The fiber laser cutting machine can do both plane cutting and bevel cutting, and the edges are neat and smooth. It is suitable for high-precision cutting of metal plates. The laser cutting machine can process materials such as stainless steel, carbon steel, alloy steel, silicon steel, spring steel, aluminum, aluminum alloy, galvanized sheet, galvanized sheet, pickled sheet, copper, silver, gold, titanium and other metal plates and pipes.

Laser cutting replaces the traditional mechanical knife with an invisible beam. It has the characteristics of high precision, fast cutting, no limitation on cutting pattern, automatic typesetting to save materials, smooth incision, low processing cost, etc., which will gradually improve or replace the traditional metal cutting process equipment.

So, what are the characteristics of copper alloy, brass, bronze and nickel silver for metal materials that can be cut by fiber laser cutting machine? What are its application fields? REBOUND CNC engineers will answer for you.

Analysis of the characteristics and application fields of copper alloys, brass, bronze and white copper for laser cutting materials:

Copper alloys for laser cutting materials have excellent material properties. Pure copper has good electrical conductivity, antimagnetism, high thermal conductivity, an outstanding combination of strength and plasticity, and corrosion resistance in many environments. Adding zinc to copper increases the strength of the alloy and its plasticity. 10-20% zinc alloys are called gold-plated metals, which are used in the jewelry industry and the production of heat exchangers; 30% zinc alloys are called cartridge brass. The maximum threshold of zinc in formable brass is about 35%. The addition of other alloying elements can further improve the performance of brass. For example, tin and aluminum improve its corrosion resistance in seawater.

Brass for laser cutting materials: Single-phase brass application range: jewelry, artwork, tableware, musical instruments and cartridges. Single-phase brass has a zinc content of up to 37%, known as alpha brass, has a uniform crystal structure, is softer and has higher ductility. Suitable for cold working, drawing, bending and other processes.

Duplex brass application range: heat exchangers, capacitors, parts made of automatic cutting workbenches, etc. Duplex brass contains both α and β phases, that is, both α grain structure and β grain structure exist. Duplex brass is cheaper than single-phase brass because it uses a lot of zinc, and it is also susceptible to corrosion. Its chemical composition gives it greater strength and hardness, so it is suitable for processes such as hot forming and casting.

Bronze, a laser cutting material, is divided into different types of bronze alloys according to the alloying elements used. Tin bronze application range: springs, washers, coins, crafts, pump parts, pressure-resistant castings, bearings, etc. Its application depends on the percentage of tin used in the alloy. The maximum content of tin in alloys suitable for cold working is about 7%, and the copper alloy has good plasticity.

The main application of duplex tin bronze is in the bearing industry. This structure has a good balance, in which the α phase ensures impact resistance, while the hard and brittle compound bears the load and provides a certain wear resistance. Zinc and lead are sometimes present in tin bronze. Zinc improves the quality of castings and also makes the alloy cheaper. This bronze is also called gun copper because large guns were made of this material in the past.

Application range of aluminum bronze for laser cutting materials: coins, ship parts, ship hardware, sleeve bearings, pumps, valves, etc. Aluminum bronze has similar properties to tin bronze. Most of them are single-phase and suitable for cold forming. They are very suitable for making coins. The aluminum content is usually between 6-12%. Duplex aluminum bronze can be used as a casting alloy or for hot processing. Aluminum bronze with an aluminum content of about 10% is used to make propellers, valves, pumps, etc.

Application range of white copper for laser cutting materials: coins, ship equipment, electrical equipment, heat exchangers, cooling systems, shipbuilding, etc. Copper-nickel alloys are strong and have strong plasticity. Adding nickel to copper (usually 2-30%) makes the metal highly corrosion-resistant and has excellent electrical conductivity. Copper-nickel alloys have almost no thermal expansion coefficient and the greatest resistance at 40…50% nickel, so Constantan (Cu-Ni alloy containing 45% nickel) is used in electrical equipment with large temperature changes. Corrosion-resistant copper-nickel alloys contain about 30% nickel, as well as small amounts of iron and manganese, and their properties are particularly stable in salt water.