Cutting conditions for 1/2" steel 3

[FabproHelp]

We have an Amada FO 3015 laser and we were wondering what other people use for cut conditions for 1/2" steel. Our cut has been inconsistent to say the least. The Amada manual that come with our laser says that we need to use the WACS. Although we don't have anything here setup for the water assist. Does anybody else cut 1/2" without water assist? If so what kind of cut conditions do you use? including nozzle size and everything please. This would be a great help for us. Thank you for all your responses.

 

[LASERNINJA]

Half inch can go either way, water assisted (WACS) or dry. It mostly depends on what your parts look like, geometry, and material.

The two choices are a 1.4 mm double and a 2.5 WACS or I guess you could go 3.8 WACS.

Let me back up a little. This may really confuse things but, my opinion is water assisted cutting is a pain, unless you are really good at it. I tell everyone to just cut it dry first, if there are problems look at some other options.

The quick answer is 1.4mm double. Full power fully duty, 0.05Mpa 0.03 nozzle gap.

Please keep in mind focus is the most important variable on that page.

Sorry if my thoughts are scattered. It's late and my dinner is getting cold.

 

[jjl1210]

I would not recommend water on ½” mild unless the part is small and intricate. We cut it all day long with 3800 power, 2000 freq, and 95% to 100% duty a focus of -.059 and federate of 50. Like Laserninja said focus is the most important thing with heavy plate so you will need to play with it. You will also need good edge and approach data because if you don’t get a good clean start the part will be junk.

 

[FabproHelp]

Well I used the settings that you guys are using. It has made my cut 10 times better and I am loving it already. Thank you very much. Now here is the issue and I will add in a picture as well. But my pierce data may be no good as well because that is the only area that isn't cutting well. What kind of insight could you shed on this problem? Thank you all in advance.

http://files.engineering.com/getfil...dc-87cd-d81cd8f0c973&file=HALF_INCH_LASER.jpg

 

[jjl1210]

If you use a M103 pierce this would be a ramp pierce, you can control some issues, this is the 101 pierce line in my picture. But I would try fix it with my edge and approach data first because if you don't use the proper conditions after the leadin line your cut will get away from you. I set up all my edge data conditions on 203 and all my approach on 201. I use 201 because the first line you cut is the leadin so it's easy to remember. I use the some conditions for all my mild steel tables but I will increase the distance the thicker I go. I hope this helps, sorry so long but to explain edge and approach data takes time.

 

[Chalked]

Looking at your Picture, I see 2 things, incorrect edge data, and heat issues, the part looks to be about a 2 inch square. are you cutting whole sheets of that part ? if so that is a lot of heat contained to one area. heat sequencing the nest/program will help a lot. can you post your edge data

 

[FabproHelp]

No Chalked that isn't the exact size of our parts. That is usually the first thing we cut when we change over different materials to see how my cut starts. The heat displacement isn't a problem as far as I can tell, I HOPE. And as soon as the laser is available for me to get in an post up some pictures of my edge and approach data as well as my pierce I will put them up. I see that my pierce settings are similar to yours although we use a pulse type of 45. If you could explain what the difference is in pulses I would love to hear it. Do you use a standard pierce? I'm not sure why exactly, but our laser is set up to run a woodpecker pierce on 1/2" steel. My holes seem to come out perfect as of now. But my edge isn't very good. Here is a picture of the part that I am attempting to cut.

http://files.engineering.com/getfil...-a5bf-d5d39f93f715&file=half_inch__part_1.jpg

http://files.engineering.com/getfil...b-ba15-66763bdd4645&file=half_inch_part_2.jpg

 

[jjl1210]

I would like to see the cut conditions, edge data and where the base focus is set. Last time I saw a cut in 1/2" that looked like that they forgot the 5" lens in or the beam purge unit was off.

 

[FabproHelp]

jjl1210. I actually just happened to notice we aren't using any edge data.

here are the conditions they were using before I got here.

http://files.engineering.com/getfil...be8e9205e3&file=half_inch_cut_conditions1.jpg

http://files.engineering.com/getfil...f60bca91e2&file=half_inch_cut_conditions2.jpg

I am going to try out the edge and approach that you posted the other day now.

