Laser cutting and other cutting processes

Laser cutting machine is one of the most widely used mechanical equipments. With the recognition of it, scientific development has made new improvements and created a new type of laser cutting machine. Then laser cutting machine and other cutting machines In comparison, where is its advantage?
Compared with other thermal cutting methods, as a thermal cutting process, other methods can not act like a laser beam in an extremely small area, resulting in a wide incision, a large heat affected zone and a significant deformation of the workpiece. Laser cutting machines can cut non-metal, while other thermal cutting methods cannot. The following is a comparison of different cutting devices:
(1) Oxygen-flammable substances such as acetylene are cut. This method is mainly used for cutting low-carbon steel. Due to its large heat input and low cutting speed, it is rarely used to cut materials that require precise dimensions below 20 mm.
(2) Plasma cutting. The cutting speed is significantly faster than oxyacetylene cutting, but the cutting quality is poor, the top of the cutting edge is round-headed, the cutting edge is obviously wavy, and ultraviolet radiation generated by the arc is also prevented. It is slightly superior to the laser cutting machine in that it is suitable for cutting thick steel plates and aluminum alloys with high reflectivity to light beams.
(3) mold red. The die punching method for mass production of parts has a low cost and a short production cycle. However, its adaptability to design changes is poor. New Molds need to be designed for a long time and cost is high. For medium and small-scale production, the characteristics of laser cutting will be fully displayed. In addition, laser program-controlled cutting facilitates tight organization of workpieces and saves material, while mold punching requires material to be reserved around each workpiece.
(4) Partial punching of complex parts. Under normal circumstances, the punching machine often punches out workpieces that are much larger than the die size, and some of the workpieces are complicated. This results in many small conchoidal cutting edges and requires a second preparatory process. In addition the punches will form much wider cuts than the laser cutters, producing a large amount of iron filings.
(5) Sawing. Cutting thin metal is significantly slower than laser cutting, and the laser is a flexible, contactless, profiling tool that can cut from any point of the material in any direction. At this point, sawing is difficult to do.
(6) Electrical processing. In general, there are two methods of electro-discharge and electro-chemical machining that use electro-corrosion or melting effects. They are used for the fine processing of hard materials. The incision roughness is good, but the cutting speed is several orders of magnitude slower than that of a laser cutting machine.
(7) Water cutting. Many metal materials can be cut but at high cost.