Choosing a proper sheet metal laser cutting machine is crucial for customers to ensure cutting precision, efficiency and cost-effectiveness during metalworking. With numerous options available in the market, it’s essential to know what to look for. Here are 10 key considerations to keep in mind when you selecting a sheet metal laser cutting machine.
1. Laser Power
The power of laser is one of the most paramount factors to consider. Laser power, measured in watts, determines the thickness of materials that can be cut and the speed at which cutting can be performed. Generally speaking, the higher power can cut through thicker materials more quickly but tend to be more expensive. For instance, a 1kW laser might be suitable for cutting thin sheets, while 6kW would be necessary for the thicker materials.
2. Cutting Speed
Cutting speed has a direct impact on your productivity. A faster cutting speed means more parts can be produced in a given time. However, the optimal speed depends on the type of materials being cut and thickness. Manufacturers often provide cutting speed charts that can help you choose the right machine based on your specific needs. Here is our comparison chart for your reference.
Comparison Table of Different Laser Powers Between Sheet Thickness and Cutting Speed in SENFENG
Laser power Max thickness of sheet Max cutting speed 1.5kW 12mm 23-30m/min (1mm thick sheet) 3kW 16mm 30-45m/min (1mm thick sheet) 6kW 20mm 45-55m/min (1mm thick sheet) 12kW 40mm 15-18m/min (6mm thick sheet) 20kW 60mm 23-25m/min (6mm thick sheet) 30kW 80mm 23-30m/min (6mm thick sheet) 60kW 100mm 26-30m/min (8mm thick sheet)3. Cutting Precision and Accuracy
Precision and accuracy are also of great concern, especially for industries requiring intricate designs and tight tolerances. The quality of laser beam and the stability of the machine affect the precision of cuts. Look for machines with high positioning & repositioning accuracy, typically in the range of ±0.03mm. In SENFENG, our machines are usually at the repositioning accuracy of ±0.02mm.
4.Type of Laser Generator
There are several types of laser generator, including CO2, optical fiber and diode lasers. Each has its own advantages and applications:
CO2 Lasers: Good for cutting non-metal materials and thicker metals.
Optical Fiber Lasers: More energy-efficient, faster and ideal for cutting thin, medium and thick metals.
Diode Lasers: Often used for engraving and marking rather than cutting.
Remember to choose the laser generator that best fits your materials and work requirements, instead of pursuing for the more and more high power.
5. Automation and Software Integration
In general, modern laser cutting machines come standard with various levels of automation and software integration. Automation can significantly increase productivity by reducing manual handling and setup time. Look for features such as automated loading and unloading, material handling system and advanced nesting software that maximizes material usage and minimizes waste.
6. Cost of Ownership
The initial purchase price is just one part of the overall costs. Need to consider the total cost of ownership, including maintenance, consumables, power consumption and potential downtime. Fiber laser generator, for example, tends to have lower operating costs compared to CO2 laser generator due to its higher energy efficiency and lower maintenance requirements.
7. Material Compatibility
Ensure the machine is compatible with the types of materials you intend to cut. Different laser generators interact differently with various materials. For instance, fiber laser generator is excellent for cutting metals like steel, aluminum and copper, while CO2 is better for cutting non-metals such as wood, acrylic and plastics.
8. Support and Service
As everyone knows, reliable technical support and intimate service are crucial for minimizing downtime and ensuring smooth operation. Choose a manufacturer or supplier known for excellent customer service, comprehensive training and prompt technical support. Check for available warranties and the ease of getting replacement parts.
9. Space and Requirements for Installation
Take into account of the space available in your facility for the new machine. Laser cutting machines vary in size, and you need to ensure there is enough room for early installation, operation and later maintenance. Some machines require special installation conditions, such as proper ventilation and stable foundations.
10. Environmental and Safety Factors
Laser cutting machines should comply with environmental regulations and safety standards. Give priority to machines equipped with proper exhaust system to handle fumes and dust, and ensure that safety features such as protective enclosures and interlocks are in place. This is particularly important if you are cutting materials that produce hazardous fumes.
