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Success Through Process Optimization

The Process Gas Helps the Laser Achieve an Optimal Cut

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The Process Gas Performs Several Functions at Once

The pressure carries the molten material out of the cutting gap, thereby ensuring a stable cutting process. At the same time, it significantly influences the quality of the cut edge as well as the properties of the workpiece. To meet the varying requirements of different materials and cutting processes, Air Liquide offers the Lasal product family—process gases specifically tailored for laser cutting. Nitrogen, for example, ensures oxidation-free cut edges and is particularly suitable for components that will subsequently be coated or welded. Oxygen stands out due to its exothermic reaction with the material. The additional heat released during this reaction aids the cutting process and enables higher cutting speeds, particularly with thicker structural steels. The choice of process gas therefore always depends on the application, the material, the material thickness, and the quality requirements of the component. However, only when all process parameters are properly aligned can cutting quality, productivity, and resource utilization be optimally balanced.

Often, the Problem Lies Somewhere Completely Different from Where You'd Expect

In practice, companies often approach Air Liquide with a specific idea in mind. For example, they may want to know how to solve a particular problem. However, experience shows that it pays to take a step back first and examine the cutting process more closely. It’s not uncommon for the actual cause to lie somewhere entirely different from what the user initially suspected. Only once this has been identified can appropriate measures be devised and sustainably integrated into the existing process. This helps reduce scrap and rework. At the same time, it avoids unnecessary effort—and this is often where one of the greatest opportunities for a more cost-effective cutting process lies.

The Positive Effects on Laser Welding

There are many concrete examples of the practical benefits that optimized process control can deliver. However, as already mentioned, everything naturally depends on the specific application. Nevertheless, numerous projects demonstrate the potential that targeted process optimization can offer. In practice, for example, savings of up to 40 percent in gas consumption are possible while simultaneously achieving a more than 20 percent increase in cutting speed. The higher cutting speed reduces the processing time per component. This not only lowers the absolute energy requirement but also the specific energy consumption per meter of material processed. This clearly demonstrates that efficiency does not necessarily result from higher laser system power, but rather from the optimal interaction of all relevant process parameters.

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