 

[FabproHelp]

And I assure you the 5 inch lens is in and the beam purge unit is definitely on.

 

[FabproHelp]

and jjl1210 could u post your cut conditions as well?

 

[Chalked]

your year of laser doesn't have a 7.5 lens ? I could post my conditions but they are for a 7.5 lens

 

[jjl1210]

If you want a really good cut you need a 7.5" lens.

 

[FabproHelp]

Yea sorry guys. Since I have been back I continue to say the two ass-backwards over and over. The 7.5 is in. How close are the cut conditions that I posted to yours?

 

[jjl1210]

Your cut conditions should work if all you use is E3 and E4. I program with E3,E4,E5,E6 and E7 for all materials because we have some tight tolerance holes or larger holes where the E3 is too slow. I would mess with focus at this point, try -.079 and see what it looks like. If it looks better go deeper until you start to lose the cut than back it off some. If the cut looks worse go up until you see a good cut.

 

[FabproHelp]

Ok thank you. I started late last night messing with the recovery rate. How high do u usually go (this is the first time I messed with that parameter)? I increased my from 1.94 to 3.94 and the cut improved somewhat. And I will try raising the focus. Where is the quickest way other than forums to find out this information? Like I said, I have been learning something new about this laser everyday.

 

[jjl1210]

This is it I had to do it on my own so use this site the people are great at what they do. I would copy my edge data from 1/4 but change the distance to .08 and the pierce power to 4000. At this point it's just a good focus and clean optics as long as you conditions stay put and you have a 1.4 dbl flow nozzle and a 7.5 lens.

 

[FabproHelp]

Well thank you for your help. Now I also noticed that if I have those parts nested together, the first one will drop out of my sheet with a great cut on it. But the second part always has part of an edge welded into the sheet. Is that just an issue with my lens? And if you could do your best to explain what the recovery distance and recovery vor-rate does I would like to understand it a little more. Edge data and approach data is a whole new page to mess with to me.

 

[jjl1210]

Approach and edge data is real easy so don't over think it. Approach data is use on the lead in line so after the pierce the approach data kicks in. It will use the same power from your cut condition but will change the duty and frequency to what you put in under recover. So look at the picture on 1/4 I posted, the 201 condition will use a frequency of 10, a duty of 30, federate of 3.94ipm at a distance of .03 when that is finished it will go back to your cut condition and finish the lead in. Now the edge data is exactly as it sounds it is used on the edge of your cut weather it's an inside cut like a hole or an outside cut. If you have a tight corner with edge data on it will cut to the corner and stop, call up the edge data conditions and run them just like it did for the approach data. In this case the 203 line I use for edge data is the same as the 201 line I use for approach. Now the work angle is what determines if the data will be used. So if any two line without a radius make an angle smaller than your work angle the data should kick in.

 

[Chalked]

having one bad edge depending on where that edge shows up on the part, could be a sign of a degraded lens. but could be other things. is it throwing a sparks/ spray on top of the sheet. where it welds in, is the molten metal bubbling on top of the sheet ? those can be signs of a degraded lens.

This info may help you, not just with 1/2 inch, but all your tech tables. years ago Amada techs came in and gave us some one on one training on cut conditions. the companies tech tables were so jacked up, from operators adjusting parameters they had no business messing with. everything in the shop cut like crap. the Tech showed me a lot about the tech tables. and gave me a lot of tips. but the most important thing he gave me was this simple piece of advice. " Focus Speed Gas " if your optics are good, your lens is clean, and you have the proper nozzle with a good center. you should be able to load ( if you have them ) the original unedited tech table for the machine. and get it to cut smooth like butter. by adjusting just those 3 parameters. " focus speed gas " while it is nice and beneficial to know what each parameter does. because times will arise where, edge, approach, duty, freq, will need tweaked. 90% of the time, our operators never touch or need to adjust anything other then those three parameters. Now this is based on the condition of your lens and optics, but 95% of the time, it is all Focus, and don't be afraid. to go big.with oxygen make .03+/- adjustments make .06+/- adjustments, go .100+/-. what your looking for is change. good or bad. if the change is good, you're going the right direction. if it is worse. then go the other. I tend to work my Oxygen on the positive side, and nitro, on the negative, side.