When you work with metals in Cleveland, you have several cutting options. You can use saws, lathes, mills, and even drill presses. However, for many operations, CNC laser cutting is best. Let’s look closer at the process to explore some of its benefits.
How Do Lasers Cut?
Most light cannot cut. For example, no matter how long you shine a flashlight on something, it will not work its way through the surface. However, if you take a magnifying glass and focus light from the sun into one small area, you can easily start a fire.
Lasers are highly concentrated and focused beams of light. In fact, the term “laser” stands for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. When you use special equipment to amplify photons of light, it creates a light compact enough to cut or burn through things.
CNC laser machines in Cleveland work with a computer numeric program to cut metal. They are often designed to cut complex shapes or engrave detailed images on metal.
Why Use Lasers
Lasers cut cleanly. For example, many cutting methods leave burrs on the metal or chips behind. Laser cutting creates smooth edges, and there’s no need to sand down or finish after cutting. The residue from the cut vaporizes, so you have no scrap metal to dispose of. Also, you don’t have to worry about tool marks.
If you want a fast and precise cutting method for your Cleveland business, CNC laser machines have much to offer. Most cutting tools eventually dull and you have to replace or sharpen them. This doesn’t happen with lasers, and it saves you a lot of money on maintenance and cutting tools. For example, when you use a milling machine with tungsten carbide end mills, they eventually wear down, and carbide is expensive to replace. Some computerized laser cutting machines are fully automated, so you need fewer people.