Laser Cutting

Pressurized gas (nitrogen, oxygen, or air) directed through the cutting nozzle alongside the laser beam.

Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing software used to create part geometries and generate machine-ready cutting programs.

A gas laser that generates a 10.6-micrometer wavelength beam.

The component of a laser cutting machine that focuses and directs the laser beam onto the workpiece.

The rate at which the laser cutting head traverses the workpiece surface, typically expressed in inches per minute (IPM) or meters per minute.

A standard CAD file format used to transfer 2D part geometry from design software to CNC laser cutting machines.

Solidified molten material that adheres to the bottom edge of a laser-cut part.

A slight angular deviation from a true 90-degree cut edge caused by the conical shape of the focused laser beam.

A solid-state laser that generates a beam through rare-earth-doped optical fiber.

The distance from the focusing lens to the focal point within the cutting head.

The area of material adjacent to a laser cut that has undergone microstructural changes due to heat from the cutting process without having melted.

The width of material removed by the laser beam during cutting.

The process of optimally arranging multiple part profiles within a sheet of raw material to maximize yield and minimize scrap.

A low-carbon structural steel commonly laser cut in sheet and plate form.

Using high-purity nitrogen as the assist gas, which prevents oxidation of the cut edge.

Using oxygen as the assist gas during laser cutting of mild steel.

A machine-specific cutting program generated by CAM software that defines the laser's cutting path, speed, power settings, pierce locations, and other parameters for producing a specific part.

The dwell time the laser remains at a single point to fully melt through the material thickness before beginning the cut path.

The process by which the laser beam burns through the full thickness of a sheet to initiate a cut path.

Structural steel in thicknesses typically above 3/16 inch processed by laser cutting.

The precision with which the laser cutting machine's motion system repositions the cutting head to a programmed location.

Flat metal stock typically up to 3/16 inch thick that is a primary input material for laser cutting operations.

An iron alloy with 10.5 percent or more chromium that provides corrosion resistance, frequently processed by laser cutting for industrial, architectural, and food-service applications.

The controlled gap between the cutting nozzle tip and the workpiece surface, typically maintained at 0.030 to 0.060 inches by a capacitive height sensor.

The permissible dimensional variation of a cut part from its specified nominal value.

Laser cutting of hollow structural sections, round tube, and structural profiles using specialized rotary-axis attachments.

The use of laser cutting to produce beveled or otherwise prepared cut edges on structural members and plate, reducing or eliminating manual grinding for weld joint preparation before assembly.

The maximum size sheet or plate that a laser cutting machine can process in a single setup, determined by the X and Y travel range of the cutting table.