Maintenance of metal laser cutting equipment

How to Get the Most Out of Your Laser Cutting Equipment

Metal laser cutting involves advanced equipment that requires regular maintenance to ensure high performance. After all, laser cutting is all about precision, so keeping your machines in peak condition is crucial to getting the results you or your clients expect. Without the right maintenance plan, the quality of your cutting can suffer. You’ll quickly be dealing with trouble getting precise cuts, the lower overall quality in your products, and faster breakdown of what can be very expensive equipment. On the other hand, the right preventative maintenance plan will keep your laser cutting equipment working without issue for years. It’s one of the best ways to get peace of mind knowing you’re always ready to go with precise laser cutting that looks amazing. Here’s some information on what you can do to keep your equipment in great shape for years.

Stay Ahead of Equipment Temperatures

Monitoring the performance of your chiller is key to long-term laser cutting performance. Owners and operators should constantly be aware of what’s going on inside the temperature gauge. If you see swings in temperature, then it’s likely time for chiller maintenance to avoid any larger problem from happening that will be more expensive to fix.
Thankfully, advances in control technology mean that fabricators can better regulate temperatures. Still, operators need to regularly check water levels to stay on top of conductivity in your equipment.

Focus on the Optics

Optics can be some of the most sensitive laser cutting components. They are incredibly important to beam quality and cutting quality, so getting the maintenance right here counts a great deal. Getting your optics back to OEM specifications should be a priority whenever you do any type of maintenance on your equipment. That ensures they cut the way they are designed to and provide you a consistent baseline to work with. Professional laser cutting maintenance teams use expensive equipment like beam profilers or analyzers to get your optics back in perfect alignment.

Clean Your Equipment Regularly

It sounds simple, but so many businesses neglect to clean laser cutting equipment regularly. Regular cleaning protects your investment long-term and will keep your machines working for longer. One of the biggest causes of laser cutting maintenance issues is the accumulation of dust and debris. It gets caught inside components and drags down performance. Even a small amount can nudge things enough to affect how your cutting comes out.
Failing to clean your equipment can also lead to a thermite hazard. Leaving dust and scrap in your work areas for too long is a hazard that’s easy to avoid. Don’t take any chances. Make cleaning part of your regular work routine.

Profusion Metal Fabrication is a national leader in laser cutting and other advanced metal fabrication technologies. We have decades of experience working with all types of metals and know what it takes to get the best results out of laser cutting equipment. Following these steps will ensure your laser cutting comes out quickly and looks fantastic. This dedication to detail will get you ahead of the game and keep your equipment working well for years.