The manufacturing process of abrasive materials has always been a productive challenge. The main problem is that the abrasive power of these materials also exerts itself on the production tools themselves, damaging them over a short period of time.

This results in very high maintenance costs for the tools. In addition, the fact that using precision tools is difficult makes it impossible to carry out precise machining on these materials.

The introduction of laser technology was therefore a major innovation, as it made it easier and cheaper to manufacture abrasive tools and materials:

• Laser production processes are contactless. In laser processing, no mechanical forces are involved, unlike in traditional manufacturing processes. The interaction between the laser beam and the material produces a high energy density that removes a certain amount of material.
• Laser technology enables a high degree of control over the production process. What does that mean? It is possible to set up the laser parameters, down to the smallest detail, in order to minimise the difference between the desired result and the result obtained. In other words, you can create a material with characteristics that are perfectly suited to its intended use.

Diamond abrasives

A few decades ago, diamond abrasives joined the ranks of traditional abrasives. These tools exploit diamond’s exceptional hardness and thermal conductivity to achieve excellent abrasive performance.

Diamond is one of the hardest materials known to man. It also has excellent strength, good wear resistance and a low friction coefficient.

Diamond tools can be used in a wide range of applications:

• geological prospecting
• stone processing
• construction
• woodworking
• tooling
• ceramic processing

Diamond tools can be manufactured in various ways. Generally, synthetic diamonds are used, or diamonds judged to be of unsuitable quality for jewellery making.

To make tools, diamonds are combined with another bonding material so that, for example, tools can be made from metal, resin, ceramics, etc.

They can also be used for a wide range of purposes, including all traditional mechanical operations. These include cutting, drilling and, among other things, abrasive tools.

The manufacturing process for diamond abrasive tools comes with the same difficulties encountered in the production of conventional abrasive tools. However, it also has an added difficulty: the hardness of the diamond subjects the production equipment to even greater stress.

Here too, the CO₂ laser can be an advantageous solution.

Diamond abrasives can be subjected to laser ablation processes using a continuous wave laser. This technique can create textures and other passive layer characteristics that enhance the performance of the material.

The process is especially effective on resin bonded abrasive materials. Resins and plastics in general absorb CO₂ laser radiation very well and, therefore work very effectively for laser ablation processes.

A new application for the CO₂ laser

Diamond is one of the hardest materials in existence, which makes the efficient production of these tools difficult and limits their widespread use. On the other hand, however, diamond abrasive tools offer enormous advantages and are crucial in certain applications. The introduction of laser machining processes has made their production more efficient and cost-effective, paving the way for their widespread use. Research in the field is still ongoing, bringing with it other possible applications in the future.

El.En. has been producing CO₂ lasers for various industrial sectors for over 35 years. Experimentation, research and development in the field of lasers applied to materials is in our DNA. If you are thinking of making an application of this type, contact us and we will be happy to study the ideal solution for your needs.

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RF1555

RF1222

HR70

Polyester is the most common synthetic fibre used in the textile industry. Whether it be fashion, design, furniture making or decorations, there is no field in which polyester hasn’t found some application. Just open your closet and have a peak at the composition of your clothes. You will find that most are fully or in part made of polyester.

The success of polyester is due to both its properties and low cost. Objects made in polyester are easy to clean, more resistant and need less upkeep. Since polyester isn’t made of natural fibres, the cost of farming the original plants doesn’t factor in. The fact that polyester can easily be treated with laser is yet another advantage.

Polyester absorbs the CO2 laser wavelength very well which makes any type of process possible. Finishing processes can be optimised, therefore reducing production costs.

This article explores the main characteristics and advantages of laser cutting of polyester fabric.

Polyester and its properties

Many thermoplastic polymers are included under the name polyester. The one most frequently used to produce clothes is made from polyethylene terephthalate. The fibres production process starts from the fusion of polyester pellets. The next step is the extrusion of the material. In other words the melted polyester is passed through a hole to create a continuous filament. This filament is then rolled around a spool of the desired length. This method allows for filaments of any shape and diameter. They in turn constitute the fibre from which fabric is made.

