Laser technology in the metalmechanical industry

The LASER technology, which stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, is used in various areas and for different purposes thanks to its ability to take advantage of the specific qualities of light in a functional way.

Here is a simple explanation of what a laser is: a beam of photons that hit a single point simultaneously and with a minimum amount of energy, manage to exert such high heat as to engrave even highly resistant materials such as metals. Given this unique ability to produce heat in a single very narrow focal center, the laser lends itself to different applications.

But when was the laser born? Its history is not very long, in fact we have to go back to the 60s, when the first laser cutting machine in Washington was invented. As regards its use by industry, we move on to the 1980s. From that moment on, laser cutting represents a technology for industrial processing characterized by a very high precision, which requires that the beam of the laser is directed against the material to be cut, guided by computerized control. Depending on the laser and the material, the last one can be dissolved, burned or vaporized. The result is always a clear and clean cut, and carried out in a very short time, while maintaining quality.

The use of laser cutting machines during production processes also involves the dispersion in the air of particles, which must be absolutely controlled. In fact, the dark dust deriving from these processes is one of the thinest (and most dangerous to health) in the work environment of these companies. These particles represent a health risk due to their composition, concentration and exposure time to which the worker is subjected. All this is more dangerous if the work environment in which the laser cutting machine is placed is devoid of an adequate filtration system.