Choosing a 3D five-axis laser cutting machine is fundamentally different from choosing a conventional flatbed laser cutter. For flat sheet, buyers often begin with relatively straightforward questions: For a three-dimensional formed component, those questions are only the beginning. The cutting head may need to: This means the correct machine depends on the complete relationship between: […]
Programming a conventional flat-sheet laser cutter is relatively straightforward. The workpiece is flat. The cutting head normally remains perpendicular to the sheet. And most cutting paths exist in a two-dimensional X-Y plane. A 3D five-axis laser cutting machine creates a very different programming problem. The cutting head may need to: At the same time, the
Offline Programming and Collision Simulation for 3D Five-Axis Laser Cutting Read More »
A high-precision five-axis laser cutting machine does not automatically produce an accurate finished component. The machine can follow the programmed path correctly while the final trim line or hole position is still wrong if the workpiece is: For this reason, fixture design is a fundamental part of a 3D laser cutting project. This is particularly
How to Design Fixtures for 3D Five-Axis Laser Cutting Read More »
Accuracy is one of the first specifications buyers compare when evaluating a 3D five-axis laser cutting machine. A specification sheet may list: These values are important. But they do not tell you directly whether a hole on a hot-formed B-pillar, a trim line around a curved component or an angled slot on a hydroformed tube
When a metal component cannot be processed on a conventional flatbed laser cutter, manufacturers often face two possible solutions: Both can move the laser cutting head around complex three-dimensional parts. Both can process curved surfaces, formed components, holes, contours and multi-angle features. And both can be integrated into automated manufacturing cells. However, they achieve this
Five-Axis Laser Cutting vs Robotic Laser Cutting: Which System Fits Your 3D Parts? Read More »
Laser cutting and plasma cutting are two of the most widely used thermal cutting technologies in metal fabrication. Both can process carbon steel, stainless steel and aluminum. Both can be integrated with CNC tables, automatic nesting, material handling and production software. And both can achieve high productivity when the equipment is matched correctly to the
Laser Cutting Machine vs Plasma Cutting: Which Process Should You Choose? Read More »
A tube laser cutting machine can replace several conventional operations by cutting profiles to length while also producing holes, slots, notches, joint features and complex contours in one programmed process. However, choosing the right tube laser is not as simple as comparing laser power or maximum tube diameter. Two machines may both be described as
Laser power is only one part of a successful laser cutting process. The gas delivered through the cutting nozzle also plays a major role in determining whether molten material can be removed from the kerf, whether the cutting edge oxidizes, how stable the process remains and how much the finished part will cost to produce.
Laser Cutting Assist Gas: Oxygen vs Nitrogen vs Compressed Air Read More »
Hot-formed automotive parts combine complex three-dimensional geometry with high material strength. After forming and hardening, many components still require final trimming, hole cutting, slotting or contour correction before they can enter welding and body-in-white assembly. Conventional flatbed laser cutting machines are designed for two-dimensional sheet metal and cannot maintain the required cutting-head orientation around a
Laser Trimming of Hot-Formed Automotive Parts: Process, Equipment and Applications Read More »
Laser cutting is one of the most widely used processes in modern manufacturing. It is used to produce sheet metal parts, tubes, structural profiles, automotive components, machinery parts, enclosures and many other products. However, the term “laser cutting” can refer to several different technologies. A flatbed fiber laser cutting machine, a tube laser cutter, a
What Is Laser Cutting? Process, Machine Types, Materials and Industrial Applications Read More »