Polyester fabric is long lasting, resistant, cheap, easy to clean, easy to dry and waterproof. These characteristics make it perfect for the production of all kinds of objects: clothing, footwear, interior design, car upholstery, camping equipment, etc… The impermeability of polyester can also be a disadvantage. It retains humidity and doesn’t have good breathability.

Laser applications on polyester

The characteristics of polyester fabric can be greatly improved by laser processing. As is the case for other thermoplastics, this synthetic fabric undergoes well both laser cuts and perforations.

Polyester, just like other synthetic plastics, absorbs the radiation of the laser beam very well. Out of all the thermoplastics, it’s the one that gives best results for both processing and lack of waste.

Laser cut on polyester fabric

Laser cutting of polyester offers many advantages over traditional cutting techniques. The cutting process works this way: the laser beam’s energy is concentrated on the fabric and heats the polyester fabric until it melts, creating a cut. The cut obtained is already sealed and therefore avoids the problem of fraying edges.

Other advantages are:

• No production of waste
• Extreme precision
• Very clean process

The right laser sources to use

In order to get the best results, the wavelengths should be between 9.3 and 10.6 micrometers. Both types of wavelengths are in the infrared region, which is the typical region of the carbon dioxide laser. The choice of the laser source power will depend on the speed of production one wants to obtain. The higher the power of the laser source, the faster the production. In El.En’s catalogue, two types of laser sources are right for the laser cutting of polyester:

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Corrugated cardboard, also known as corrugated fiberbord or simply cardboard, is the most widely used packaging material. Its low production cost, great mechanical properties and an overall good strength make it perfect to manufacture cardboard boxes of all kind and shape.

Generally, corrugated cardboard is manufactured by a mechanical processes. Tools such as blades, die boards or routers are used to create the profile the overall shape and to score the lines along which the folds will we made.

Mechanical processes are solid and reliable and have a long history. Yet they also have some major drawbacks:

• lack of flexibility toward changes
• limited range of admitted tolerances
• high risk of producing unwanted damage to the material
• generation of waste under the form of trimmings or dust
  

Plus, all mechanical manufacturing processes involve contact, meaning that the tools have to physically touch the surface of the material to achieve the desired transformation.

Laser technologies can overcome all those drawbacks. Laser cutters can cut shapes at high speeds and with higher degree of precision. Let’s give a general overview of the process.

Cutting cardboard with laser

The main advantages of CO2 laser fabrication derive from the fact that laser technologies are a non-contact process.

A single laser laser beam can easily engrave, cut or drill a panel of corrugated cardboard. Thanks to the properties of cardboard, the results are great. The interaction between the laser beam and the material puts in place a sublimation process: it basically means that the laser beam makes the material evaporate, achieving a precise cut.

This is a key feature of laser material processing. First of all it allows great processing speed: all things being equal, a laser cutting system is many times faster than a die-cutting machine.

A laser can achieve the same operations at a speed of thousand of meters per minute. This without compromising the quality of the cut, which always remains excellent.

Another advantage of laser material processing is its flexibility. With traditional machining process, you cannot easily change the cutting geometry.

Changing the cutting shape comes with a cost: it means changing the cutting tool. A manufacturer can hardly start a new productionrun unless it guarantees a return on the investment.

With laser material processing, changing a cutting geometry is way easier. It’s just a matter of minutes and only requires the time to load the drawing of the new geometry in the control software.

Also, a laser works like a multitool. Cutting and engraving can be accomplished with the same tool. A single laser source can perform both operations. Laser engraving is especially useful in the packaging industry, where codes of all kind need to be stamped on the packaging itself in order to comply with regulations or for logistical reasons.

This means that a CO2 laser cutting machine can conveniently process a batch of 5000 or 100.000 pieces cardboard panels of different shape.

Laser technologies can help a packaging produce meet the needs for custom products with small number of pieces. They also make possible the rapid prototyping approach for new packaging products.

