1. Work Theory of Laser Cutting
Laser cutting is to used the focused high power and high-density laser beam to irradiate the workpiece so that the irradiated part of the material will melt, vaporize, ablate so that the material can be cut. In one word, laser cutting is one of the thermal cutting methods.
As a thermal cutting method, the air assist is indispensable in the process. Basically, the main functions of auxiliary gas in laser cutting are:
*Combustion supporting and heat dissipation
*Timely blowing off the molten stains produced by cutting
*Preventing the cutting molten stains from rebounding upward into the nozzle, protecting the focus lens, etc.
2. Air Compressor for Laser Cutting
Oxygen (O2), nitrogen (N2), and compressed air are the main auxiliary gases for laser cutting. However, nowadays the majority of laser cutting work is done with compressed air for it’s a much cheaper and more convenient air assist, for the compressed air can be directly provided by air compressor, which is easy to obtain compared with oxygen and nitrogen, and the price is very cheap.
In general, it is the most economical and practical choice to use compressed air instead of nitrogen unless there is a strict requirement on the surface color of the material incision.
Compared with other types of air assist, the benefits of the industrial air compressor are the following:
*Less cleaning.
*Laser optics won’t crack from residue buildup.
*Improved efficiency.
*Higher quality of work.
*Increased safety.
In summary, for laser cutting work, the industrial air compressor is easier to install and helps to save money in the long run!
3. How to select a suitable industrial air compressor for laser cutting?
For the reasons we mentioned before, nowadays more and more industrial air compressor manufacturers are dedicated to producing air compressors for laser cutting. Among so many industrial air compressor brands, how to choose a suitable and highly efficient compressor?
Integrated Dryer system:
The compressed air contains water mist and oil. If it is not cleaned, a high-pressure jet to the mirror of the laser cutting head will seriously affect the transmission of the laser beam, disperse the focus, and cause the product to be cut incompletely and produce waste products. Therefore, the air compressor must be equipped with a good dryer to remove the moisture in the compressed air as much as possible.
High Precision Filter:
Apart from oil and water, other kinds of residue in the compressed air might also affect the optical path o even damage the lens. For this reason, a good industrial air compressor for laser cutting must be also equipped with a high precision filter group so as to remove dust particles.
High Stability:
For a highly efficient laser cutting, the air compressor generally needs to work continuously. A good industrial air compressor needs to meet the long-term stable operation of the laser cutting machine so that a lot of lens cleaning work can be saved.
Besides, the selection of a suitable industrial air compressor must also depend on the type of laser cutting head, the nozzle size, etc.
4. Our Star Products for Laser Cutting Machine
As a professional industrial air compressor supplier, Sollant has always been dedicated to producing and providing air compressors of high quality to industrial air compressor distributors all over the world.
An industrial air compressor for laser cutting is one of our main products. It’s worth mentioning that Integrated 4-In-1 Air Compressor and Twin Tank Mounted Air Compressor are among our star products.
The Integrated 4-In-1 Air Compressor integrates compressor, air storage tank, water separator, cold dryer, and filter into one, which saves the trouble of user’s self-provided gas tank, cold dryer and filter, the trouble of user’s on-site installation and connection, and the trouble of service provided by multiple suppliers.
In terms of Twin Tank Mounted Air Compressor, its unique double-tanks design offers a more stable and long-term operation, which meets laser cutting’s requirement.
