked as specified in the blueprints included with the capacitors. The whitish parts marked very well with the 20-watt q-switched ytterbium fiber laser. The dark brown parts did not produce as much contrast, but it did still mark. The smaller parts in the A Case were not marked since the applications lab was not currently stocked with a short enough focal length lens required to create such a small mark. The cycle times for the B case parts were 0.08 seconds, the C case parts had a cycle time of 0.115 seconds and the E case parts had a cycle time of 0.2 seconds.
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Medical Device Marking – Medical Saw:
These parts were marked using a 20-Watt Fiber Laser Marking System. The parts were marked with a single line, narrow font for speed purposes, and a bold font to increase readability. The parts were engraved deep enough that the marking would very hard to remove. One part was engraved using a narrow font, this produced a short cycle time. The cycle time for the narrow engraved part took 3 seconds. The second part was engraved with a bold font to increase readability; the cycle time for the bold font was 8.5 seconds.