A third advantage of laser technologies for cardboard manufacturing is that they don’t produce almost any waste. Laser processing is very clean: cuts and other processes are achieved without producing any scrapes, dust or other waste product, allowing for green production and better work environment.

The lack of those waste products means that the cuts obtained are of the best quality: a CO2 laser produces cuts with smooth and compact surfaces. Unlike mechanical fabrication, it does not affect the fibers of cardboard and paper: therefore the material structure remains untouched, resulting in a reduced possibilities of damaging the material.

Mechanical methods are subject to wear. The use of worn out tools reduce the quality of the product: that’s why the tools have to be periodically replaced or repaired. Those operations slow down the production process resulting, increasing the production costs. On the opposite, a laser will always be a sharp cutting tool, thus always allowing the best quality of the process.

So can you laser cut cardboard?

The answer is yes, you can. And you should. Laser technologies are the perfect tool for cutting and engraving corrugated cardboard. The laser is a fast, flexible and green tool. It allows a manufacturer to satisfy all the requests of customers: a characteristic that is essential for a company operating in the economy dominated by the paradigm of the long tail. Customers are now looking for a different approach, where the priority is given to tailor made products and respect for the environment.

A new approach requires new tools, more flexible and accurate. The tools that let manufacturers control their costs without sacrificing quality the quality are the tools of the future.

Basically, an industry based on mechanical machining was typical of an era and for a market where manufacturers marketed their products and customers were obliged to pick from what the market had to offer.

Related El.En. laser products:

Contact us

Do you need to cut or engrave cardboard at an industrial scale and you think that laser could be a good option? Contact us: we have a long experience in designing and manufacturing a wide range of laser systems for cutting and engraving corrugated cardboard.

Composite materials are known for their extraordinary mechanical and physical properties. They are created by combining two different materials, resulting in a new material with better properties than their component materials taken individually.

Fiber reinforced polymers are some of the materials in the composite family that have found widespread use. These materials are manufactured by incorporating a fibre of some kind into a resin polymer matrix.

Fiberglass is one of the first materials to have been made in this way. Invented in the 1960s, it has now become an indispensable material for many sectors, particularly the nautical one. Today, there are other materials of this type such as aramid fibre also known as kevlar and carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP).

Materials produced this way are light and resistant and at equal mass, are considerably more performant than other traditional materials such as wood or metal. They can also offer great plasticity which makes them easy to mould into any required shape. Thanks to these characteristics, composite materials are used for technologically advanced applications in sectors such as the nautical, aeronautical or automotive industries.

Carbon fibre reinforced plastics

CFRPs are perhaps the most advanced of all the composite materials,

To produce CFRP, a carbon fibre fabric is incorporated into a polymer matrix. The resulting product is extremely light and strong. At equal mass, it is 25% lighter than aluminium and 60% lighter than steel. This explains why it has found use in the aeronautical industry and in the sports competition sector for the construction of super light vehicles.

Once made, however, CFRP must be cut into the required shapes for their future function. Normally, this is done using mechanical methods. However, these have a major drawback. The strength of the carbon fibre quickly wears out the cutting tools, which therefore have to be replaced very frequently, making the process very costly.

Laser cutting technology is a valid alternative to the mechanical cutting of CFRPs. Both the carbon fibre and the polymers that make up its matrix absorb the 10.6 micrometre laser radiation produced by the carbon dioxide laser very well and can be cut very efficiently.

Cutting CFRP therefore has two main advantages:

• a contactless process: it is possible to cut CFRP without the typical mechanical forces that wear out the cutting tool. This significantly lowers the production costs of each individual part.
• very high tolerances: the laser can make cuts with very narrow angles and produce extremely precise parts very easily. This feature is crucial for advanced technological sectors where it is important to maximise the performance of a given component.

The material of the future

CFRP will become more and more popular over time. This material is of increasing importance and will spread to an ever wider range of sectors.

Finding a cheap and fast way to cut it into the most diverse shapes will become crucial. The CO₂ laser is a viable alternative to the mechanical cutting methods currently used.

If you are considering a laser application to process carbon fibre, contact us: and we will design a customised application to suit your needs.

