Laser cutters
were first used in 1965 to drill holes in diamond dies and have come a long way
since then.
Laser cutting machines are used in many manufacturing industries, including aerospace and car manufacturing. They are also used to scribe metals like aluminium and titanium. Some schools have small scale laser cutters within their technology classes.
Laser cutting is
used to cut various materials, metals and paper, wood, plastics, and ceramics.
They can cut
straight lines or a design transmitted to the laser from a computer system.
The laser
itself is a high-intensity single wavelength light. The beam is only about
¾” in diameter as it travels from the laser resonator, which creates the beam,
through the machine’s beam path.
The result is
a high-quality finished edge.
Laser cutting is
a highly specialised skill that can take a deal of expertise, practice and
specialist equipment to achieve the desired outcome.