Do you have a CNC laser machine for wood, or do you want to purchase one? This is not surprising since CNC laser is a popular machine that is used in many areas of manufacturing.
Souvenirs, furniture, promotional items - this is not the entire list of items that can be made with its help. Laser machines today have become an excellent alternative to manual cutting, burning, carving, which has greatly simplified these processes and reduced the time spent on work.
Operating principle of a laser machine
Choosing a machine for laser cutting of wood Laser cutting machines are designed for high-precision, high-quality processing of wood.
A high-temperature concentrated laser beam, when exposed to the material being processed, heats it to the melting or evaporation temperature. Penetrating deep into the thickness, the laser cuts through the workpiece. The heating of the particles and their evaporation occurs at a very high speed, which avoids the wood igniting. Compared to other types of cutting, products obtained using a laser have a minimum width and increased cutting accuracy. Using a laser, you can process any type of wood and plywood of any thickness.
What are the advantages of using lasers when working with wood and plywood?
Laser cutting is considered an advantageous method of material processing. It has the following advantages:
- high cutting speed (the exact figures depend on the thickness of the sheet of material that the laser cuts and the power of the device);
- precision processing, allowing you to obtain high-quality detailed drawings on plywood;
- smooth cut that does not require subsequent grinding;
- the ability to obtain smooth shapes and lines.
Another advantage of laser cutting is its relatively low price - from 100 rubles. for processing 1 linear meter of plywood. The final cost depends on the thickness of the material and the conditions of the contractor. But the cost of this type of service is rarely overpriced, taking into account the high quality of the final product.
Laser machines have low power consumption, multi-task and leave no waste. This method of processing plywood and wood guarantees rational use of the material.
Types of laser cutting machines
All machines are equipped with CNC systems to allow programming of work and ensure high cutting accuracy.
There are several types of laser cutting machines depending on the design, purpose, power, and performance. The following classifications are distinguished:
According to the laser design:
- gas;
- solid state
- gas-dynamic.
The difference lies in the wavelength of the generated radiation, and each type of laser has its own purpose. When choosing a design, it is necessary to take into account the material and thickness of the parts being processed so that the processing is cost-effective.
By purpose:
- for engraving (engravers);
- for marking (markers) and dating (daters);
- for cutting.
According to working conditions:
- home;
- professional;
- industrial.
Engravers, markers and daters have less power and cost.
Household equipment is small in size, low in power, and designed for short cycles of working with materials of small thickness. Most often, laser wood cutting machines for household use have a desktop design and small dimensions of processed workpieces. They do not require connection to a 380 V network.
The professional line of machines has a much broader purpose (engraving, cutting solid wood). The work cycle is designed for a full work shift. Its design has a monolithic frame, and the dimensions of the machine require its installation in a specialized room.
Industrial equipment is equipped with lasers of increased power. The main purpose is the continuous operation of a woodworking enterprise. Laser cutting systems are expensive equipment and require special training of personnel to operate it.
Approximate order of use
The basic rules for operating the machine are quite simple, but you still need to know the step-by-step order so as not to get confused later:
- First you need to select a pattern that will be cut out;
- Then you should load the image (photo) into the operating program of the device, while simultaneously checking the cleanliness of the working surface of the lens. If contamination occurs, then the lens should be wiped with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol;
IMPORTANT! You cannot wipe the lens with vodka, since the essential oils contained in its composition form a thin film on the lens when it dries, which will lead to scattering of the beam!
- After turning on the unit, you must wait until it warms up;
- Next, you should select a processing method: “raster” for engraving and “vector” for cutting;
- Then you need to determine the width of the line for the cut (it is worth remembering that wide lines take a long time to complete);
- Upon completion of all operations, the process will begin to execute, and the production time will depend on the processing material and the set speed mode.
Criteria for choosing a laser machine for wood
- Desktop
Raylogic V12 6040
For cutting wood, it is recommended to use machines with a lamella table. The carver places the workpieces to be processed on long flat plates mounted on an edge. The second type of table is a cellular table, which is much more difficult to maintain when cleaning from carbon deposits and dirt.
- Dimensions and functionality of the workspace
When choosing, it is important to take into account the dimensions of the materials intended for manufacturing or processing - they must completely fit in the area of operation of the tool. For engraving three-dimensional products, the functions of automatically lowering and rotating the work table and drawing material will be useful. In this case, the product is processed in one installation and the working time is significantly reduced. In the future, this will reduce the price of products.
- Control system
There are models on the market with a single-tasking or multi-tasking control system. Single-tasking machines can execute one command sent by the operator sequentially one after another. While multitasking systems allow you to completely define the entire part processing program before starting work.
- Linear motion system
This component of laser machines is responsible for maintaining the accuracy of the equipment over time. Home household machines have guides and rollers made of fluoroplastic. They are much cheaper and subject to rapid abrasion. If the slightest wear appears in the linear movement system, it will lead to deviations in the dimensions of the manufactured products. Professional machines are equipped with rail guides paired with high-precision needle bearings. With proper care and timely maintenance, the service life of such a system is practically unlimited.
- Availability of cooling and air supply to the nozzle
For correct operation and maximum power of the equipment, stable cooling of the laser tube and blowing of the nozzle is required. The blown air increases the speed of removal of cutting products and keeps the optical elements of the laser clean. Blowing with compressed air requires a compressor with a receiver. Many machine models include a compressor. However, it is worth checking this before purchasing.