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RF899

The answer is a lot! The ability to make cuts with very close tolerances, down to a fraction of a millimeter, is one of the main advantages of laser cutting. In fact, laser is not subjected to the mechanical limits of traditional cutting tools.

The characteristics of the material impose intrinsic limitations to cutting mechanisms such as blades and hollow cutters. A blade, for example, must respect certain minimum dimensions to work properly. These dimensions mean that the blade cannot perform certain types of cuts such as very narrow ones.

Laser, on the other hand, does not have any of these drawbacks as it is composed of a polarized light beam focused on a very tiny spot. A CO₂ laser scanning head, such as AZSCAN S35, can focus a beam with a diameter ranging between 140 and 450 micrometers on a surface. Just to put things into perspective, a human hair is about 70 micrometers!

The fact that in laser technology there is no contact with the surface and the working dimensions are so small, makes it very easy to achieve extremely complex cutting geometries.

Also, laser cutting works well with all types of materials, from rigid ones, such as multilayer wood, to fragile ones, such as plastic film. They can all be processed easily and accurately, minimizing the risk of breakage and waste of material.

In addition to the previously mentioned advantages, laser also offers extreme controllability of parameters and a high speed of execution. All these elements combine to make CO₂ laser an incredibly powerful working tool. Flexibility, speed and accuracy open up infinite possibilities, especially for sectors such as packaging and fashion, which rely on creativity. 

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Contact – El.En. Laser

Paper processing is one of the main areas of application for the CO₂ laser. The world of paper converting has benefited greatly from the spread this tool. The CO₂ laser offers speed, efficiency and flexibility, allowing laser companies to meet the demands of an increasingly fragmented market.

Laser production processes also fit in perfectly with the digital printing processes that now dominate the converting industry. This is a sector that we know well at El.En. Over the years we have helped many companies introduce laser technology into their production processes. We have created numerous systems for paper processing, particularly for companies operating in the packaging sector.

Based on our experience, we will use this article to give an overview of laser applications for paper converting.

Laser and paper

Paper is part of our everyday life. There is no task or business that does not make use of some kind of paper material.

When we talk about paper, we include a wide range of materials. However, the various types of paper have a similar composition. At a microscopic level, a sheet of paper consists of a network of interwoven cellulose fibres, a filler, usually kaolin, and various chemicals derived from the manufacturing process.

The chemical structure of paper lends itself well to CO₂ laser cutting. When the laser interacts with the cellulose, it dissolves its molecular structure, reducing the material to its basic components carbon, oxygen and hydrogen.

This processing system is very advantageous as it solves the main drawbacks of traditional paper cutting tools.

First of all, the laser offers flexibility. One of the methods for cutting paper is using dies. Each die can only be used to cut one shape. In order to obtain a new shape, a new cutting die must be created. This places a limit on how much work a company can accept: if the production batch isn’t big enough to pay back the cost of the new die, it becomes economically disadvantageous to produce it.

Laser technology, on the other hand, is much more flexible because the entire cutting system is digitally controlled by software. Modifying the shape that needs to be cut simply requires software intervention. This makes it economically viable to process small production batches.

Mechanical cutting has another drawback. The use of blades is another method used to cut paper. This cutting mechanism produces dust and residues that are not compatible with modern digital printing processes, which are now predominant. This means that it is necessary to separate the printing and cutting phases.

Laser cutting processes, on the other hand, produce very little residue and are therefore compatible with digital printing processes. What’s more, laser technology is a completely digital process. It can therefore easily be used in integrated systems that can perform all the production processes required by the converting industry in a single step.

Another problem with mechanical systems is that they cannot achieve consistent high quality cuts. Blades carry the risk of creating irregular or poor quality cuts. Many applications, particularly in the packaging sector, require extremely precise cuts. Containers for liquid food products, for example, need to have perfectly sealed edges (i.e. where there are no loose, protruding fibres). Laser cutting achieves these results because heat seals the edges during the cutting process.

