Tube Laser Cutting: Is it Right for Your Application? - Industrial Metal Supply

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This has important consequences for both the reliability and productivity of the system.

Thin, flexible tubes tend to bend and jam if they are not properly guided, increasing the risk of frequent interruptions. Heavy tubes apply stress to the machine with shocks and vibrations that require mechanical robustness and specific solutions to ensure the system remains efficient over time.

Do you want to know more about laser cutting systems for large diameter tubes? Here is an article that may interest you

Special section tube laser-cutting: Many shapes in one solution

Another feature of the tube compared to sheet metal is the availability of a huge number of different shapes, sections, and profiles (material and thickness variety is on a par with sheet processing).

These range from the simplest round, square and rectangular tubes that were first sections that could be processed on the earlier systems (more than thirty years ago on the Adige – BLMGROUP Lasertube machines!) to the more complex sections, with variable thickness, open concave profiles.

Each section and shape poses challenges for its correct management from loading, handling, correctly adjusting the laser power for consistently high-quality cuts (see below) to unloading.

From short light-weight tubes to the large, heavy sections (cut into lengths of several metres) such as those used in the structural sector, there are numerous features and solutions that the system must have in place to ensure that processing is always reliable and sustainable.

The geometries to be obtained can also make a difference. Just think about the importance of correctly inserting micro-joints to make parts that otherwise could not be feasible. Automatic management, where available, allows part feasibility but also, and above all, for the correct use of the system by protecting it from potentially unwelcome circumstances that only expert users could detect and prevent when creating the part programs for a laser tube cutting system. CTA ARTUBE

Needless to say, the management of flat sheet cutting is much more limited (at least for most systems). The parts remain stationary and retained within the sheet from which they have been cut, regardless of thickness, material, type of cut or geometries obtained
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Are you interested in learning more about Laser Tube and Sheet Cutting Services(ru,fr,ko)? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

Cutting fouled and imperfect tube: Leading in all conditions

Anyone working in the tube industry knows that geometric tolerances in tube production, torsion and axial bending problems, dirt or rust on the surface, are issues operators need to be prepared to deal with.

Of these problems, only a small proportion also affect sheet metal, so it is easy to see why obtaining parts from the tube, of consistent quality, within a reasonable timeframe and without waste, is anything but simple. To achieve this, technical solutions are once again required that are able to recognize and compensate for variations on the tube shape and can effectively manage the presence of dirt and rust. It is also advisable that the laser power itself is correctly adjusted according to the advancement speed at all points along the path, to avoid burns and loss of the cut where the thickness is not constant (e.g. at the weld seam) or where the curvature of the profile changes (e.g. special sections with deep and sudden concavities).

Laser sources for tube cutting: Less power, more control!

Another important difference between the world of sheet metal and that of tubes concerns the power of the laser sources installed on the cutting system.

In recent times, we have seen the size of laser sources on sheet metal installations grow to extreme levels (over 15 kW and up to 30 kW!). Notwithstanding the psychological effect, sometimes the result of unscrupulous marketing, that these numbers can create, there is no doubt that an increase in power, in favourable conditions, leads to an increase in productivity and an increase in the maximum workable thickness of the sheet metal. This did not occur for tubes. Why is this?

Once again, it is the geometry of the material that provides the answer. One issue is the impossibility of travelling long distances at high speed as on a flat sheet. Secondly, the thickness range that can be processed is much more limited for the tube (with thicker material, the weight limits allowed by the installations are quickly reached). Finally, the fact that the tube itself is a closed shape, i.e. with one side opposite the side to be cut, limits the maximum power that can be used to prevent burns and overheating of cut and uncut walls.

The sheet does not have the problem of having an opposite wall and therefore the power used to cut (when well managed) once it has exceeded the thickness is dispersed onto the support grid.

Tube laser cutting: 2 + 1 does not always equal 3!

An extra axis is not enough to transform a 2D laser cutting system into a 3D one. This special cutting method, which is not very common on sheet metal (with a few exceptions), is on the other hand, an opportunity to be considered for tubes, provided you know what you need and what you can achieve. This involves tilting the laser beam relative to the surface of the material during cutting and along the way to obtain chamfered holes, inclined geometry edges and endings and to achieve precise joints and supports between tubes, simplifying welding later on.

As the angle of inclination changes and at each point along the path, the thickness to be cut changes and with it the laser parameters must also change. If these changes are managed automatically and robustly by the numerical control and the integrated algorithms on the machine, all the opportunities offered by 3D cutting can be exploited; otherwise, there will be more hassle than benefit.

Discover the benefits of 3D laser cutting in large tubes in this article.

The main differences between tube and sheet laser cutting: conclusions

In conclusion, we have seen some of the elements that can make the choice of a laser tube cutting system complex and different from the choice of a sheet system. There may be many others depending on the application area and productivity and sustainability expectations.

All you have to do is to rely on a supplier with recognized experience and reliability to make an investment that will bring value over time and accompany the growth of your company.

For more information, please visit Custom Metal Hardware Supplier.