Nov 16 2009
A new sealed 1 kW CO2 laser from Coherent Inc. (Santa Clara, CA) (Nasdaq: COHR) is the most compact product available at this power level.
The DIAMOND™ E-1000 measures less than 1497 mm x 471 mm x 384 mm, including its integrated power supply. Packed into this unique product are a host of high performance features, making it ideally suited for use in small machines or space-sensitive applications involving cutting, perforating and drilling of paper, plastic films, plastics, glass, carbon composites and even thin metals. The sealed DIAMOND E-1000 requires no external gas supply and the only connections to the laser are a power cord and a water hose, making this lightweight, high performance laser easily to mount on a moving robot arm.
In addition to the smaller size and ease of integration, the DIAMOND E-1000 offers a lower cost of ownership compared to other 1 kW CO2 lasers. Its sealed design eliminates costly external laser gas, and service of the gas blower required to support the external gas supply. Furthermore, the Designed In Reliability of the DIAMOND E-1000, together with built-in advanced diagnostics, minimize unscheduled laser downtime and maintenance. The ability to bring the compact laser head into close proximity to the work piece also eliminates the costs and complexity associated with long beam delivery systems.
The beam characteristics of the DIAMOND E-1000 enable it to reach cutting speeds equivalent to traditional 2 kW CO2 lasers. These characteristics, known as Brilliance™, include excellent spatial mode quality (M2<1.2), and a square wave pulse shape that delivers up to 2.5 kW of peak power. Brilliance enables faster cutting of non-metals, cutting of mild steel sheets up to 6 mm in thickness, and cutting of stainless steel sheets up to 3mm in thickness.