A fiber laser cutting head is a crucial component in a fiber laser cutting system. This particular part of a laser system plays an essential role in the overall quality of the cuttings or engravings. A fiber laser cutting head is specially designed for high-precision cutting applications. It delivers and focuses the laser beam onto the workpiece. In the end, it removes material precisely and efficiently.
Fiber laser engraving machine is prevalent in various industries. You may find it in the manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, and electronics industries. These machines are widely popular for cutting different materials. They can work with metals, plastics, composites, and many more. Fiber laser cutting machines come with high-precision, speed, and versatility specifications. These features achieve intricate shapes, patterns, and superior edge quality products.
This article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of fiber laser cutting heads. It highlights the device’s structures and working principles. It also elaborates on the cleaning and maintenance procedures and installation process. Finally, it provides some expert advice to ensure reliable installation and work. Covering these aspects helps readers to gain the necessary knowledge on fiber laser cutting heads. Therefore, they can effectively utilize, maintain and troubleshoot their laser cutting machine. Overall, it ensures optimal performance and longevity of the device.
What is a laser head?
A laser head is an integral part of a laser engraving machine. It is also famous as a laser cutting head. It generates, controls, and focuses a laser beam onto a workpiece. After that, it enables precise and efficient material removal. A typical laser head consists of various intricate components. These components work together to deliver a concentrated beam of coherent light.
However, a fiber laser cutting head is specially designed for fiber lasers. It utilizes optical fibers to deliver the laser beam. Fiber laser cutting head is famous for their exceptional cutting capabilities. As a result, they are prevalent in various industrial applications. A typical fiber laser cutting head consists of several core components. These components include a nozzle, lenses, beam delivery system, and sensors.
Fiber laser cutting head provides a wide range of benefits. First, it enables high-precision cutting with excellent accuracy. Second, these laser cutting heads offer versatility in cutting various materials. Third, they can achieve high cutting speeds that significantly reduce production time. Fourth, using a fiber laser head is a non-contact process. Therefore, it eliminates the need for physical force or direct contact with the workpiece. Fifth, these laser-cutting heads produce a narrow head-affected zone. It minimizes thermal distortion and prevents damage to the surrounding material. Finally, fiber laser cutting heads offer automatic features. It enables seamless and efficient production workflows.
Although fiber laser cutter head offers many benefits, it has some limitations. First, it can be costly, especially for high-power systems. Second, fiber laser cutting heads can’t still work with certain materials. Highly reflective metals or transparent materials are challenging to work with. Besides, they have limitations regarding the maximum thickness of the material. It requires regular maintenance and alignment. Finally, you must follow some safety considerations.
Fiber laser cutting head structure
We already mentioned that a fiber laser cutter head has several critical components. These parts work together to deliver precise laser-cutting capabilities. Here are some primary device parts that you should know about:
- Collimating unit: This specific device part shapes and aligns the laser beam. It ensures the laser is parallel and uniform before reaching the focusing lens. The collimating unit plays a critical role in achieving optimal cutting performance.
- A focusing lens typically concentrates the laser beam to a small focal point. It determines the sport size and intensity of the laser beam on the workpiece. A focusing lens enables precise and controlled cutting.
- Protecting lens: This device part is positioned before the focusing lens. It is a barrier to safeguard fiber lasers from debris, splatter, and potential damage. Protecting lenses are typically made of durable materials like silica or sapphire. These materials can easily withstand the harsh conditions of laser cutting.
- Laser beam centering screw: This device part adjusts the laser beam’s position within the cutting head. It ensures the beam is accurately centered, aligned, and focused on the desired cutting path. Ultimately, it contributes to precise cutting results.
- The nozzle delivers gas, such as oxygen or nitrogen, to the cutting area. It helps to remove debris and cool the material during the cutting process. It enhances the quality and efficiency of the cut.
- Sensors: Finally, a fiber laser cutting head needs sensors like other devices. It consists of two primary sensors, height, and capacitive sensors. Height sensors ensure the proper distance between the cutting head and the workpiece surface. It maintains optimal focus. On the other hand, capacitive sensors detect the presence and position of the workpiece. It provides feedback for precise alignment and positioning.
How does fiber laser cutter head work?
