Credit: Extend or not to extend?
February 2009 Manager's Desk column
Operation / Process
Laser Cutting
Making the best of a slowdown
January 2009 Manager's Desk column
Laser marks the spot
Adam J. Wayne, a sales/engineering representative with Laser Marking Technologies, takes a few minutes to chat with Cutting Tool Engineering during the EASTEC show this spring. Laser Marking Technologies, which has more than 30 years of combined experience in the laser marking arena, offers complete turn-key systems for permanent marking on carbide, HSS, Stainless, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, glass, crystal, man-made rock, wood and laser-friendly plastics.
Coming to More Shops Soon?
High-power laser machines—at least 5,000w—are more useful in machine shops because their power permits fast processing of thicker materials, materials more like the blocks machined by the metalcutting industry. Also, automation allows for more cost-effective laser machining.
UV Goes Deep
Machining more effectively with a new, more focused ultraviolet laser.
The Power of Light
A Cleveland manufacturer applies the power and precision of lasers to machine complex medical parts.
Laser-like Focus
2-D and 3-D laser cutting machines add value to shops.
Cutting at Light Speed
Lasers continue to make inroads into machine shops.
Let the Chips Fall…
Controlling chips with a laser-based process sheds new light on an old problem.
Beyond Cool
Researchers tried bathing inserts in liquid nitrogen to keep them cool while cutting hard-to-machine materials. This article reports the results of this experiment. It shows how the use of cryogenic coolant can keep temperatures down and prolong tool life while machining titanium aluminum vanadium and reaction-bonded silicon nitride.
Squared Straight
Three different problems can cause a laser to make beveled cuts. As these problems interact, they create distinct patterns of bevel angles that require sophisticated mathematical analysis to sort out. This article discusses an experiment using Fourier analysis to determine which combination of problems caused the cyclical variation that was observed in the measurements of a laser's cutting angle.