What is the laser cutting technique

Laser is an acronym for Light Amplification By Stimulated Emission of Radiation. It is a light source, but with properties that differentiate it from other sources and make it more useful and manageable.

In this technique, the cutting of sheet metal parts is characterized by the use of powerful energy such as laser light concentrated on the work area. It is essential to use pressurized gas, oxygen, nitrogen or CO2 while the cutting process is being carried out in order to evacuate the material.

Nowadays, the use of lasers has become a common resource in manufacturing processes. Laser cutting is a thermal cutting process that employs highly localized melting or vaporization to cut metal using the heat emitted by the beam of light.

Laser cutting allows a precision that is not possible with other techniques and can be easily adjusted without the use of dies. It is a silent process that does not require mechanical contact with the part and ensures minimal material loss. We can say that this is the most advanced technique that can be found in the precision cutting industry.

Laser cutting allows the manufacture of different types of products in different materials. In fact we can say that practically all metals can be cut by laser, only that some absorb radiation better than others. There are materials such as aluminum or brass that do not have this quality and to which a series of treatments are applied to facilitate this.

Stainless steel sheets are one of the materials in which this technique is most commonly used. Most of the products we manufacture at Mecanizados Delinte are made of stainless steel and galvanized sheet metal. These two materials stand out for their strength and resistance to corrosion.

Advantages of the laser cutting technique

Among the main advantages of using the laser technique we can highlight the high cutting speed, the flexibility it allows, the results of clean edges that are perfectly sealed and without protruding. In addition, handling is very simple and cost-effective, even in small batches. We can also say that it is a clean technology, free of pollutants with the consequent importance that this means for the environment.

On today’s laser cutting machines most of the functions are automated. This allows operators to perform simple operations. In addition, the high power ratings make it possible to cut sheets of increasingly thicker thicknesses. The use of inert gases has also increased the cutting speed.

By the 1990s, ultra-fast laser cutting machines began to be introduced and, in combination with integrated punching, they are gaining ground all the time. At Mecanizados Delinte we use laser cutting techniques to manufacture a wide variety of customized products such as electrical mechanical cabinets or control room consoles.

La entrada The laser cutting technique se publicó primero en Mecanizados DELINTE.

We are aware that in industrial processes there are no manufacturing technologies that are ideal in absolute terms. Each company adjusts the suitability of its production method according to the components to be manufactured. Recent trends tend to focus on shortening product manufacturing and delivery times. And in making high-value products that have a long shelf life.

Global competitiveness

The processes of digitalization and hyperconnectivity, towards which we are tending more and more, contribute to transform the structure of the different organizations but also to increase competitiveness at a global level. Keeping abreast of new technologies seems an absolute necessity for companies like ours. They are a fundamental part of the scientific-technical revolution that we are experiencing in the productive sphere.

Technological innovations in fields such as microelectronics lead to the creation of technological systems that favor production automation processes. The increasingly clear union of science and technology is leading to the emergence of advances in electronics, biotechnology, energy sources, space technologies and new materials.

The emergence of new materials

The emergence of new technologies has its origin in the search for solutions to various objectives, which focus on minimizing the sizes of some parts, finding cheaper forms of energy and more resistant and durable materials, etc. In practice, new technologies can be applied to the production of any type of good. No industry seems to be able to remain on the sidelines of this process.

The trend is towards advances in the production of products that save materials and energy through intensive information processing.

New materials are the post-World War II response to the need to produce materials with specialized properties. Science and engineering came together to modify the properties of matter. This led to the appearance of polymers, ceramics and, what affects us most directly: steels.

The trend to replace traditional materials with more resistant and durable ones has been growing since the last third of the last century. Research is focused on achieving specific properties in these materials. This is the case of resistance to high temperatures, mechanics, corrosion and increased energy efficiency, as well as reductions in density and weight, or increased conductive capabilities, textures, transparency, etc.

We have been able to obtain new metal alloys thanks to the combination of different minerals and the implementation of new processes. By controlling the cooling rate and solidification of the materials, it was possible to modify the microstructure of the materials and the properties associated with them, achieving, for example, high-strength steels.

In addition, weight is reduced, which has been especially important for the construction and automotive industries, as well as our own. We focus the production of our products, such as electrical enclosures, on materials such as stainless steel, aluminum and carbon steel.

La entrada How new technologies are transforming the machining industry se publicó primero en Mecanizados DELINTE.

Both TIG and MIG are acronyms. MIG stands for Metal Inert Gas, while TIG stands for Tungsten Inert Gas. Let’s take a closer look at what each of them consists of.

TIG welding

It is one of the types of welding that is becoming widespread today, especially in stainless steels, because although it is more expensive, it offers better finishes. One of its advantages is that this process is very clean, leaving hardly any residue on the base metal.

But the great advantage of TIG welding is that it allows very precise temperature control, which is ideal for penetrating thick steels and for jobs requiring a high level of precision.

The finishes obtained with this system are very strong, precise and corrosion resistant. In addition, they are homogeneous and allow a completely smooth result to be obtained. TIG welding also offers the option of using a filler metal or not.

MIG welding

MIG welding is also known as gas and metal arc welding. The arc is formed from a continuous wire electrode and the parts to be joined, and is protected from the surrounding atmosphere by an inert gas.

MIG welding offers a number of advantages among which we can highlight that it allows welding in all positions. Also perform precision welds from 0.7 to 6 mm without preparing the edges and offering very good finishes. It is a process that offers high productivity and provides good quality.

In Europe, the gas most commonly used in this type of welding is argon. In the United States, on the other hand, helium is the most widely used. When welding steel, argon must be mixed with oxygen, since quantities greater than 5% of pure argon produce bites.

Three different MIG welding processes can be distinguished. Semi-automatic is the most common. Here the welder sets parameters such as voltage and current, which are then automatically maintained by the equipment as the welder drags the gun. Then there are the automatic and robotized processes. The latter is mainly used on an industrial scale.

Delinte’s workers are experts in precision TIG and MIG welding and are qualified to weld carbon steel, stainless steel and aluminum from 1 to 9 mm thick. We are ISO 9001:2008 certified. In fact, we are in the process of adapting to ISO 9001:2015 and we have the UNE 15085-CL2 certification required for the welding process of equipment and components in the railway sector.

Do not hesitate to ask us for a quotation for any of our products you are interested in, from a metal electrical cabinet to a shelter type cabin.

La entrada Precision welding: TIG welding and MIG welding se publicó primero en Mecanizados DELINTE.