On the basis of what we have previously stated, the use of lasers is advantageous in situations where the use of mechanical cutting is not economically viable. Here are some examples:

• need for high quality and precision cuts
• production volumes of less than 1000 pieces
• need to create integrated digital printing and cutting production systems
• need to eliminate waste due to the high cost of production equipment
• execution of bespoke work
• execution of particularly complex cuts

Some paper laser cutting applications

It would be difficult to make a complete list of laser applications for paper, especially since many of these processes used to be carried out with mechanical cutting equipment. However, laser technology has made it possible to perform processes that used to be impossible or very difficult to do very easily.

One example of this is partial surface cuts, which make it possible to create packaging models with advanced features like easy-opening packaging or open-close. This type of application is particularly popular in the food industry. This type of packaging doesn’t require any tools to be opened and therefore adds value to the product itself.

Conclusion

CO₂ laser sources are ideal for paper processing. The CO₂ laser interacts perfectly with the chemical composition of paper materials. Using it in this sector is very advantageous. As you can imagine, however, the possible implementations are numerous.

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CO₂ laser is one of the technologies that boasts the largest variety of uses. The areas of application range from the medical sector to the restoration of monuments. Whether it is applied to skin resurfacing or eliminating writing from ancient walls, CO₂ laser is an incredibly efficient and cost effective tool.

But it is in the industrial sector that CO₂ laser truly shines. The high spectrum purity, high stability, energy efficiency, the possibility of multiple power options, ranging from a few to a thousands watts, are all characteristics that have determined its success in the processing of materials and made it reach high levels of quality.

The packaging industry

CO₂ laser is now an indispensable production tool for the packaging industry. The materials used (plastics, cardboard, wood and derivatives) and the characteristics of this sector’s typical processes (research of personalization, continuous innovation) are extremely compatible with the use of CO₂ laser, which widens exponentially its possible applications.

An example is the production of fresh produce bags using laser microperforation. The laser microperforation makes it possible to optimize the exchange of gas between the inside of the bag and the surrounding environment, which, in turn, makes it possible to extend the product’s shelf life.

One of the latest applications of CO₂ laser is the so-called natural branding. This recently developed application consists of marking the label directly on fresh produce’s surface. Information such as logos, tracking information and production batch can be directly visible on the products.

This information is traditionally printed on labels, which are then pasted onto the product. Laser labeling of fresh produce allows to avoid this step, thus eliminating the need for glue and other chemicals. This application is very effective and doesn’t damage the quality or durability of the product in any way.

Laser technology can also greatly enhance more traditional processes.

One example is the laser welding of plastic bags. This type of flexible packaging is increasingly used to save on space and create packaging adapted to different types of products. Laser welding can also be used for flexible packaging. This process uses laser energy to heat the material and thus seal the bag.

The second application is laser engraving of flexible bags. This application uses the extreme controllability of laser technology to create depth-controlled incisions on the plastic material. With this technique, it is possible to create easy-to-open packaging or innovative packaging for ready-to-use products.

The fashion and interior decoration industry

Carbon dioxide laser is used in the field of fashion and interior design. CO₂ laser can become a powerful creative tool in the hands of architects and designers. It is also an environmentally sustainable tool which significantly reduces the ecological impact of the textile industry.

Laser marking, microperforation and cutting are the main operations used in this field.

Laser marking is mainly used to engrave decorative patterns on fabrics and leather. The great advantages of CO₂ laser are high manufacturing speeds, precision, elevated repeatability of impression and the possibility to engrave any type of geometric pattern or design.

Laser marking also finds innovative applications in the field of textiles. One example is the use of laser marking of denim fabric. It is now possible to laser wash jeans. This method significantly reduces the consumption of chemicals and water.

The laser decoration of ceramic tiles is another CO₂ laser applications for the interior design world.

Again, the main advantage of this laser is the almost infinite range of motifs that can be transferred onto the tile’s surface (from simple geometric motifs to real black and white photographs).

The food industry

The food industry recently discovered how useful the carbon dioxide laser can be. In these applications, laser is used to carry out work directly on the product’s surface, thus replacing the use of mechanical devices. Some examples of these CO₂ applications are fruit and vegetable laser peeling, laser marking of codes on eggshells, laser engraving of cheeses and cured meats.

