Nozzles
Do you know when and why to switch nozzles on your optic assembly? Did you know there are different nozzles for your optic assembly that allow for better quality cuts? Depending on what substrate you are cutting or engraving, choosing the right nozzle may help you in processing your material, improving your quality while minimizing wear and tear on your equipment. From acrylic to metal, this article will give you guidance into choosing what nozzle may be the best for your application.
NON-METAL CUTTING NOZZLES:
Kern offers two types of aluminum nozzles for the S-FOCUS optic assemblies. These are the standard nozzle and wide opening nozzle.
Our standard nozzle has a .100” diameter opening, and is a good all-around nozzle for processing of materials. It delivers a good amount of air pressure through the cut and also protects the lens from debris buildup and back reflection.
The wide nozzle has .350” in diameter, and is typically used for cutting or engraving plastics and acrylics. The wider nozzles disperse the airflow over a wider area while still protecting the lens from buildup. Using this nozzle when engraving greatly reduces “fogging” or “ghosting” on your plastics or acrylics.
METAL CUTTING NOZZLES (CO2):
Kern offers two types of metal cutting nozzles for our CO2 laser systems. These are copper nozzles with openings of 1.5mm and 1mm.
The standard nozzle on our CO2 metal cutting assemblies has a 1.5mm diameter opening. This nozzle is a great general metal cutting nozzle and works well on almost all metals.
If you find yourself replacing your optics more frequent than you like, try switching to a 1mm nozzle. The beam alignment through this smaller nozzle becomes more critical and will need to be re-calibrated. However, the smaller opening drastically reduces that amount of splatter reaching the optic. The smaller opening also reduces the use of assist gas. For example, if you were running the same part with 100psi assist gas on the 1mm nozzle, the run time on a 244 CFM oxygen tank would run 227 minutes, vs a 1.5mm would run only 67 minutes with the same settings.
FIBER NOZZLES:
The FiberCELL system is equipped standard with a “double-nozzle”. Double nozzles are essentially a nozzle within a nozzle. As the cutting gas enters the first nozzle, cross airflow is created. This cross flow creates a barrier, which greatly reduces the return of splatter, prolonging optic life.
Similar to the CO2 Metal Nozzles, the Fiber Nozzle also comes in multiple sizes do decrease splatter and regulate assist gas usage. The standard size comes with a 1.5mm opening, but have the options of a 1mm and 2mm as well.
For more information on nozzles and the best application use for your company, please contact a friendly salesperson.
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