First distinguish between "can cut through" and "can produce stably"
Higher laser power does not accelerate every material and contour by the same proportion. Material grade, thickness, surface condition, assist gas, nozzle, focus and cutting head all affect the cut. When purchasing, state the main thicknesses for long-term batch production and the occasional extreme workpieces; daily equipment value is determined by the regular order mix.
"Can cut through" simply means that the material is separated. Stable production also requires acceptable trimming, size, slag and repeatability, and the ability to maintain acceptable consumable and downtime costs throughout the entire batch. The focus of the system is different for complex small parts of thin plates and long straight lines of thick plates, so we cannot just compare the maximum cuttable thickness.
Use order structure to select power instead of starting from the largest number
The TW-LPC series offers 12 / 20 / 30 / 40 / 60 kW power options. Orders should be classified by material, thickness, hole density, profile length and batch size, and then candidate configurations should be screened. The cutting benefits brought by higher power under a certain working condition may be offset by dense piercing, deceleration corners, waiting for loading and unloading, or post-processing.
| Order characteristics | Priority comparison items | Time or cost that is easily missed |
|---|---|---|
| Long straight sides, larger parts | Stable cutting speed, trimming and thermal deformation | Whole plate loading, alignment and long piece unloading |
| Dense holes, slots and sharp corners | Actual quality of the smallest features, piercing strategy and motion control | Perforation, corner deceleration, slag trimming |
| Multiple steel types, multiple thicknesses, small batches | Process library, ventilation and consumables replacement and first article verification | Frequent model changes and re-finding of parameters |
| Thick plates with requirements for welding edges | Trim quality, squareness and subsequent beveling or cleaning | Edge trimming, additional operations and inspection |
Check the complete configuration table to avoid different supply scopes with the same power
TITANWELD The laser solution described uses Raycus or Maxphotonics lasers, and the cutting system and cutting head use the Bochu solution. In addition to the brand name, the actual model, rated power adaptation, functional scope, and matching of cooling, air supply, dust removal, and movement mechanisms should also be specified. The models and purchasing channels of consumables such as protective mirrors and nozzles should be confirmed along with the delivery documents.
The type, quality, pressure and flow rate of the auxiliary gas should be matched according to the selected process. The gas conditions of a certain material should not be directly copied to all tasks. Site preparation requires reviewing the power distribution capacity, cooling environment, gas storage or supply methods, smoke exhaust ducts, and maintenance spaces; simply increasing the laser power without matching these systems will not form a reliable production plan.
Compare candidates using the same set of test cuts
Cover at least the highest proportion of commonly used parts, thicker workpieces, and parts with the most difficult features. Use the agreed steel type and plate surface condition, and keep the drawing version, acceptance conditions and measurement methods consistent. The process table provided by the supplier can help with the preliminary selection, and the final comparison should fall on the trial cutting records that match the order.
| record group | Specific content | used to judge |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment and materials | Laser, power, cutting head, gas, plate grade and measured thickness | What configurations and incoming materials does the result apply to? |
| Procedures and processes | Part file, quantity, perforation method, main cutting parameters | Whether it can be produced repeatedly and the reasons for process changes |
| time | Itemized records of loading and alignment, perforation, cutting, pause, unloading and trimming | Complete-batch cycle time, rather than a single straight-line speed |
| Quality and consumption | Appearance holes, trimming, qualified quantity, gas and consumables records | Cost of each batch of qualified parts and subsequent processing burden |
Compare investment to each batch of qualified parts
Compare mainframe, ancillary facilities, installation preparation and operating costs under the same order and shift assumptions. Operation items can be calculated separately according to electricity, gas, consumables, operation, maintenance and necessary post-processing, and then divided by the number of qualified parts. If the quality or scope of supply of two configurations is different, the difference should be made up first before comparing prices.
There is no unified guarantee table for power and thickness that is separate from material and quality requirements. Series machining strokes are also a selection range and do not mean that each model has all the maximum sizes. Equipment positioning accuracy cannot be directly used as the dimensional tolerance of any cut part; thermal effects, part geometry, plate status and process compensation all need to be verified through prototypes.
Form a deliverable and acceptable laser solution
- Submit common and special material thickness distributions instead of just giving a maximum thickness.
- Provide representative drawings and batches containing holes, sharp corners, and long straight edges.
- Specify trimming, sizing, heat effects, or subsequent welding requirements.
- List the laser, cutting head, system, cooling and auxiliary gas configuration.
- Use the same task to compare complete cycle time, quality, gas consumption and consumable records.
- Implement the locations of power supply, gas supply, smoke exhaust, loading and unloading, and equipment maintenance.
The technical agreement should also fix the configuration, target tasks, test specimens and quality conditions. For special workpieces that are beyond the usual scope, it is clear that trial cutting or additional machining is required, so that the investment can be centered around verifiable order benefits.
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