Digital converting

Laser technology fits perfectly into a digital manufacturing process. Indeed, the CO₂ laser’s characteristics are best appreciated when it is inserted in highly automated processes.

An example of a successful application is paper processing. Thanks to laser technology, it is possible to create integrated systems capable of printing, punching and cutting paper into a desired size. All kinds of details and customizations can also be added with laser which would be impossible to do when relying on the mechanical methods traditionally used in this sector.

Laser is also ideal for the production of security paper. Codes, perforations, cuts and other identification marks can be added quickly and easily.

Tool industry

The production of tools and tooling in general can greatly benefit from the use of laser. In the case of laser surface hardening treatments, the metal surface is exposed to the effects of the laser beam, causing an internal transformation of its molecular structure which increases the wear resistance of the tool.

Panel industry

Extreme controllability is one of the strengths of laser processing. For the signage industry this aspect translates into a huge advantage. The CO₂ laser makes it possible to engrave writings, logos or other information with extreme precision and high definition on the most commonly used materials for panels and signs such as plexiglass, steel or aluminum. Laser technology also makes customizations easy.

Display industry

Acrylic laser cutting is one of the areas in which CO₂ laser is unbeatable. The paneling industry has benefited greatly from the use of CO₂ laser. Laser is in fact indispensable in the manufacture of LGP Backlight panels.

These are PMMA panels which are perforated at regular intervals using laser. The panel, thus prepared, is then illuminated by LEDs which, suitably positioned, create a uniformly illuminated surface. The main advantage of these displays is that it is possible to create large backlit panels with very low energy consumption.

Laser technology is indispensable to this type of manufacturing because holes can be drilled with a precision and regularity that would be extremely difficult and expensive to obtain using traditional production methods.

Automotive industry

Some of the most common CO₂ applications in the automotive sector are decorations of plastics, surface hardening of metals, microperforation of leather for interiors, decoration of upholstery, welding, engraving of codes for the identification and traceability of parts, etc.

In fact, this industrial sector was one of the first to introduce the use of laser in its manufacturing processes. It is therefore no surprise that the CO₂ laser is so widely used.

One laser, multiple uses

Ultimately, CO₂ laser has an almost infinite range of uses. Its wavelength makes it suitable for the processing of most materials.

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Contact – El.En. Laser

It is now a fact: the current pandemic has led to an explosion in online shopping and home deliveries. Contagion risks have led people to reduce any situation that include physical contact. Shopping activities have moved online for all types of goods, including basic necessities. Online shopping seems to be an increasingly common behaviour.

Forward-thinking companies have viewed these changing social trends as an opportunity to experiment with new and more advanced forms of packaging. They cater both to the new needs of home shoppers and the ones of companies that want personalised forms of packaging that better protect their goods. There is also a strong need for eco-sustainable packaging that uses fewer resources.

Laser technology has made all these things possible.

Laser manufacturing of cardboard boxes

The paper industry has now been using laser technology for several years. The CO₂ laser offers undoubted advantages to its production processes. It can be integrated into fully digital, fast and flexible production processes, which allow cardboard’s technical and material characteristics to be exploited to their fullest.

Cardboard is an ideal packaging material. It is inexpensive and light and can be processed into many shapes to create boxes and packaging to suit all kinds of needs. And what’s more interesting, laser cutting corrugated cardboad gives stunning outcomes.

The introduction of digital fabrication has made it possible to considerably expand the range of packaging products. Laser makes product customisation both economical and advantageous. The fact that it is no longer necessary to change tools to create different types of products has encouraged innovation, and the experimentation of new formats. Customisations (products made specifically to cater to a certain need) are now achievable at lower costs.

Until recently, companies that wanted to send or package their products had little choice. They had to rely on the box formats offered on the market. Box manufacturers dictated the law and only offered standard shapes and sizes. If a company needed a box shaped in a particular way or with an easy opening, it was limited to what the market had to offer.

