Post on 09-Mar-2018
High Power Fusion CuttingStefan Wittwer and Oliver Bühler
Bystronic Laser AG
© Bystronic |
Bystronic Laser AG
12.2015 1
field of activity: systemsfor sheet metal processing
founded
1986
headquartersNiederönz
Switzerland
1
© Bystronic |
principle of fusion cutting
02.2016 2
cuttingdirection
molten metal
sheet metalN2
laser
beam
no
zzle
Compared to O2-assisted laser cutting:
➢ more laser power meltsmore metal per time
➢ faster cutting speed
➢ no oxide layer toremove
2
© Bystronic |
fiber revolution
02.2016 3
CO2 fiber
year
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
laser
po
wer (
kW
)
fiber cutting samples
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high power fusion cutting: feasibility
02.2016 4
✓ power limited rather by components than by processing physics
✓ commercially profitable costs per part considering invest and running costs
✓ available and suitable test equipment mainly limited to 10kW
decision for cutting @ 10kW
� is there a physical limit?
� what power level makes sense?
� can we test it?
ByStar Fiberwith 10 kW
(Euroblech 2016)
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high power fusion cutting: optical setup
02.2016 5
➢ adjustable focal diameter and focal position
➢ optimized imaging
➢ suitable to monitor the process
➢ design to high power:
➢ minimum focal shift to achieve a stable process
➢ minimum number of transmissive optics
➢ active cooling
specification of the optical setup
© Bystronic |
additional beam shaping optics
optical setup: reflective/transmissive, no collimation unit
02.2016 6
end cap
protective glass
fix or adaptive mirror
lens
end cap
plano mirror
protective glass
process monitoring
process monitoring
6
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optical setup: mode of operation
02.2016 7
• no collimation unit
• only three transmissiveoptics (end cap, lens & protective glass)
• rel. focal shift <2%/kW
• short thermalisation time
large focus
end cap
lens
protective glass
nozzle
sheet metal
small focus
optic body
7
© Bystronic |
cutting speed: stainless steel, 6kW vs. 10kW
02.2016 8
increased power = increased cutting speed
250%
200%
150%
50%
0%
100%
10mm 15mm 20mm 25mm
cu
ttin
gsp
eed
thickness
80%
15%
10kW production
10kW max. lab results
30%
230%
stainless steel
6kW production
© Bystronic |
cutting quality: stainless steel 10 mm
02.2016 9
increased power = increased cutting quality
9
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cutting speed: mild steel fusion cutting
thickness [mm]
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
4 6 8 10 12 15
cu
ttin
gsp
eedmild steel
02.2016 10
fusio
ncutt
ing
6kW
fib
er
fusion cutting 10kW fiber
flame cutting 6kW fiber
10
© Bystronic |
high power fusion cutting: mild steel 6 mm
02.2016 11
comparison mild steel 6mm
fiber 10kW fiber 6 kW CO2 6kW
11
© Bystronic |
summary
02.2016 12
➢ increased fiber laser power
✓ increases the speed and the quality of fusion cutting
✓ expands the fusion cutting range to thick sheets and continues to substitute the CO2 laser
➢ a transmissive optical setup without collimation unit works fineat 10kW