Harmful Health Effects of Laser Cutting You Should Know & Safety Tips

Laser cutting is a widely popular process in various industries to cut materials ranging from wood to leather. Its demand is growing for both industrial and commercial purposes. This method involves the use of a computer to help with the cutting process. This results in a precise and smooth end- product. The first usage of this process was cutting diamonds. Gradually, with technological advancement, laser cutting has evolved. Today, three different types of lasers are popular to cut or engrave steel, titanium, stainless steel, wood, plastic and much more:

• Fiber lasers
• CO2 lasers
• Nd and Nd-YAG

Despite all the advantages, you can not overlook the fact that the laser cutting process can be dangerous because of the harmful fumes that the machine emits. Even if the operators take preventive measures to protect their eyes and skin, the danger still lingers if you do not have an air filtration system. One way to manage the risk with laser fumes is to use laser machines that are reliable, safe and whose parts are made by the experts. For instance, machines using Bystronic laser parts or lvd strippit parts.   

Laser Fumes Are Dangerous

Laser cutting process emits different chemicals, chemical vapors, aerosols, smoke and compounds. Plus, heating metals involved in the cutting process create oxidized compounds. Such elements can be harmful when inhaled.

According to Carnegie Mellon University, laser beams are dangerous because Laser-Generated Air Contaminants are released. This report also gives a list of some materials and the associated emissions.

• Kevlar: Respirable dust
• Polycarbonate: Respirable dust and Cresol
• Rubber: Respirable dust and 1,3-Butadiene
• Mild steel: Iron oxide, NO, NO2, CO
• Stainless steel: Nickel, Chromium
• Nimonics: Cobalt, Chromium, Nickel

According to the Board of Laser Safety, during the cutting process, high temperatures cause the surrounding air to expand. They emit gases that expand quickly and release dangerous particles.

Sometimes irregular maintenance adds up to such dangers. So, always check your machine and if the parts need replacement, you can choose well-known brands. Users consider solutions by Bystronic laser parts or lvd strippit parts secure.   

Effects of Laser Fumes

The smoke from laser and plasma cutting is a mixture of various gases. It has different side effects that include irritation of the eyes, nose and throat.

When you mix the metal fume fever with zinc fumes, people working in those surroundings can suffer from symptoms like headaches, chills, muscle aches and coughing.

If a person regularly deals with metal smoke, he is likely to get infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis. This can also lead to fibrotic lung disease.

The exposure can also cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 

Smoke from plasma and laser cutting does not just damage the lungs but research suggests that prolonged exposure to harmful smoke results in measurable amounts of metal particles in the blood as well. This shows that any person who breathes the air will have high levels built up in their blood.

These flames don’t spare your kidney. The kidneys are the organs that remove waste materials from the body. Metals like hexavalent chromium and cadmium. This damages the kidney and reduces the ability of the organ to remove materials from the body.

Sometimes metal fumes also cause cardiovascular diseases. People dealing with jobs like welding, plasma, and cutting have a higher risk of strokes, heart attacks and coronary arteries.

Solution

Common ventilation is not enough to prevent the danger. You can install a fume extraction system. A proper fume control will enable you to see a haze of particles in the air. Regularly change the filters to ensure proper removal of fumes. Use reliable solutions like Bystronic laser parts or lvd strippit parts.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/harmful-health-effects-of-laser-cutting-you-should-know-safety-tips

Common Problems and their Solutions in Metal Laser Cutting

When we say laser technology, what comes to our mind is precision, versatile, speed and reliability. As compared to other cutting methods, laser cutting is a much safer method. These are a few of several advantages that laser cutting offers. 

Laser cutting is a thermal-based method which uses a focused laser beam to melt a highly targeted area of a material that you want to cut. Its usage is majorly in industrial manufacturing but it is becoming prevalent in other sectors like school and medical. You can apply it to a wide range of materials like wood, metal, iron, leather, plastic, etc. The success of the end-product depends on the machines you use. For instance, machines that use parts from brands like Mazak spare parts or Trumpf replacement parts are reliable enough to cut any materials. 

In spite of the latest trends and technology in laser cutting, operators face some common problems while dealing with the laser machine. 

Problem: Difficulty in finding the focal point of the laser machine

Generally, laser machines come with an automatic focal point. If you face this problem, there are two methods:

• Slant Plate Method: You can look for the laser beam at the minimum focus by moving the laser beam horizontally along a slant plate under the vertical axis.

• Pulse Method: Printing on a plastic sheet will help you check all holes and the smallest one you find is the hole.