Creating boxes and packaging with custom features was not cost-effective for manufacturers or customers, unless the number of produced pieces justified the investment in production means. For customers, the only way to obtain customised packaging at a competitive price was to secure large quantities of orders. This is not always possible, particularly for small and medium-sized companies.

The use of lasers has brought about a real revolution in the way paper products are manufactured.

The production process of cardboard boxes is based on two fundamental operations, cutting and engraving, which are at the basis for all subsequent processes. Cutting separates the shape of the box from the cardboard sheet. Engraving creates folding lines on the box or devices for easy opening, such as tear-off systems. Folding the box along the cutting lines and gluing the flaps together produces the finished product, i.e. the box.

The advantages of lasers

The advantages of laser cutting are many. The laser allows these same processes to be carried out with greater speed and precision, making the production process much more flexible.

On materials such as paper and cardboard, the laser cutting process is instantaneous. The laser immediately vaporises the paper along the cutting line, resulting in precise, clean cut edges. Laser cuts need no further finishing.

Precision is ensured by the fact that the laser is a non-contact process. This makes it possible to make cuts along particularly intricate paths even at very small sizes.

But laser technology isn’t only useful for traditional machining operations such as cutting and creasing. It can also perform tasks that traditional tools can’t.

Laser Marking is one of these processes. In marking, the laser does not perform cutting or engraving, but merely modifies the surface layers of the material, which results in the blackening of the laser-processed parts. This technique turns the laser into a real digital printer that engraves marks directly on the surface of the material. In this way, all kinds of marks can be engraved, from logistical information like QR codes, barcodes and alphanumeric codes to actual images like company logos.

This gives the production system enormous flexibility: the same laser system can perform all these processes, even on a small number of parts. Cardboard packaging manufacturers can now offer their customers a lot more choice and create customised boxes, even in smaller quantities.

Cardboard box manufacturers agree that the CO₂ laser is an invaluable tool. It makes it possible to carry out work that cannot be done with traditional methods such as die-cutting.

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Thermoplastics are polymeric materials with incredible properties. Their name derives from their main property: becoming viscous when heated and solidifying once cooled.

These characteristics makes it possible to laminate and easily shape these materials. Industrial applications are endless: from the packaging to medical devices sector, without forgetting the electronics, automotive and food industries. There is no sector in which thermoplastic doesn’t have a key role.

On this blog we have already seen how thermoplastics work well with laser technology. Microperforations, cutting, kiss-cutting are but a few examples of how well thermoplastics absorb the CO2 laser wavelength and offer great flexibility and high quality results.

Now, thermoplastic polymers can also be used in a foamy state. Polymeric foams, or expanded polymer, are obtained by treating the polymer chemically or physically until the right shape is obtained. Expanded polystyrene, expanded polyurethane and expanded polyethylene all belong to this category of materials.

Expanded polyethylene (aka polyethylene foam) is one of the most popular foams used in the industrial sector, due to its lightness, insulating properties and resistance. This foam is ideal for laser cutting.

In order to cut polyethylene foam, a CO2 laser precisely and cleanly outlines the wanted shape in the polymer foam. This process is easily controlled digitally. The advantage of using laser technology is that the pieces are cut perfectly, down to the last millimeter and in a well defined shape. It is therefore ideal for highly detailed work.

An example of what co2 laser can do is tool shadowing. Basically it means cutting a layer of foam with cut outs of different sizes for each tool in your tool box. The tool will be perfectly kept still and safe inside the toolbox.

Making this application using only mechanically tools is very difficult if not impossible, because the expanded polyethylene sheet would have to be pinned down in order to cut out the shapes without ruining the material. This method works only if the shapes have straight lines. As soon as the lines are curvier or more detailed, it becomes difficult to trace the objects outline perfectly.

Laser technology makes easy to cut polyethylene foam in the right size and shape. All you need to do is create a CAD file with the shapes to cut out. The file is then transferred to the software making it possible for even the most complicated of shapes to be created.