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XT laser-plate-tube integrated laser cutting machine
Laser cutting machine and tube-sheet integrated machine can not only meet the cutting needs of enterprises for plates, but also meet the cutting needs of pipes. They can kill two birds with one stone and solve the needs of cutting customers in both directions. There are many manufacturers of plate-tube integrated laser cutting machines. When we buy a laser cutting machine, we always ask which one is better. Some people only care about the price of the plate-tube integrated laser cutting machine without considering the quality of the equipment. This is a wrong idea.
There are many manufacturers of plate-tube integrated fiber laser cutting machine. For those who want to buy laser cutting machines for flat plates and pipes, it is very important to quickly select a manufacturer of laser cutting machines for flat plates and pipes. Today, we will introduce how to select a good manufacturer of laser cutting machine for plates and pipes.
The tube-sheet integrated laser cutting machine adopts a gantry structure and is equipped with an advanced optical fiber laser cutting system and a special tube-sheet cutting system. Because the one-time positioning and one-time processing are completed by CNC, the position deviation caused by workpiece transfer and a large number of workpiece transfer time are avoided. The workpiece cutting positioning accuracy is extremely high, and the processing speed is more than 5 times higher than that of cutting and drilling. The effective cutting length of the tube-sheet integrated laser cutting machine is not limited by user needs.
As for the quality of “pipes”, according to the different application industries, the quality of pipes is also different, so the processing requirements and difficulties are also different. Therefore, the requirements for manufacturers of laser cutting machines for plates and pipes are actually equipment. Quality requirements.
The first is the demand for the equipment itself. We choose the laser cutting machine for plates and pipes to meet our own processing needs. We should be aware of format and power. Although some small manufacturers have good qualifications and reputation, high-power laser equipment without processing experience is not suitable for relatively small manufacturers. Therefore, only after understanding the demand when purchasing equipment can you choose the one that is suitable for you from many pipe laser cutting machine manufacturers.
The following aspects shall be considered when selecting a good plate-tube integrated laser cutting machine:
1. Comprehensively consider various factors.
Generally speaking, it is to understand the production qualification, technical experience, development history and industry evaluation of the enterprise. Manufacturer of integrated laser cutting machine for each tube sheet. Because Luyao knows horsepower, whether it is good or bad, if it has a good reputation in the market, it will prove that it is strong in at least one aspect. Therefore, I hope you can screen out the major laser cutting machine manufacturers at the beginning.
2、 Detailed parameters of laser cutting machine.
Many manufacturers of tube-sheet integrated laser cutting machines always exaggerate the advantages of their products and cover up their defects without knowing the technology, which will interfere with customers’ choices. For example, cutting accuracy, model parameters, function selection, etc., so customers must ask about the specific parameters of the equipment before deciding whether to buy it.
3. Select the one suitable for your processing needs.
To narrow the selection range of manufacturers of tube-sheet integrated laser cutting machine, specific laser equipment must be selected. To tell the truth, when purchasing equipment, of course, you should buy equipment that meets your processing needs, such as cutting thin or thick, large or small area, semi-cutting or fine cutting, etc. Therefore, only after understanding the demand can we “choose one in a hundred” among many manufacturers of tube-sheet integrated laser cutting mechanism and find the equipment suitable for ourselves.
4、 Manufacturer’s after-sales service.
Many tube-sheet integrated laser cutting machine manufacturers often delay the maintenance time due to the limited technical personnel or their own capacity, which brings a lot of trouble to users and affects the company’s production schedule. Therefore, customers must choose a reputable brand when purchasing the tube-sheet integrated laser cutting machine.
To select a good manufacturer, first of all, we should consider various factors comprehensively. Generally speaking, you must consider the manufacturer’s production qualification, technical experience and development history. These are the conditions that a large-scale manufacturer should have. Secondly, users’ evaluation of these manufacturers, needless to say, all of them have a good voice, and those who still have a good reputation under the evaluation of the large market are relatively better manufacturers.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website plate and tube cutting machine.