Problem: Cutting depth is not sufficient

This can happen due to numerous reasons if;

• The position of the focal point is incorrect- follow the above mentioned two methods to find the focal point.
• The laser tube is ageing; we recommend to increase the laser power or replace the laser tube.
• The laser power supply and/or the output power is too low; adjust the supply and/or power by making it slower

Problem: Burr on the workpiece when cutting

• If you are unable to find the focal point of the laser machine, that will cause burr. You can manage the focal point by following the steps in the first point. 
• This can also happen if you run the laser cutter for too long. You can solve this by restarting the cutter. Burrs occur if the cutting line is too slow. Try increasing the line.
• Check the purity of the cutting working gas. 
• Shut down the machine and restart again. 

Problem: The cut of the metal remains incomplete

This happens majorly because of three reasons

• The thickness of the processing plate and the nozzle of the laser doesn’t match: try replacing the nozzle.
• The speed of laser cutting linear is fast: reduce the linear speed.
• The nozzle is not able to sense the laser focus position: re-detect the nozzle sensing data.

If you feel that it is time to replace the parts of the machine, you can rely on quality products like Mazak spare parts or Trumpf replacement parts. 

Problem: There are abnormal sparks while laser cutting

• Replace the nozzle in the laser head or increase the gas pressure for laser cutting.
• Check if the joint between the nozzle and the laser head is loose. Immediately stop the cutting and screw the joint tightly.

Problem: There is a small hole deformation during metal cutting

While machining small holes with a high power machine, the laser energy gets concentrated in a small area. This results in deformation of the hole. The solution here is to change the pulse perforation (soft puncture) method to blasting perforation (normal puncture).

Conclusion

We hope those solutions will help you solve some common problems while metal laser cutting. We recommend that before making a purchase do detailed research on the machines and replacement parts. Choose machines that use spare parts from Mazak spare parts or Trumpf replacement parts who have a vigilant team to solve any problem that occurs.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/common-problems-and-their-solutions-in-metal-laser-cutting

All you Need to Know: COVID19 and Metal Fabricators

 The Covid19 pandemic disrupted lives, economies, businesses, and work structure. And the metal production industry is of no exception. However, if you work in the metalworking industry, you know how there’s a light at the end of the crisis tunnel.

Like many metal fabricators,  Laserfab, a Lebanon, Pa.-based job shop, faced a tough time initially. “When it all hit, everyone had questions. There was so much uncertainty as to how to proceed. And the guidance coming from the state government changed daily.” So, said Dain Zimmerman, business development manager, who added, “Uncertainty sums it up, really.”

But then businesses began to stabilize by the end of April 2020 as their lasers were cutting parts for hospital beds. The business is also fabricating stainless steel parts for test tubes in medical labs.

That order was huge for us,” Zimmerman said. “We’re cutting the same day we’re receiving material.”

This goes out to show that while many businesses are being temporarily shut, metal fabrication operation is at the forefront providing supplies. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently deemed metal manufacturing part of the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce.

What does the essential critical workflow include?

• Workers necessary for the manufacturing of metals and products needed for supply chains associated with food and agriculture

• Workers necessary for the manufacturing and maintenance of equipment and other infrastructure necessary for mining production and distribution

• Workers needed to maintain the continuity of these manufacturing functions and associated supply chains

So, the manufacturing industry including metal fabricators is essential to maintain certain services majorly food and agriculture that Americans depend on during the pandemic. 

How is metal fabricator helping in feed and grain storage?

Even during extreme climate changes, a customized metal fabricator will help protect the bins and silos. 

A metal fabricator can apply the following techniques:

• Hot-dip galvanizing (HDG) to coat the metal in corrosion-resistant zinc

• Spot or metal arc welding to fuse silo or hopper parts together prior to galvanizing

• Additional fabrication detailing, such as adding metal fasteners that are compatible with the zinc coating

 Custom metal fabrications are helping not just in feed and grain but also in—

• Mining production and distribution

• Oil and gas

• Essential manufacturers who require custom-fabricated metal storage and infrastructure support

A key to adding precision and efficiency to this growing demand for metal fabricators is laser technology. Laser metal cutters are popular for the precision they provide. If you make the cut with lasers, the result will be smooth and clean. It will also save time and reduce costs by eliminating waste and reducing manpower. 

Laser cutters are also efficient in cutting a variety of materials like stainless steel, mild steel, plastic, leather, or titanium that have different thickness.

