Manufacturers are constantly looking for more reliable, faster and more cost-effective manufacturing solutions to stay competitive in the global marketplace.
One area where this need is especially prevalent is fine cutting or precision cutting of thin metals for medical, electronics and industrial applications.
There are several methods available for the precision cutting of thin metals less than 1.5 mm thick which are used for these applications, including materials such as stainless steel, titanium, nickel, and aluminium. The major options, namely lasers, electric discharge machining (EDM), water-jet, and chemical machining each have a role to play. However, as high-power lasers, improved maintenance costs and functionality become more available every day, precision fiber laser cutting technology is now emerging as the preferred choice for many thin metal cutting applications, particularly when superior edge quality, tight dimensional tolerances and/or high volume production is required.
In addition, more capable fiber lasers maximize precision, throughput and cut flexibility when integrated into turnkey systems. These systems feature multi-axis motion ability and can perform wet cutting and dry cutting. This fiber laser technology offers both a cost-effective and highly accurate cutting solution. At the same time, it gives component designers greater freedom to create challenging geometries which are not constrained by the limitations of current cutting technology.