In addition to purchasing and installing the laser machine itself, you need to take care of ensuring high-quality exhaust and ventilation of the room. When working with wood, effective smoke removal is required.
conclusions
A CNC laser machine allows you to set up large-scale production with relatively small investments. Installation of the machine does not require much space, and prices for machines start at approximately 100,000 rubles. The entire process, from developing a sketch or digital model to receiving the finished product, can be completed by one worker. Thanks to the high precision of the machine, the result is predictably excellent.
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Application of laser machines
Currently, with the development of technology, a large selection of household and professional relatively inexpensive laser devices for working with wood has appeared. Their acquisition has become possible for personal use or for the operation of small businesses. Many small businesses in Moscow use a wood laser cutter to make:
- furniture elements;
- decorative products for interior and exterior;
- signs, plates;
- decorations;
- toys;
- souvenirs;
- logos, business cards;
- keychains;
- kitchen utensils.
Some nuances of setting up the device
It is always necessary to remember that a laser installation is a complex technical equipment, so its settings must be extremely accurate. The adjustment is carried out using a light beam and during this procedure the working element is replaced with a conventional laser pointer. The procedure will include the following steps:
- Correction of the laser tube - transparent adhesive tape is glued to the main mirror, and the position of the tube itself is adjusted so that the beam hits directly at its center;
- Then the tape is glued to the second mirror, and the main one is adjusted. As a result, the laser pointer mark should always be in the center, regardless of the distance. The beam direction is changed by turning the screws;
- Next, the third mirror is covered with tape and the above procedure is repeated, but only for the second optical element;
- The third mirror is configured by placing a “target” on the desktop. In this case, the spot size must correspond to the size of the output nozzle. Adjustment is also made using screws.
Price Dependence
Often, in the laser machine market, you can encounter the following situation: it would seem that devices with identical technical characteristics should cost the same, because they may even have the same desktop dimensions? But the cost, first of all, will consist of the overall configuration and the quality of individual parts. And these include:
- Frame;
- Table size;
- Ray tube;
- Warming block;
- Power supply;
- Motors and other control elements.
Also, additional options will have a significant impact on the price, such as a residual current device, the presence of a hood, the presence of a rotating device, the presence of a photo-video camera, etc.
It is worth mentioning that for complex technical devices the name of the manufacturer always and everywhere plays a big role. Indeed, small, unknown companies can attract a potential buyer with the extremely low prices of their equipment, but it is difficult to find truly good equipment among such samples. And when purchasing a laser device from such companies, the user risks paying double the price, which will result in frequent repairs.
You can visually distinguish a good model even just by looking at the body. If it is made of thin sheet metal and has cheap articulated shaft guides installed, then such a machine is unlikely to be suitable for working at high speeds. High acceleration will create additional vibrations, which will inevitably lead to the violation of the correctness of the cut lines or the production of uneven engraving. It is also worth paying attention to the age of the manufacturing company - figures of 3 - 5 years are considered optimal. An age of 9 years or more already indicates a well-deserved place in the market. And in addition, it is worth discussing service issues with the seller - if a lifetime warranty or at least a 5-year service period is offered, then such a seller is trustworthy.
Device selection
When choosing a laser CNC, the following indicators must be taken into account:
- Precision parameter. It determines the quality of production of texture elements.
- Power. This indicator determines the performance of the device. Machines with high power are capable of processing a large number of parts in a short period of time.
- Functionality. When purchasing a machine, it is important to find out whether the machine is suitable for engraving or milling plywood.
- Material. The working mechanisms and corner parts of the machine must be made of stainless steel.
When purchasing a laser device, it is important to pay attention to the manufacturer's brand. As of 2022, the most popular devices among buyers are the following brands: Kokie, Mazak, Trumpf, ESAB and Bystronic. They are distinguished by their high service life and versatility. Laser installations are also assembled in Russia. The leading Russian manufacturer is the research and production center “Lasers and Equipment”, located in the Moscow region.
General algorithm for cutting wood
A similar operation with plywood and wood is performed in several stages. The workpiece material may have different thicknesses.
For each existing cutting process, different equipment functions are used; for cutting thick (usually 8-10 mm) materials, laser tubes with an average power of 120 W are used.
The general algorithm includes three basic stages:
- preparation of the future drawing (image parameters are entered electronically into the software memory);
- mode of processing the workpiece with the emitter; The main setting parameter is the power of the laser tube. Selected taking into account the characteristics of the workpiece material. Exceeding the optimal power value leads to an increase in cutting width.
- formation of a pattern.
To cut a workpiece of the desired geometry or rough image, the laser emitter can be moved at maximum speed.
It should be remembered that working at maximum speeds causes edge darkening of the workpiece.
The highest quality processing can be achieved using CNC-equipped laser machines.
Instead of an epilogue
The analysis of the market showed that the leaders in it are not Western companies. Russian buyers prefer to purchase Asian-made analogues, since the components used for their assembly are still produced in Europe. And this already allows us to talk about overall quality. At the same time, most Chinese companies do not have their own service centers in the Russian Federation, which means there may be some problems with repairs. However, from the beginning of 2022, this situation began to improve - authorized centers appeared in Siberia and the Far East, which provide the services of visiting specialists in the regions of Russia (even within the framework of warranty service).