Discover more about our El.En. laser solutions:

RF404

RF606

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Contact – El.En. Laser

Laser cutting of wood-based products is one of the most important applications of CO2 lasers. Today, laser is a powerful, flexible and reliable tool: it made it possible to overcome the limits imposed by the traditional methods of machining wood based materials.

The advantages of laser production are many. Here’s a few:

• it tremendously speeded up operations such as cutting, drilling or marking on various materials
• it allowed to extend the use of materials such as engineered wood products for the production of parts and components
• it allowed operations that couldn’t be achieved with traditional, mechanical, applications, due to the limits of either the material and the machines

It’s no coincidence that one of the first commercial applications of CO2 lasers was the cutting of plywood die boards for the packaging industry. This sector in particular has really benefitted from the advent of laser-based production methods. The reason is that CO2 lasers are perfect for machining wood, paper, cardboard and similar products, largely used by the packaging industry. CO2 laser cutting opened up a new range of possibilities for this industry.

But how does the CO2 laser cutting process work?

CO2 laser cutting, a precision technology

The laser cutting process in itself does not involve any mechanical force. It relies upon the physical and chemical processes that take place when a focused laser beam hits the surface of a material.

A high intensity beam of light is generated by a laser source, like one of our BLADE RF Self Refilling family. This laser beam is then reflected by a system of mirrors, until it passes through a lens which focuses the beam down to a small spot onto the surface.

This means that, in a single spot a fraction of a millimeter wide, is concentrated all the energy generated by the laser. The spot thus reachers a great energy density which causes the immediate sublimation of the material surface touched by the laser. In this way the  desired cut is produced.

Despite the highest energies involved in this operation, laser cutting of wood is a very safe process. The entire operation is controlled by a computer, resulting in great accuracy. The cutting kerf is very narrow and precise and no damage is possible, provided that the laser is properly set.

The cuts obtained in such manner have some unquestionable qualities:

precision: the CO2 laser provides accurate cuts. The energy is focused precisely on the spot indicated by a software. Since the dimensions of this point are very small, working tolerances are very tight, allowing very complex profiling paths

smooth edges: the edges obtained from CO2 laser cutting don’t need further finish because they all have a polished appearance

Reduced costs: the laser cutting of wood results in the absence of any sawdust, shavings or other leftovers. This, combined with the lack of blades or other mechanical tools, create a very quiet working environment

Laser cutting of wood can be achieved on different types of woods. The results can vary a lot, depending on parameters such as the type of wood, its density and resin content and, of course, the thickness of the panel that is going to be cut.

Laser and MDF: an example of success in the industry of packaging

The best results of CO2 laser cutting on wooden products are achieved on the so called engineered woods. Those derivatives of wood include products such as plywoods, laminated woods and medium-density fibreboard or MDF.

Not too long ago, the operations that could be achieved on such materials were scarce, due to intrinsic properties of them. All engineered wood are composite materials, made from fibers of chips of wood pressed together. This features made them unsuitable for accurate machining operations, especially at a small scale. That’s why they’ve long been overlooked as engineering material.

CO2 laser cutting made those materials suitable for a new set of applications. An example of this can be seen in the packaging industry.

The construction of packaging products is a very challenging business. A good packaging has to be tough, light and attractive for the customers. But how to achieve all those contrasting needs? Thanks to CO2 laser cutting, the packaging industry introduced new materials for the creation and design of packaging. This is the case of boxes, crates and cases made from laser cut MDF panels.

MDF provides the same toughness and performance of solid wood but at a lower cost. Those characteristic make MDF a perfect material for the design and engineering of packaging products like boxes, crates and cases of various kind. A CO2 laser is able to easily cut the panel in MDF in all desired shapes and dimensions. It is possible, for instance, to produce the various components to assemble boxes and crates. In this way it becomes easier to create containers of every kind and dimensions, that can be used to protect delicate products like fruit from the risks of damage during shipping and transportation.

This is only one example of the many possible applications of CO2 laser cutting for wood. The introduction of such a technology affected many industrial sectors anche the packaging industry is only one of them.

Discover more about our El.En. Laser Solutions:

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