High Power Diode Lasers and Industrial Applications
In recent years diode lasers have evolved in output power and beam quality, opening new innovative applications for this efficient and robust laser source. Applications like tailored blanks welding which combine different material strengths and thicknesses were successfully brought to wide industrial utilization. With the significant power increase in laser sources, up to 50 kW, thick material welding and large area surface treatment is now possible. Furthermore, diode lasers have become the industry standard for highly groundbreaking applications like carbon fiber tape placement, laser assisted material processing as well as high speed cladding - a process which was developed to substitute hard chrome plating. In addition to that, the high efficiency and robustness of the sources make it ideally suitable for large area free form AM resulting therefore in high productivity and decreasing cycle time for additive manufactured parts and paving the way into intelligent and resource efficient production environment.
Wolfgang Todt - Laserline Inc.
Selecting the Correct Purity for Your N2 Assist Gas Maximizes On-Site Nitrogen Generation System Efficiency and Reduces ROI Time Period
Companies utilizing metal laser cutting equipment are exploring cost savings alternatives to buying Nitrogen assist gas in bulk from an external supplier. An on-site generator enables users to fulfill their demand for nitrogen gas on their premises, under their complete control. As a result, companies can generate as much or as little nitrogen as needed often at a lower cost. Users often default to ultra-high purity when selecting the N2 gas purity (in relation to O2 content) in the range of 99.99 – 99.999% without the knowledge of how the purity affects the metal cut finish. It is important to educate the user on how purity affects sizing & select the most cost & energy efficient N2 generator system.
Mark Lauterwasser - nano - air & gas solutions
How to Mitigate the Risks of Dust Collector Fires from Spark Generating Metal Processes
Laser cutting, plasma cutting, welding, grinding and other metal fabrication processes all create metal dust particles and sparks. These sparks and other metal dust particles are conveyed from the process point to the dust collector. With most applications, the majority of sparks will be extinguished by the time they reach the dust collector. But, what happens when sparks are not extinguished and are conveyed into the dust collector? Equipment damage, filter replacement costs and downtime, as well as worker safety are all costs of a potential fire in a dust collector. This presentation will provide insight into the combustibility of the metal dust and the risks of the sparks entering the dust collector from fiber laser and other spark generating processes and potential preventative measures to reduce the risks.
Paul Johnson - Blender Products and Karen Wear - Donaldson Company, Inc.