What is Laser Cutting?

Laser Cutting is the process of using a Laser beam to vaporize, melt, or otherwise gradually remove material. Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Laser Cutting commonly uses optics, an assist gas, and a guidance system to direct and focus the Laser beam into the workpiece.
Common Applications

Rapid Prototyping
Blank Preparation
End-Use Production

Laser Cutting

How Does it Work?

Laser cutting uses a high-power laser which is directed through optics and computer numerical control (CNC) to direct the beam or material. Typically, the process uses a motion control system to follow a CNC or G-code of the pattern that is to be cut onto the material. The focused laser beam burns, melts, vaporises or is blown away by a jet of gas to leave a high-quality surface finished edge. The laser beam is created by the stimulation of lasing materials through electrical discharges or lamps inside a closed container. The lasing material is amplified by being reflected internally via a partial mirror until its energy is enough for it to escape as a stream of coherent monochromatic light. This light is focused at the work area by mirrors or fibre optics that direct the beam through a lens which intensifies it. At its narrowest point, a laser beam is typically under 0.0125 inches (0.32 mm) in diameter, but kerf widths as small as 0.004 inches (0.10mm) are possible depending on material thickness. Where the laser cutting process needs to start anywhere other than the edge of the material, a piercing process is used, whereby a high power pulsed laser makes a hole in the material, for example taking 5-15 seconds to burn through a 0.5-inch-thick (13 mm) stainless steel sheet.

Our Laser Cutting Capabilities

Types of Laser Cutting

There are three main types of lasers used in the industry: CO2 lasers Nd and Nd-YAG. We use CO 2 machines. This involves firing a laser which cuts by melting, burning or vaporizing your material. You can achieve a really fine level of cutting detail on with a wide variety of materials. Bare in mind that CO 2 lasers can’t cut metals and hard materials, they can however engrave them.

Benefits Of Laser Cutting

CNC Laser Cutting has many advantages over Flame, Plasma, and Waterjet Cutting methods. As the Laser’s heat application is tightly focused, it requires less power and the material’s heat-affected zone (HAZ) is reduced. Many high-end industrial Laser Cutting machines are accurate to 10 micrometers and have a repeatability of 5 micrometers. CNC Lasers can affordably cut and etch a wide variety of materials, even the non-metallic materials that typically cannot be cut by Flame or Plasma processes.

Why Choose ASTEORD for Laser Cutting?

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Laser Cutting Materials

Waterjet machines cut all types of metals: hardened tool steel, aluminum, titanium, and a host of exotic metals that prove difficult to cut with other tools or processes. Cutting with a waterjet produces a smooth edge with no burn marks, cracking or excess burrs. In addition, since waterjet is a cold cutting method, there are no heat-affected zones.

Aluminum

Brass

Copper

Carbon Steels

Tool Steels

Stainless Steels

CNC Milling Materials
Laser Part

Available Surface Finishes

Polishing, Grinding, Sandblasting, Glass bead blasting etc.
Hardening, Quenching and Tempering, Case hardening, Gas nitriding, Plasma nitriding etc.
Anodizing, Hard anodizing, Black finishing, Passivating, Phosphate conversion coating, Nickel plating, Galvanizing (zinc plating) etc.

Quality Assurance

  • Manufacturing Partner performance tracking on lead time and quality
  • Inspection report included in every order. Full dimensional inspection reports on request.
  • Material certifications and test reports available on request
  • Quality Guaranteed.

Sample Parts

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