Advantages and Disadvantages of Laser Cutting
Laser cutting involves the use of a laser beam to cut materials like wood, plastic, metal, rubber etc. This technology has become an important part of the current manufacturing scenario. The advantages and disadvantages of this method are discussed here.
Material cutting is one of the major steps involved in a manufacturing process. This step must be performed accurately and efficiently so that the subsequent steps of the manufacturing process can be carried out properly. Current manufacturing units use lasers to perform this task. Laser cutting machines are integrated with a computer-controlled programing system which determines where and how the cut is made on the material. Even though laser beams have great utility, they also have some limitations. Given below are the advantages and disadvantages of laser cutting technology.
Advantages of Laser Cutting
✔
Holding the workpiece or material to be cut, in the right position, is easier in case of laser cutting as compared to mechanical cutting.
✔
Cuts obtained by laser cutting are extremely precise and do not require a lot of time. Rather, the entire process of cutting the material is quite easy and accomplished in less time than that required by conventional cutting machines.
✔
As the cut is made by the help of a laser beam, there is no direct contact of the workpiece with any cutting instrument, thereby, eliminating the risk of material contamination.
✔
In conventional cutting processes the heat generated while cutting generally turns the material of out shape. In laser cutting, as the area subjected to heat is very small, it reduces the chances of warping of the material.
✔
Laser cutting machines use less energy for cutting metal sheets as compared to plasma cutting technology.
✔
This technology can be used to cut a number of materials like ceramics, wood, rubber, plastics and certain metals.
✔
Laser cutting is extremely versatile and can be used to cut or engrave simple to complex designs on the workpiece.
✔
Manufacturing units with space constraints benefit a lot by installing laser cutting machines because one or two laser cutters are capable of performing the job of several other machines used for cutting.
✔
Laser cutting is controlled by the help of computer programs, thereby, saving substantial amount of manpower.
✔
As the machine does not require human involvement except for repairs and test runs, the incidence of accidents and injuries is also reduced.
✔
Efficiency of laser cutting is very high and obtained replicas of the required design are exact copies of each other.
Disadvantages of Laser Cutting
✘
Consumption of power and efficiency depends on the type of laser used for cutting and the type of cut that has to be made. Generally, laser cutting involves high power consumption in comparison with other technologies used for cutting.
✘
Laser cutters fail to cut materials with thickness more than 6 mm. Plain carbon steel can be cut up to a thickness of 6 mm whereas, other metals of relatively lesser thickness can be cut.
✘
Laser cutting of plastics may cost a lot of money because plastics emit fumes, when subjected to heat. Due to this, the entire setup must be made in a well-ventilated room which can be quite expensive. Also, fumes released during the process can be toxic and may prove to be fatal.
✘
Laser cutting cannot be used to cut all types of metals. Metals like aluminum and copper cannot be cut using this technology, as their thickness does not fall within the limit of laser cutters.
✘
Rate of production is not consistent when laser cutting is used. It highly depends on thickness of the workpiece, type of material and type of laser used for cutting.
✘
Carelessness in adjusting laser distance and temperature may lead to burning of some materials. Certain metals tend to discolor, if the intensity of the laser beam is not as per requirement.
✘
Human involvement is only needed in case of test runs and repairs. During this task if, by mistake, a worker comes in contact with the laser beam, he may suffer from serious burns.
Conventional cutting methods are also good and inexpensive, but despite the disadvantages associated with laser cutting process, the use of this technology has gained a lot of popularity. This is because the quality of finish obtained after laser cutting a material is far better than that obtained by other methods of cutting.
