If you have paint or chemicals, it would be better to take the air from outside to avoid some weird cutting issues. Other option is to use nitrogen (usually more expensive).
You should not under-estimate the possibility of having such a reaction. It is rare, but I know for a fact that it can happen. Make sure to empty your scrap bins and dust collector; make sure no accumulation of aluminum dust is left anywhere before switching back to oxygen cutting. Then you...
Doesn't your cutting head have a protection window; which will absorb any dirt of spatter, protecting the cutting lens?
Normally you simply replace that protection window and do not have to touch the cutting lens. Unless somehow you have a head with no protection window (which would be very bad...
You should be able to use glycol, however check with the chiller manufacturer, or machine manufacturer. Depending on the concentration, Glycol can reduce the heat transfer and could cause cooling or water flow issues.
Exactly; 5000 or 6000 series aluminum will cut with no problem. 3000 series gets harder; you can cut it but much slower. 1000 series, very hard; way slower. Try to cut it like copper; using high pressure oxygen. Watch for your lens cracking due to excess back reflection.
What is gas selection 3 on your machine? Oxygen, Nitrogen, Air?
Normally 1mm alu will pierce with no problem with nitrogen. But since you have trouble, maybe try to pierce with oxygen. Oxygen will give you added energy to pierce through.
Also, what is the unit of the gas pressure in your...
That is one of the negatives about fiber lasers. Aluminum is not completely burr free like you can get on CO2. But even with CO2, 1/8" is about the max thickness to get burr free.
As lasermate indicated, the protection window takes the hit and protects the cutting lens from gas pressure (mechanical stress) and material splatter. The fiber cutting heads are also better sealed as everything is much more sensitive to dust than CO2. As a result, lens life is extended (I've...
That depends on a lot of things; power used; gas pressure; piercing type (spatter getting back to the lens or not). Cutting at full power and full nitrogen gas pressure is the most stressful for the lens. If you cut at 4kW (or more), 20 bar non stop, then the lens could get stressed after just...
If you stop after the first part, and let the machine sit for 5 minutes, then cut another part, how is the cut of that next part?
You may have a cooling issue, or a stressed optic somewhere (lens would be first one to try). If it's not the lens, then it could be the output coupler inside the...
Hi ContractPressings,
Did you purchase this machine from a third party or from LVD? Just curious as it looks like a Helius machine which has discontinued for many years? Same question for the software. Contact Lantek or LVD (whichever sold you the software) and provide the NC file that you...
Kitex, thanks for following up and letting us know what the issue was. It's always nice when people do so. Some ask questions and you never really know what their issue was, and what fixed it.
With that edge color, your nitrogen gas is definitely contaminated. You may have received a bad batch of nitrogen. If you get the same results with your oxygen bottles closed and purged out, then contact your gas supplier to get a new 12-pack of nitrogen.
As mentioned by Laserninja, using nitrogen will give you the best results. When cutting with nitrogen, use full power, max freq and max DC. Increase your gas pressure to 8 bar. Focal point should be below material surface; between 1/2 and 3/4 of the material thickness. You may have to use a...
Nothing to do with the original question, but kind of the same safety subject:
Empty your dust bin when switching from aluminum cutting to mild steel cutting with oxygen. The aluminum dust could ignite and make a very hot fire.
Ask to get a web demo from Radan. Make sure you can still do the things you currently do; and also bring up any issues you have with your current software; see if it's possible with Radan.
Lantek is also a good option.
