How to focus the laser-You can find the normal solution about laser cutting machine and laser cutting process.

Working Principle

Laser cutting is a technology that uses a laser to cut materials, typically in industrial manufacturing applications. But it is also starting to appare in schools, small businesses, and hobbyists. Laser cutting works by directing the output of a high-power laser most commonly through optics. The laser optics and CNC (computer numerical control) uses to direct the material or the laser beam generated. A typical commercial laser for cutting materials would involve a motion control system to follow a CNC or G-code of the pattern to be cut onto the material. The focus laser beam is directed at the material. Then either melts, burns, vaporizes away.

Factors Influencing on the Dimensions Accuracy in Laser Cutting

We confirm a laser cutting machine manufacturer is excellent. The cutting precision is the first standard. Therefore, how to confirm the cutting precision whether qualified will be from the following four factors:

1.    the size of the laser coagulation of the laser generator. If the spot is very small, the cutting accuracy is very high, and the gap is very small after cutting. It shows that the precision of laser cutting machine is very high.

2.    the accuracy of the working table. If the accuracy of the working table is very high, then the accuracy of the cutting is obvious. Therefore, the precision of the working table is also a very important factor to measure the accuracy of the laser generator.

3.    laser beam condensed into a cone. When cutting, the laser beam is to taper down. When the thickness of the workpiece cutting is very large, cutting accuracy will reduce.The gap will be very large.

4.    cutting the material is different, also will affect the precision of the laser cutting machine. In the same case, the cutting of stainless steel and aluminum will be very different accuracy. Stainless steel cutting accuracy will be higher. And the section will be smooth.

How to focus the laser

The laser beam is focused through the focal lens. The focal lens acts like a magnifying glass and sunlight. For a 55mm lens, the laser beam passes through the lens and converges to the smallest point at about 55mm from the edge of the lens. The laser beam concentrate to the smallest size at this “spot”. Because the lens mount in the focal tube. The question is how to put the material at the optimum location to engrave or cut.

Whenever we want to engrave, we want to have the laser beam focus to the smallest spot and that spot locate at the top surface of the material. Having the smallest spot size will give us the best resolution. the best DPI (dots per inch). The laser machine should have come with a manual height measurement tool. Some machine come with a square piece or acrylic to match to a marker on the side of the focal tube. Other machines come with a feeler gauge that snuggly fits between the focal tube nozzle and the top surface of the material.

The normal adjustment method is to place the material on the worktable. And then to move the worktable height such that the top surface of the material is at the focus spot of the laser beam. Use the measurement tool while moving the table to the proper height. Make sure not to move the table too far. You will not want to damage the table surface, material, or the focal assembly.

Most laser machines have a movable table height. If the table will not move or is already moved to the top, then the focal tube has some adjustment to move/slide up and down about 1.5 inches. First, loosen the focal tube nut (or screw). Second, move the focal tube to the desired height above the material surface. Last, tighten the focal tube nut (or screw).