Leading Metal Laser Cutting Service Company in China!
Ningbo Kang Ying Health Technology Co., Ltd. is dedicated to the design, development and manufacturing of precision sheet metal. Our products are involved in many fields such as security, IT, automotive, medical, finance, new energy, intelligent health, etc. and are exported to more than 20 countries and regions such as Europe, North America, Japan and Australia.
Professional Technical Team
Our company has a team of engineers specialized in product development, who can skillfully use industrial design software and Chinese and English language, and can exchange design solutions with foreign customers skillfully.
Advance Equipment
The company pays attention to quality control and investment in testing equipment, with perfect parts testing equipment, sound insulation room, push and pull testing equipment, life testing equipment; to ensure that incoming parts, production process parts.
Complete Qualifications
Since its establishment, the company has been awarded ISO9001: 2008 international quality management system, ISO141001: 2015 environmental management system certification, ISO20000; 25001 and 27001. And our R&D department has obtained a total of 30 inventions and new patents.
Strong R&D Capability
We have a professional R&D team, including software and hardware engineers, which can develop and design products independently. We also provide customers with services from design concept to finished products.
Our Related Products
Turnkey Metal Fabrication Services
Turnkey metal fabrication services, also known as full-service metal fabrication, is a process that uses a variety of equipment to improve products for customers in a timely and efficient manner.
Custom Metal Fabrication Service
Custom metal fabrication refers to the customizable application of different fabrication processes to manufacture a product. The custom fabrication process offers flexibility for manufacturing application-specific products.
Laser cutting is a precise process and can be used to cut simple and complex shapes, for metal cutting or laser engraving. Laser metal cutting is the new standard for cutting 2D parts from large sheets of raw materials.
Metal Stamping And Punching Service
Metal stamping is a manufacturing process used to convert flat metal sheets into specific shapes. It is a complex process that can include a number of metal forming techniques-blanking, punching, bending and piercing, to name a few.
Metal bending is the use of presses and other mechanical presses to apply pressure to the surface of metal materials to deform the metal and shape it into pre-defined shapes according to different product designs.
Welding is a fabrication process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by using high heat to melt the parts together and allowing them to cool, causing fusion.
Metal Centerless Grinding And Polishing
Centerless grinding and polishing is a metal finishing process that involves removing material from the surface of a cylindrical part with an abrasive wheel and polishing it to a smooth, shiny finish.
The purpose of this treatment is increasing the surface energy level of a particular metal surface so that it can easily adhere to the printing or coating that is about take place.
Laser cutting is a process where a high power laser light beam is used to cut through materials. The material either melts, burns or vaporizes by the laser beam, leaving a clean edge. Laser cutting is a precise process and can be used to cut simple and complex shapes, for metal cutting or laser engraving.
Laser metal cutting is the new standard for cutting 2D parts from large sheets of raw materials. Online laser cutting services offer a convenient way to have materials cut by a laser. Laser-cutting steel is one of the most popular applications of this technology. A laser cutting company can cut many materials for sheet metal fabrication of small and large production runs.
A metal laser cutter uses a high-powered laser beam to cut through different types of metals. The process involves several steps.
Preparation
The metal surface is clean and debris-free to ensure the laser can cut the metal accurately and cleanly.
Programming
A digital design of the required part(s) is programmed into computer-aided design (CAD) software and uploaded to the laser cutter's computer system.
Set-up
Ed based on the thickness of the material. The operator then sets the cutting parameters, such as laser power, cutting speed, and gas flow rate.
Cutting
The laser beam is directed onto the metal, creating a high-intensity heat source that melts and vaporizes the metal. The gas flow helps to blow away the molten metal and debris, making a clean cut. The laser cutter's computer system controls the movement of the cutting head, following the programmed design to create the desired shape.
Finishing
After cutting, the metal may require further processing, such as deburring or polishing, to achieve the desired surface finish.
