Laser machines have become indispensable production tools for many industries. So what are the components of a laser cutting machine? A laser cutting machine mainly contains seven parts of laser, laser head, motor, guide, laser water chiller, control system, and reducer. The laser chiller is not as visible as the laser head, the laser. We often ignore its existence. However, the laser water chiller is a key factor in keeping the machine running for a long time.
The importance of the laser chiller
The laser chillerLaser chiller's biggest function is cooling. And do you know which part of the machine it cools exactly?
Yes, it mainly cools the laser tube. The temperature of the laser rises during operation. After a certain time, a lot of heat accumulates around the laser tube, which cannot be dissipated in time. Without water chiller cooling, the laser tube will break under high temperatures. A laser tube can cost between $300 and $, so the laser chiller must be working properly to avoid unnecessary costs. You can even have a separate industrial water chiller for your machine.
How many CO2 engraving machines require a laser water chiller
It is also important to choose a laser chiller with the right power for the CO2 laser cutting machine.
Air cooling will effectively cool the laser tube for low power lasers of 40W and below.
For 50-100w machines, the water cooler that comes with the machine can effectively remove excess heat.
You must configure a professional water cooler for cutting machines of 100W and above. The above will first determine whether your machine needs to equip with a water cooler. If the power of your machine is more excellent than 100w, it recommends choosing a 5K laser chiller. Of course, when selecting a laser chiller, you need to consider factors such as water flow, ISO certification, etc.
How industrial laser chillers work
For most industrial laser chillers, the primary method of operation is to inject water into the machine and then cool the water using the laser water chiller's cooling system. The cooled water is fed into the machine to absorb the heat generated by the laser. When the water becomes hot, then the water will flow back into the laser water chiller to cool. The cooled water in the laser water chiller continues to be used as a machine. Thus, the water is exchanged circularly to heat the laser tube.
What is the right temperature setting for a water chiller
The optimal working temperature of the cutting machine is 0-25°C, so we keep the water temperature between 15-21°C is the most suitable. The laser tube reacts with the CO2 gas inside the tube with an electric current to form a laser beam. Too much heat in this process will cause the laser tube to produce a stronger laser beam. Therefore, temperature changes have a direct effect on the laser beam. Again, maintaining a constant cooling temperature will extend the life of the laser tube.
The main features of an industrial laser chiller
A good study of the laser chiller's characteristics will also help extend your machine's life.
Where to buy industrial water chillers from
Check out GWK's CO2 laser cutting machine parts if you want to buy a reliable industrial water cooler. Let you spend the least money to get the best machine parts.
Lasers are a useful tool applied in various industrial engraving applications. Lasers can be used with various materials, including wood, glassware, acrylics, and leather. However, lasers generate a lot of heat which could damage the finished items if proper temperature regulation is not achieved. Portable water chillers are an effective means of achieving optimal temperature control when industrial lasers are in use.
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The laser engraving process is expected to generate significant amounts of heat. To effectively engrave a material, the laser would have to produce enough heat to successfully distort its surface thermally. For example, stainless steel melts at approximately to °C. This means a laser engraver will need to sustain very high temperatures when in operation.
As mentioned earlier in this article, the operational temperatures for laser engravers are quite high. If the thermal conditions are not carefully regulated while operating a CO2 laser engraver, there is an increased risk of completing a sub-standard process. Uncontrolled heat generation will not only diminish the engraving quality but also cause costly damage to the laser components.
To prevent these undesirable outcomes, it is prudent to integrate an industrial cooling system with your CO2 laser. Incorporating a CO2 laser chiller into your engraving setup is an effective way of ensuring optimal process temperatures are maintained.
Highlighted below are the key elements of an efficient water chiller system required for use with a CO2 laser engraver.
A critical component of chiller efficiency is a steady flow of water directed at the cooling process. Therefore, a laser cutter cooling system must possess a tubing circuit recirculating chilled water through the heated laser process.
The temperatures within the CO2 laser engraving setup must always be carefully regulated. An effective laser water chiller includes thermal sensors that are calibrated to precisely monitor operating conditions. If there is a deviation from the desired thermal parameters, then alarm systems will go off to inform the operator to make checks, or the chiller system will try to self-regulate automatically.
Heads-up displays are another integral part of a good industrial chiller. At a glance, equipment operators can get a readout on current operational temperatures and compare them against the required thermal conditions. This is particularly important when operating a DIY chiller, as manual input is necessary to keep the engraving process within desired temperature ranges.
Industrial chillers are largely enclosed systems. As a result, most water chillers have a cut-out or window through which system operators can keep an eye on chiller fluid levels. This is to ensure the appropriate levels of cooling fluids always remain in circulation.
While this is not always necessary, some processes require their industrial chillers to be highly mobile as cooling happens across several sites. For example, for CO2 laser engraving processes, an air-cooled or water-cooled on wheels is a good choice.
While there is no precise way to estimate the perfect operating temperatures for gas lasers, most CO2 lasers will function optimally with chiller units that keep thermal conditions between 60 to 70°F.
Running a laser engraver water chiller at this temperature will improve the engraving quality and protect the laser tube from heat-related damage for longer. Overall, integrating a chiller for a laser cutting machine will boost the longevity of process equipment while maintaining high-quality material finishes.
To ensure your laser-cutting cooling system is appropriate for your industrial process, you must determine the scale of your operation. Lasers with higher power ratings typically require larger chillers to achieve maximal cooling. If you run a smaller operation, a portable chiller should be able to satisfy all your cooling needs.
Other vital factors to consider include ISO certification, installation chiller maintenance and installation costs, and equipment warranty.
Cold Shot Chillers is the best choice if you are looking to optimize cooling for your CO2 laser system. Our laser cutter cooling systems are built to the highest manufacturing standards while remaining easy to install and maintain.
To learn more about our industrial chillers for laser cutting machines, contact us online.