Lasers can cut, join, and subtract material. You can also add materials with the help of laser metal deposition or 3D printing. You can make the changes in power levels, pulse frequencies, and energy densities via beam diameter manipulation.

If you are looking for laser parts, go for popular brands like Amada laser parts or Prima Spare Parts that offer quality solutions.

The changes in technology, for instance, a C02 laser beam allows for constant laser beam length that will help you deliver a consistent cutting performance. Therefore, the result is clean, and precise cuts every time.

To get the best out of metal fabrication, you must utilize the most efficient methods for cutting. Avoid mistakes, waste materials, and complex programming. This will increase both time and expense. 

Final Remarks

In this crisis, metal fabricators are in a better place. High customer demand is preventing a major downturn in this space. Moreover, using efficient laser parts can add to the efficiency of your machines which will allow you to serve in the best possible way. You can buy  Amada laser parts or Prima Spare Parts to get the best possible results.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/2020/09/09/All-you-Need-to-Know-COVID19-and-Metal-Fabricators

How Laser-cutting Technology Works in the Leather Industry

We have been using leather for years. This material is famous for its ability to retain shape and design in every product. We can easily cut and shape the material because it is light and strong.  This makes it a versatile material and products of leather like shoes, gloves, hats, bags, etc. have immense value in the market. Technology has made it possible to use leather not just for clothing but also for other articles like automobile seats, book bindings, fashion accessories, and furniture.

Earlier traditional technologies like stone knives, bone needles, die press techniques and manual cutting were famous for cutting leather. The value of the product with manual cutting was not determined by its usage but by its design features. The major disadvantage was that these technologies would operate at a slow speed, require manpower and the result was of average quality. Over the years, laser cutting has become a popular technology used to enhance leather’s scope of functionality. 

What is Laser-cutting?

Laser cutting is a process that uses a laser to cut different materials from metallic to non-metallic elements. The use of the laser is for both industrial and artistic applications. Laser cutting uses a high-power laser which directs through optics and computer numerical control (CNC) to direct the beam or material. The gas vaporizes the beam which burns and leaves behind a high-quality surface finished edge.  

Role of laser-cutting in Leather industry:

The reason why laser technology is popular in the leather industry is because it provides high quality cutting in a short period of time. 

Laser-cutting in leather works with the help of two things- laser beam and computer technology. With high-energy, high-power-density carbon-dioxide laser beams you can cut leather speedily and efficiently. Plus, the digital and automatic technologies of the machine enhance the cutting capabilities. 

To cut a leather piece, a CO2 laser beam focuses on a small spot. By doing so, the focal point achieves high power density which converts photon energy into heat thus creating holes on the material. Despite the residual heat, the material is not prone to deformation because of the cut seam that hole produces.  Moreover, the size of the lather also remains consistent. Computer graphic designs are generally in use to increase efficiency. 

On the other end, C02 laser cutting is popular to engrave leather materials in shoes, bags, and other industries. The cutting speed generally reaches 5-30 mm per second while the engraving speed may reach 600 mm per second.

There are other two important processes of laser-cutting in leather:

Nesting: It is a process of positioning parts that are to be cut in such a way that there is minimum waste. The disadvantage of this process is that it does not assure complete utilization of the material. This process can also be challenging in case of large-scale production. To overcome this challenge, today, the usage of nesting software has increased.

Cutting sequence: the aim of this process is to complete the cutting procedure by finding the shortest path. 

Laser parts from manufacturers like Amada Laser Parts and Bystronic Spare Parts provide quality parts of the machine that increases the machine’s ability to engrave the leather. 

Following are the leather types suitable for laser cutting: 

• Natural leather- it is unfinished leather used for producing dyed leathers
• Suede leather- a type of leather with a napped finish, commonly used for jackets, shoes, shirts, purses, furniture, and other items.
• Synthetic leather- also known as artificial leather, substitute for leather in upholstery, clothing, footwear, and other uses
•  Alcantara leather- a common synthetic material used in automotive applications

Advantages of laser-cutting:

• Laser beams allow manufacturers to have clean and sealed edged cuts that reduce chafing of the leather.
• It requires less power for cutting.
• Have higher production speed. This helps you finish more products in less time.  
• Production of standard quality products.
• CIM system laser helps you manufacture identical designs.
• Laser cutters are precise enough to produce intricate designs as compared to manual cutting.
• It is contact-free. You will not require manpower for this.