Materials and Thicknesses for Laser Cut Parts
|
Material |
Grade |
Thicknesses Available |
|
Aluminum |
5052-H32 6061-T6 |
0.025 in.-0.250 in. (0.635mm - 6.35mm) |
|
Steel |
CRS/HRPO Galvanneal Galvanized |
0.025 in.-0.250 in. (0.635mm - 6.35mm) |
|
Stainless Steel |
304-2B 304 #4 316-2B |
0.025 in.-0.250 in. (0.635mm - 6.35mm) |
|
Copper |
C1010 C1100 |
0.025 in - 0.125 in. (0.635mm - 3.175) |
|
Brass |
C260 |
0.025 in.-0.125 in. (0.635mm - 3.175) |
Benefits of CNC Metal Laser Cutting
Non-contact Technique
Compared to conventional drilling, laser engraving and cutting have no contact with the surface. Over time drill bits can become dull, making the machining process slow and less productive. The heat produced by the drill can distort the material and change its mechanical properties.
Able to Cut Difficult Materials
The laser machine can cut through a wide range of difficult materials, including steel superalloys and titanium. Laser cutting service includes metal cutting, ceramics, wood and some plastics.
No Residual Stress
Since assist gas blows away most of the molten material, minimal residual stresses are created along the edges. This results in a mechanically stable and clean cut.
Drilling Speed
Considering there is no tool positioned against the workpiece, drilling speed only depends on the optical system's motion.
Accuracy
The laser cutter produces a focused laser beam that allows precise cutting at high speed and minimal cost.
Economics
Metal laser cutting is fast and efficient which makes it one of the most cost-effective processes.
Minimal Burrs Produced
Even a high quality laser cutting service tends to develop some burrs when the machine finishes the cut.
Fusion Cutting
The area on the material to be cut is heated to a molten state, then a pressurized stream of inert gas (such as nitrogen or argon) is blown through the kerf (cutting area), creating the cut. Fusion cutting is most often used for high alloys of steel and aluminum, in thicknesses up to 15mm.
Flame Cutting
Flame cutting uses the laser's heat to trigger the oxidation process between an assist gas, such as oxygen and the metal. The resulting flame is used to create precision cuts in the metal workpiece. This method is most frequently used on low-alloy steels with thicknesses up to 25mm.
Sublimation Cutting
Also called vaporization or remote cutting, a laser is used to heat the material until it evaporates or vaporizes in specific places without the need for a support gas. This method is primarily used for cutting thin sheets.
Types of Laser Cutters
CO2 Lasers
A CO2 laser runs electricity through a gas mixture-filled tube, producing light beams. The tubes contain mirrors on each end. One of the mirrors is fully reflective and the other is partial, letting some of the light through. The gas mixture is usually carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen and helium. CO2 lasers produce invisible light, in the far infrared range of the light spectrum.
The highest power CO2 lasers range up to multiple Kilowatts for industrial machines, but these are by far the exception. Typical machining CO2 lasers are 25 to 100 Watts in power with a wavelength of 10.6 micrometers.
This type of laser is most common for working with wood or paper (and their derivatives), Polymethylmethacrylate and other acrylic plastics. It is also useful for working with leather, fabric, wallpaper and similar products. It has also been applied to the processing of food such as cheese, chestnuts and various plants.
CO2 lasers are generally best for non-metallic materials, although there are certain metals that they can process. It can generally cut thin sheets aluminum and other non-ferrous metals. One can enhance the power of the CO2 beam by boosting the oxygen content, however this can be risky in inexperienced hands or with a machine unsuitable for such enhancements.
Fiber Lasers
This class of machines is part of the solid-state laser group and uses the seed laser. They amplify the beam using specially designed glass fibers that derive energy from pump diodes. Their general wavelength is 1.064 micrometers, producing an extremely small focal diameter. They are also typically the most expensive of the various laser-cutting devices.
