Laser cutting
Laser cutting is a manufacturing process that separates material with a focused laser beam, which melts, burns, vaporizes, or ablates the cut path.
Laser beam: A narrow, directed beam of coherent light produced by a laser. Its concentrated energy supplies the heat that separates material along the cut path.
CO2 laser: A gas laser that emits infrared light near 10.6 micrometers using carbon dioxide as its active medium. CO2 systems commonly cut nonmetals and thicker sheet materials.
Waterjet cutting: A process that cuts material with a high-pressure stream of water, often mixed with abrasive particles. Unlike laser cutting, it avoids a heat-affected zone but uses water and abrasive.
Heat-affected zone: The region of material whose microstructure or properties change due to heat without melting. Heat conducted beyond the kerf can alter hardness, strength, or residual stress.
Focusing optics: Optical components that converge or shape light to produce a chosen beam profile. A lens or mirror system concentrates the beam onto a small cutting spot.
Fiber laser: A solid-state laser whose gain medium is an optical fiber doped with rare-earth elements. Its near-infrared beam is widely used for fast cutting of reflective metals.
Plasma cutting: A process that cuts electrically conductive materials with a high-temperature plasma jet. It is often faster on thick conductive plate, while laser cutting can produce narrower cuts.
Tolerances: Permitted limits of variation in a manufactured part's dimensions or geometry. Kerf, focus, and machine accuracy constrain the dimensions laser cutting can reliably hold.
Laser-material interaction: The processes by which a material absorbs, reflects, transmits, or transforms incident laser energy. Absorption and heat flow determine whether the cut melts, vaporizes, or burns through.
Laser cutting machine: A machine that positions and controls a laser beam to cut programmed shapes from material. Its motion system, source, and optics translate a design into a physical cut.