A fiber laser cutting head operates based on the principles of fiber laser technology and precise optics. It generally uses a high-powered fiber laser source to generate a concentrated laser beam. Then, it delivers and focuses the laser beam onto the workpiece. The interaction between the laser beam and the material provides controlled material cutting. In the following, we will discuss the step-by-step explanation of the cutting process.
First, the fiber laser source generates a specific wavelength and power laser beam. The fiber laser cutting machine transfers this laser beam through an optical fiber to the fiber laser cutting head. Second, the beam delivery system guides the laser beam from the source to the cutting head. In this case, comprising mirrors and optical fibers play a crucial role. And then, the collimating unit of the laser cutting head shapes and aligns the laser beam. In this case, the focusing lens concentrates the laser beam to a small spot size.
Third, interacting with the material, the focused laser beam strikes the workpiece. The high energy density of the laser beam rapidly heats and vaporizes the material at the focal point. It enables controlled melting, burning, or vaporization. However, the precise movement of the laser cutting head determines the shape and dimensions of the cut. After that, the nozzle of the fiber laser head delivers oxygen or nitrogen to the cutting area. This gas blows away molten material and debris from the kerf. It also cools the workpiece and prevents excessive heat-affected zones. Finally, you can observe real-time device monitoring using the fiber laser cutting head sensors.
How to clean and maintain fiber laser lenses?
Maintaining clean lenses in a fiber laser cutting head is crucial for longevity and effective cutting. It is important to note that dirty or damaged lenses reduce beam quality. As a result, it decreases cutting accuracy and increases the risk of lens damage. This section will shortly discuss how to clean and maintain fiber laser lenses.
Before that, let’s know some precautionary steps that you must follow. First, ensure your fiber laser cutter is turned off and disconnected from the power source. Second, give sufficient time for the lenses to cool down. It avoids thermal stress during cleaning. Finally, use appropriate personal protective equipment, such as gloves and safety glasses. The following points describe the step-by-step process of maintaining fiber laser lenses.
- Carefully detach the fiber laser head from the machine. Follow proper safety procedures and avoid touching any optical surfaces.
- Unscrew or remove any retaining rings or screws that secure the fiber laser protective lens. Gently remove the fiber laser protective lens from the cutting head.
- Cleaning the lenses is the most crucial step. Take a clean, lint-free cloth for optical surfaces. Now, apply a small amount of lens cleaning solution to the cloth or tissue. Gently wipe the lenses in a circular motion.
- Reassemble and reinstall the lenses in the fiber laser cutting head. In this case, ensure the lenses are completely dry and free from any cleaning solution residue.
How to install fiber laser cutting head
After cleaning the lens, it is crucial to correctly reassemble the fiber laser cutting head. Indeed you should follow the precautionary steps we discussed in the previous section. This section reminds you of the critical steps when reassembling the cutting head.
- Carefully position the fiber laser cutting head in the designated mounting location on the machine. Now, securely attach the laser cutting head to the device. In this case, you must use the appropriate mounting hardware. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for more information. Ensure that the cutting is firmly fixed in place. It is necessary to prevent any vibration or misalignment during operation.
- Now align the laser cutting head with the machine. In this case, use precision alignment tools or laser alignment devices.
- Connect the fiber optic cable from the laser source to the fiber input of the laser cutting head. Ensure secure and proper connections. Check for electrical wires, air hoses, and assist gas and cooling lines.
- Finally, start the fiber laser cutter according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Perform initial testing and calibration procedures. Make any necessary adjustments to ensure accurate and precise cutting.
Conclusion
The fiber laser cutting head is the most critical component of a fiber laser system. It consists of several units. Collimation, protection, focusing, sensors, and nozzles are noteworthy. Besides these, other parts include a gas inlet, focus adjusting screw, electrical wire inlet, and fiber laser inlet. Maintaining clean laser lenses is crucial to ensure longevity and effective production. We have discussed the step-by-step process of cleaning and preserving laser lenses. We have also discussed the process of reassembling the fiber laser head.
Above all, if you have any questions regarding fiber laser cutting heads, please get in touch with us. We have one of the quickest and most reliable customer services. You can reach us through all popular media like Skype, WeChat, and emails.