Fiber lasers are generally maintenance-free and feature a long service life of at least 25,000 laser hours. Thus, fiber lasers have a far longer lifecycle than the other two types and they can produce strong and stable beams. They can manage intensities 100 times higher than that of CO2 lasers with the same amount of average power. Fiber lasers can be in continuous beam, quasi- or offer pulsed settings giving them different functionalities. One sub-type of fiber laser system is the MOPA, where pulse durations are adjustable. This makes the MOPA laser one of the most flexible lasers, which can be used for multiple applications.
Fiber lasers are optimally suited for metal marking by way of annealing, metal engraving and marking thermoplastics. It works with metals, alloys and non-metals alike, even including glass, wood and plastic. Fiber laser cutting machines, depending on the power, can be quite versatile and deal with a ton of different materials. While working with thin materials, fiber lasers are the ideal solution. However, this is less so the case for materials over 20 mm although, a more expensive fiber laser machine that can work with over 6 kW could do the trick.
Nd:YAG/Nd:YVO Lasers
Crystal laser cutting processes can be in nd:YAG (neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet), but more commonly they tend to use nd:YVO (neodymium-doped yttrium ortho-vanadate, YVO4) crystals. These devices allow an extremely high cutting power. The drawback of these machines is that they can be expensive, not just because of their initial price but also because they have a life expectancy 8,000 to 15,000 hours (with Nd:YVO4 being having a typically lower one) and the pump diodes can net a very hefty price.
These lasers offer a wavelength of 1.064 micrometres and are useful for a huge range of applications, from medical and dentistry to military and manufacturing. When comparing the two Nd:YVO exhibits higher pump absorption and gain, a broader bandwidth, broader wavelength range for pumping, a shorter upper‐state lifetime, a higher refractive index and lower thermal conductivity. When it comes to continuous operation, Nd:YVO has an overall similar performance level to Nd:YAG in cases with medium or high power. However, Nd:YVO does not allow for pulse energies as high as Nd:YAG and the laser life lasts for shorter periods.
These can be used with both metals (coated and non-coated) and non-metals, including plastics. Under certain circumstances, it can even process a few ceramics. The Nd:YVO4 crystal has been incorporated with high NLO coefficient crystals (LBO, BBO, or KTP) to frequency-shift the output from the near infrared to green, blue, or even UV which gives it a ton of varying functions.
Due to the similar sizes, yttrium, gadolinium or lutetium ions can be replaced with laser-active rare earth ions without strongly affecting the lattice structure needed to produce the beam. This preserves the high thermal conductivity of the doped materials.
What Procedures are Used for Cutting Sheet Metal?
Laser Beam Fusion Cutting
Laser fusion cutting uses an inert gas stream of nitrogen, argon, or a mix of the two. The gas stream cools the cut, blasts away detritus of cut material (clearing the optical path), and suppresses oxidation that would otherwise occur due to atmospheric oxygen exposure.
Laser Beam Flame Cutting
Laser flame cutting (also called reactive laser cutting) looks to exploit the reactivity of metals. An oxygen stream blasts the cut site which accelerates the cut process by aggressive oxidation.
Laser Beam Sublimation Cutting
Sublimation cutting exploits the property of some materials to transition from a solid state to a vapor state without a liquid phase. This allows cutting with little or no residues. It also reduces the opportunity for heat to transfer out of the cut and create a heat-affected zone (HAZ). This technique is possible with some polymers and is particularly applicable to fabrics.
Sublimation cutting requires a higher beam power and better focus. It allows for more precise and damage-free cutting. It is typically used to cut the fine traceries of stents, for example, because of the additional precision and low damage to the remaining material.
Prep Work Before Metal Laser Cutting
When designing for laser cutting sheet metal, there are a few things to be aware of, to make use of the process's advantages, as well as being clear on its limitations.
