Why Laser Cutters Are Commonly Used For Cutting Applications

Lasers are popularly used for various purposes and one key function is their application of cutting metal plates.

Laser cutting in Toronto is very accurate when used on steel and aluminum plates, producing precise cuts, and offers a small heat-affected zone. These attributes of a laser cutter make it possible to cut intricate shapes and smaller holes. But how does the laser beam cut through a metal plate? 

By definition, a laser beam is a column of extremely intense light of a single wavelength. More likely than not, the beam used in a typical CO2 laser is invisible to the naked eye as it is just around ¾ of an inch. Before the beam is focused on the plate, it bounced in various directions first through a number of mirrors. Focusing the laser beam can be achieved through the use of a special lens which normally occurs in the laser cutting head. Moreover, during laser cutting in Toronto the beam has to be precisely focused. This is in order for the shape of the focus spot and the energy density to be absolutely round and consistent and then concentrated in the nozzle. 

As the huge beam is being focused and centered on a single pinpoint, the density heat at that exact focus spot is very high. You can compare it to the use of a magnifying glass focusing the sunlight onto a paper, which can create a fire. Imagine lots of energy focusing on a single spot, and the level of heat that this concentration would be able to produce. This extremely dense and powered beam is what cuts through the metal plate and other materials being processed during a laser cutting in Toronto. When cutting stainless steel, the beam simply melts the metal, and high-pressure gas is utilized to blow the molten material out of the kerf.

If you have a laser cutting project in mind, contact us today at Metal Tronics to find out how we can show you the speed, quality, reliability, and precision of our cutting capabilities.