To avail the best benefits, it is necessary to choose a machine that fulfills your requirements. You can do this by online research. Manufacturers like Amada Laser Parts and Bystronic Spare Parts provide quality, long-lasting and efficient products.

Disadvantages of laser-cutting:

• The natural quality of leather is variant. Due to this laser-cutting needs experimentation to operate the machine successfully.
• As the laser vaporizes and burns down the material, flames occur. But you can solve this issue by placing the machine in a ventilated area. 

Conclusion:

The wide range of features and advantages of laser cutter makes it an attractive tool for designers in the leather industry. If you are looking for laser machines for your enterprise, we recommend looking for reputed brands like Amada Laser Parts and Bystronic Spare Parts.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/2020/09/04/How-Laser-cutting-Technology-Works-in-the-Leather-Industry

Everything about the Growth of Laser Cutting Machine Industry

Over the past decade, the laser cutting industry grew with whooping 3.02 billion dollars worldwide. The growing trend of automation in the manufacturing industry and the demand for the end user are two of the major contributing factors.

 

If we look at the Manufacturing industries, they need laser parts like Amada parts and Mazak parts with complex geometry to keep their heavy equipment in a working condition.

 

It consists of major parts of automotive machines, consumer electronics, and other manufacturing industries.

 

Talking about the change, the laser cutting industry experienced different phases in power, quality, efficiency, and thickness of the material. Hence, cutting thin and thick metals at high speed is a quality possessed by machines.

 

With the help of laser cutting machines you can work on materials like metallic, non-metallic, and artificial substances. In this method, a laser beam passes through the material to cut it.

 

Depending on the material, laser produces via thermal stress cracking, melt, blow and cold cutting or any other techniques. It's also possible to control the laser with a mess of reflective surfaces.

 

Here, precision is important for the quality that laser has to offer. A laser cut part contains smoother edges and excels accuracy. Due to less operator interference in the laser cutting, the chances of human errors are almost zero.

 

What led to growth?

 

Over the time period, urbanization made a huge impact on laser machines. It leads to extensive demand among consumers for final products till the micro level. Moreover, the end-users use these machines to supply high quality products. Hence, the trend of automation is providing warranty to manufacturers to automate processes by including laser cutting machines.

 

Industrialization is also one of the major reasons for the growth of the laser cutting market. It increases the demand for laser cutting machines from developing countries like India, South Korea, China, South Africa, and Brazil.

 

This stable growth in the automobile industry is one of the other major reasons which impacts worldwide.

The Production capabilities of automobiles saw an increase in the past decade in Asian countries. This increase in the automobile sector benefits the laser market a lot and helps in growing ahead.

 

A lot of changes have come in the way of laser machines, like easy maintenance, less human interference and easy replacement of parts like Amada parts and Mazak parts.

 

In the industry like the electronic sector, it requires precise and accurate shapes which are useful in industrial tools. Additionally, there is prediction that the laser cutting machine market will surpass 5.7 billion dollars by 2022.

 

Hence, laser cutting machines are growing at the rapid growth in the market with a lot of potential ahead.

 

Below are the some of the major factors which helps in growth of laser cutting industry:

 

Speed:

 

Laser machines operate fast when it comes to cutting or engraving metals. You’ll need to form a prototype with the laser machines and in a matter of minutes it engraves the needed material.

 

Easy to Use:

 

Getting hands-on training on laser cutting machines is very easy. You can use graphic designing software to create a piece of work and process it through the laser. Usually, training for using laser machines happens via experienced users.

 

Material Versatility:

 

Laser cutting machines work with various materials like wood, acrylic, fabric, cork, rubber, leather and many more. Fabricators can engrave, cut, or weld any types of materials in laser cutting machines.

 

Decreases labor work:

 

If you are a fabricator thinking of growing your business then invest in laser cutting machines. Understanding and using laser cutting machines are very easy. You can teach it to your staff members and start. The positive side is it requires a handful of people to help you start with your business.

 

Data Storage:

 

Optical techniques play a major role in storage or high density of data. It supports the principle; when a strong laser irradiates a layer of metal, its optical properties change. The beam focuses on points smaller than one-micron diameter and takes one square micro to record one little bit of data i.e. 100 million per square cm.

 

Final words:

 

Laser cutting machines are useful due to its characteristics, easy to replace parts like Amada parts and Mazak parts. Soon, there are a lot of possibilities of growth, advancements, and large sums of ROI.

Source: https://altpartsinc.wixsite.com/altpartsinc/single-post/2020/09/02/Everything-about-the-Growth-of-Laser-Cutting-Machine-Industry