Holes
Typically, holes should not be less in diameter than the thickness of the material. This is known as a 1:1 minimum hole size, but it can differ with certain materials and processes.
Slots
Slots can be used to align parts to each other, these should have allowance for the width of the cut, known as the kerf.
Size
Knowing the maximum sheet size, as well as the bed size will help save costs, by allowing for less wastage. Speak to your local store for more information.
Unsupported Areas
Particularly important for stencils and signs, letters that leave "islands" of material should have 'bridges' of sufficient thickness to hold all the parts in place. This is important in letters such as a, b, d, e, g and so on.
Suitable Materials for Metal Laser Cutting
Different Metals
Laser cutters can cut all types of metals, from mild steel to stainless and also non-ferrous metals. More reflective metals like aluminium are more difficult to cut. In those instances, fibre lasers are the better option. The thickness of the metal can be anywhere up to 30 mm. The maximum thickness, however, depends on the laser cutting service. It varies based on the power of the laser as well as the expertise of the machine operator.
Wood
Different types of wood, including plywood and MDF, are suitable for cutting. You should, however, be aware of oils or resin, as they pose a threat of catching fire.
Paper & Cardboard
Yes, also suitable for laser cutting. That's exactly how the popular intricate wedding invitations are made.
Plastics
Acrylic, PMMA and Lucite are all see-through plastics. All of them also leave a great finish when laser cut. The edges are melted in a way that they seem polished.
POM
Another plastic laser cutters can cut. POM is a highly utilised plastic in the engineering sector, finding usage in gears, guiding and sliding elements, medical instruments, food packaging, etc. The ability to perform complex cuts with lasers definitely contributes to POM's variety of use cases.
Glass
Laser cutting glass is a seemingly impossible task because of its fragile and reflective properties. However, laser cutters can cut glass. The reflectiveness of glass poses requirements to the power of your laser cutting equipment. Also, the cutter must have a cooling system. Only then can the machine operator have full control over the direction of the fracture at every step, resulting in a good finish.
What Materials Can't be Cut on a Laser Cutter?
The large amount of heat generated by a laser cutter makes it unsuitable for cutting certain materials. In some cases, the composition of the materials themselves make them poor laser cutting materials due to the risk of fire or toxic fumes.
Polystyrene
Using a laser on this material will cause it to catch fire.
Fibreglass
This material is made up of glass and an epoxy resin, which will produce toxic fumes when cut with a laser.
Polycarbonate
Unless the material is very thin, polycarbonate should be cut using another method. It is difficult to get a good finish on this material as it will absorb the energy and discolour badly.
HDPE and ABS
The heat from the laser cutter causes these materials to melt very easily, meaning that you are unable to get any kind of clean edge. It will also make a mess of your laser cutting machine.
PVC
There is a high level of toxic fumes released from PVC when cut with a laser; you shouldn't use a laser cutter to cut PVC of any kind.
Our Certificate
The company's research and development department has obtained a total of 30 invention and utility model patents at home and abroad.
Frequently Asked Questions About Metal Laser Cutting Service
Q: How does metal laser-cutting work?
Q: What is metal laser cutting?
Q: What is laser cutting and how does it work?
Q: What can you do with a metal laser cutter?
Q: What are the disadvantages of laser cutting metal?
Q: What is the purpose of laser cutting?
Q: Why is laser cutting so expensive?
Q: What metals can a laser cutter cut?
Q: How accurate is laser cutting metal?
Q: What are the three types of laser cutting?
Q: Is laser cutting a fire hazard?
Q: Can you laser cut sheet metal?
Q: What type of laser is used for cutting?
Q: What are the techniques of laser cutting?
Q: Which is better CO2 or fiber laser?
Q: What is the difference between laser cutting and blade cutting?
Q: What is the difference between fusion cutting and flame cutting?
Q: What is the procedure laser cutting?
Q: How do you cut steel with a laser?
Q: What is the process of laser cutting and engraving?
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