Precision metal fabrication has moved far beyond the inch-per-minute (IPM) metric in laser cuttng. Sure, talk is swirling about how some of the latest systems cut through thick plate so quickly it’s hard to believe. Some attendees at the last FABTECH peered through the green-tinted windows of 20-kW fiber laser machines, just to make sure what they observed on the TV screens adjacent to the machine was real. In truth, talk focused less on the speed and more on just how clean the edges were.
Deburring has remained the Achilles Heel of blanking and bending productivity. A fabricator might dive deep into automation, with automated parts stacking after cutting and automated bending via the press brake, folder, or panel bender. In between all this, someone manually sorts and feeds blanks that require deburring. Some fab shops rely on the laser operator to sort through which blanks need deburring and which don’t, depending on the cut edge quality and job requirements.
Robotically fed deburring machines are emerging on the market, so automated options are becoming available. That said, the best solution is to achieve a burr-free edge to begin with.
The Beam, Assist Gas, and Material
Today’s fiber laser beams offer various power density profiles as well as oscillating patterns to achieve better cut edges. New assist-gas mixtures are helping to improve edges as well. With all this new technology, though, it helps to understand exactly what makes a burr-free cut edge. Burrs, or dross, happen when molten metal from the kerf solidifies before it can be evacuated.
Read more: Cleveland Ohio Laser Cutting Tech Topic: Avoid deburring when laser cutting sheet metal
