Rentapen’s Just-in-time Laser Cutting Services nick cut metal parts better than water jet cutting, according to a Wisconsin-based battery manufacturer.
Battery Manufacturer Chooses Laser Metal Cutting Services Over Water Jet
A battery manufacturer necessitated cutting an aluminum plate for its windmill energy storage unit, on December 15, 2011. Samples of the metal parts cut using water jet and with Rentapen's laser were observed. The efficiency of Rentapen’s laser over water jet was demonstrated based on the following criteria: the accuracy of the cut, heat affected zones, thickness of the material, and machine cleaning. Materials with a greater thickness up to 10 in and certain other materials like ceramics and stone employ water jet cutting machines that facilitate cutting multiple sheets of material at one time. However, while penetrating into the metal, the cut tends to taper out. Unlike lasers that cut vertically through the metal, the water jet sprays out, tapering slightly through the edge of the thicker cut parts. This ensures laser cutting to be a better option for battery manufacturers than water jet cutting machines.
In contrast to water jet, the edge of the cut metal becomes hot in laser cutting, creating a heat affected zone. With the introduction of Rentapen’s Just-In-Time laser cutting services, the number of pierce holes is eliminated, reducing the amount of heat. Rentapen’s Just-In-Time laser cutting services are found be be more clean, compared to water jet cutting, as the resulting waste is mostly dust.
Rentapen is provided with a smaller laser for cutting thinner sheets of metal and various other materials including paper, wood, and plastic. Also, it has wide application in engraving and etching. Each year, the machine tool industry employs Rentapen to cut an extensive number of metal shims.
Source: http://www.rentapen.com/