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Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2024-09-10 Origin: Site
Aluminum laser cutting is a valuable manufacturing method that meets the diverse shapes and patterns required in various industries.When manufacturing aluminum parts and products, aluminum plates or workpieces need to be cut into different shapes and sizes. Various cutting techniques are used for aluminum and its alloys. However, aluminum laser cutting is particularly popular due to its clean and precise cutting characteristics. The laser beam can cut almost all grades of aluminum alloys into complex shapes, patterns, or geometries.
Laser cutting is an advanced computer-controlled manufacturing technology that uses a high-intensity ionized gas beam (laser beam) to cut different materials, including aluminum. This laser cutting metal sheet technology is suitable for materials with thermal conductivity because the cutting mechanism involves melting and vaporizing the material using intense heat. Only thermally conductive materials allow heat to flow to burn the material.
Typically, aluminum laser cutting can cut plates up to 10mm thick. This can be further increased depending on the power of the laser machine. Additionally, CNC laser cutting can precisely control the movement of the laser based on uploaded CAD files. These advantages make the production of aluminum parts highly precise and cost-effective.
Common aluminum alloys and grades used in laser cutting include 1100, 2024, 3003, 5052, 6061, 6063, 7050, and 7075.
As mentioned, laser cutting or any standard or custom parts require uploading a CAD file containing all details and converting the drawing into machine-readable information. Then, CNC automatically controls the laser's movement. Therefore, design is the foundation of any laser-cut part or product.
Laser cutting designs for aluminum or any other parts include various features such as holes, edges, bends, engravings, and grooves. Some basic rules or guidelines can manage these features in a single blueprint:
Maintain Hole Diameter According to Plate Thickness: (Hole diameter ≥ 50% of material thickness; not less than 0.015 inches).
Avoid Cross and Overlapping Cutting Lines in Design.
Maintain a Distance of at Least Twice the Plate Thickness from the Cutting Location to Eliminate Dimensional Errors Caused by Deformation.
Consider Your Cutouts: Custom cutting aluminum plate designs should account for the small portion of material burned away during laser cutting.
Minimum Distance Between Holes and Bend Edges Should Be Twice the Material Thickness: Minimum bend distance = 2t.
Laser cutting can produce industrial parts, signs, sheet metal, and custom-cut aluminum parts. Its applications span industries such as automotive, electronics, and construction. The primary reasons for the popularity of laser cutting applications in aluminum parts manufacturing are non-shear cutting, precision, and cutting speed.
The high thermal conductivity, low weight, and ductility of aluminum alloys make them very suitable for laser cutting. Laser cutting offers precision, speed, complex features, and many other advantages in aluminum cutting and forming:
High Precision and Accuracy: It provides excellent precision and manufacturability for complex designs.
Smooth Edges and High-Quality Surface Finish: The laser cutting process leaves clean and smooth edges, reducing the need for additional finishing processes.
Fast Prototyping and Production Speed: Laser cutting is highly efficient and fast, suitable for rapid aluminum prototyping.
The expertise of engineers and operators, along with the right equipment and tools, equally affects the results of laser cutting. We have advanced CNC laser cutting machines and a decade of experience handling laser cutting aluminum projects for various industries.
Additionally, we can provide high-quality aluminum plates suitable for laser cutting and combine custom-cut aluminum plates with other manufacturing methods such as bending and stamping. With our advanced CNC laser cutting services, you can shape any part or component using our products. Please send us your design, and our factory will provide a quote from professional engineers to start serving you.
