Summary
For many years the most commonly used laser source for industrial metal cutting has been the CO2 laser. For robot cutting applications the optical requirements for delivery of the free space beam to the workpiece result in complex and expensive optical solutions. As illustrated in the case study below, whether the CO2 beam is enclosed in a series of articulated joints requiring precision alignment and restricted movement of the robot arm, or the entire laser source is fixed to the robot arm, the alternative of a fiber laser can offer not only a more elegant engineered solution, but also benefits in terms of performance and cost.
The low capital and operational cost of a medium powered fiber laser, when combined with robot delivery as in the example below, offers users a truly flexible tool for cutting 3-D parts up to 2.5mm in thickness.
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