Reflective metals laser cutting is accessed with special care due to possible damage to the lens system. For this reason, special systems and techniques that don’t diminish the precision of the cut have been developed. Which are these techniques?

 

Reflective metals laser cutting

Laser cutting companies in practice often encounter high-reflective metals such as aluminum. The cutting of these metals requires special attention and the preparation of a laser cutter. Namely, due to the reflexive properties of such metals, careless cutting, or non-preparation of the sanding surface, may result in damage to the lens of the laser. In addition to aluminum, laser cutting of stainless steel that is further processed by polishing can also be a major problem.

 

Why are there any cutting difficulties?

Co2 laser cutters function on the principle of directing the laser beam through the mirrors and lenses on the small surface of the cutting material. Since the laser beam is actually a light beam of high strength, the reflexive properties of metal can cause laser beam rejection. In this case, the reversed laser beam enters through the head of the laser cutter  on the lenses and the mirror system, which can cause damage.

 

 

In order to prevent potential rejection of the laser beam, several actions are required. Reflective metal must be covered with a layer or a device that absorbs the laser beam. This approach to cutting doesn’t affect the quality and the precision of the cut, and the laser cutter is protected from destruction.

In addition to the above-mentioned processing, most modern laser cutting machines come with an implemented self-protection system. This system in the case of a laser beam reflection shuts down the laser cutter and thus prevents the lens from being destroyed. The whole system works on the principle of radiation measurement, that is, its monitoring when cutting. However, the advancement of technology has developed laser cutters that are resistant to such occurrences, and these are fiber lasers.

 

Fiber laser cutter

Today, in addition to the standard CO2 laser cutters, when it comes to laser metal cutting the use of fiber laser is also practiced. Fiber laser technology is one of the latest cutting techniques that gives significantly better performance than CO2 lasers.

 

 

 

Fiber lasers use optic fibers that guide the laser beam, instead of using a complicated mirror system. This type of laser is the fastest and most cost-effective alternative to the CO2 reflective metals laser cutting.

In addition to the fiber laser cutter, another technique used for reflective metals is water jet cutting. The main reason for this is the fact that fiber lasers lose their efficiency at a metal thickness larger than 5 millimeters.

 

Reflective metals list

The table gives a list of all reflective metals and recommendations for their cutting.

Metal	Thickness (mm)	Cutting technique
Aluminum	up to 10	Fiber laser
	10 – 15	CO2 laser
	more than 15	Water jet cutting
Brass	up to 10	Fiber laser
	10 – 15	CO2 laser
	more than 15	Water jet cutting
Copper	up to 10	Fiber laser
	10 – 15	CO2 laser
	more than 15	Water jet cutting
Bronze	up to 10	Fiber laser
	10 – 15	CO2 laser
	more than 15	Water jet cutting
Titanium	up to 8	Fiber laser
	more than 8	Water jet cutting
Silver	up to 5	Fiber laser
	more than 5	Water jet cutting
Gold	up to 5	Fiber laser
	more than 5	Water jet cutting

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