Higher cutting speed equals higher laser power. This formula has been more than just a rule of thumb, but Trumpf engineers have now severed the correlation between speed and kilowatts.

The fruit of their labour? The Highspeed and Highspeed Eco cutting processes.
A newly designed nozzle boosts the feed rate by up to 100% for solid-state laser machines that employ fusion cutting with nitrogen. What’s more, laser power does not need to be increased. Not only is the feed rate now faster, but also the piercing process. These new cutting operations also allow for nearly a two-fold increase in sheet throughput compared with standard cutting, says the company, while less cutting gas is used thanks to the nozzle’s design. The Highspeed process requires 40% less nitrogen on average, with the Highspeed Eco 70% less.
In fusion cutting, gas under relatively high pressure blows molten material out of the kerf, which entails high operating costs. Flame cutting using oxygen has traditionally been used for mild steel, especially for relatively thick sheets. The advantage of low gas costs is offset by oxidised cut edges, which often need to be reworked.
Trumpf’s new Highspeed and Highspeed Eco processes, by contrast, are faster and use less gas, which greatly increases the cost efficiency of fusion-cutting mild steel with nitrogen. In addition, the scope of application is today broader for 8 kW lasers used in fusion cutting. The laser can now cut sheets as thick as 12 mm, instead of just 10 mm as in the past.
For further information www.trumpf.com