Laser beam machining, or LBM, involves using laser beam technology to perform functions typically accomplished by conventional milling machines. The type of lasers most often used include the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser beam machining and the neodymium doped:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser beam machining.
A CO2 laser beam machining is one of the more powerful types of laser used in laser beam machining. These lasers can generate 400 to 1,500 watts of power, which can cut through 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) thick carbon steel. The tool uses mirrors that direct the proton laser beam to the desired cutting location. The laser generally makes a tapered cut as it moves along the z-axis whie the work surface travels along the x and y-axes. Industries generally use the power of the CO2 laser beam machining for cutting and profiling.
The flexibility of the YAG laser beam machining enables manufacturers to use a machine that transmits the beam directly to the cutting surface or through something as small as a fiber optic cable. Lasers transmitted through fiber optics can be incorporated into robotic machines that can move on any axis around a stationary work site. While not as powerful as a CO2 laser, a YAG laser beam machining can drill a hole to a depth of six times the diameter of its beam. Besides laser boring, industries commonly employ YAG laser beam machining for etching and engraving.
