Laser Head

[bundysax]

What is the difference between the laser head on a kern laser (that can cut metal) and a regular run of the mill 150 watt laser system ? I know that the Kern laser is not a glass tube type laser but why can it cut metal ?

[Exsecratio]

Power and wavelength (and price)

best wishes

Dave

[KOC62]

It's mostly power.
Here is a chart of the materials lasers can cut and the power required.
I don't how reliable the info is. Laserable Materials

[bundysax]

I dont know, the Kern laser is 150 watt system and they claim it can cut thru 1/8 mild steel, yet a 150 watt run of the mill laser cant cut 1/8 steel. It must have something to do with the laser head or the lenes

[KOC62]

Also the laser must be properly focused - just like we used to do with a magnifying lens and some paper when we were kids.

[Exsecratio]

Oxygen assist,

Pretty much any laser over 80 watts can cut steel if you introduce oxygen.

I'm not going there though at risk of somebody thinking they can just pump oxygen into their cheap Chinese machine and cut metal.

Ever seen the devastation caused by an Oxygen tank explosion?

best wishes

DAve

[cinematic2]

Power and wavelength (and price)

best wishes

Dave

Not wavelength. Power is different. And price.

[cinematic2]

Oxygen assist,

Pretty much any laser over 80 watts can cut steel if you introduce oxygen.
DAve

That is nonsense.
Even 150W RF does not cut mild steel. Even with Oxygen.
There are mostly two types of low power Co2 lasers (up to 400W)
DC excited and RF excited.
RF can cut mild steel starting from 200W
Synrad's Laser Processing Calculator

DC laser don`t.

[bundysax]

The whole reason I brought this up is that Kern lasers (the 150 watt) does not cut metal as a stock unit, if you pay the extra 10K they will install the metal cutting option, but they stated that it must be done in the factory. What is the metal cutting option ? 10K dollars ?

Just curious

[Exsecratio]

"Nonsense" is such a strong word generally when it's used incorrectly



That's without Oxygen and cutting 1mm into stainless steel on an 80Watt DC excited EFR tube.
With the addition of Oxygen it cuts 1.6mm mild steel but covers the machine in ablated particles.

Focal length of lens 38.1mm GaAs and Moly mirrors.

I've also never never been to India however I have no doubt that it exists

best wishes

Dave

[Exsecratio]

Bundy, it's the addition of high pressure Oxygen gas into the cut to promote cutting the same way that many Oxy Acet torches work

The laser itself is providing heat, the Oxygen provides the cutting ability.

best wishes

Dave

[FanFan]

Any chance the difference can be accounted for because one is talking about a continous wave laser vs a pulse laser. It may be a case of talking about apples and oranges. Output power will probably be higher with a pulse laser. Of course I am really just speculating. Wish I knew more. FanFan