Laser cutting of wire and strip - over hollow rotating cylinder housing a focussing unit

摘要

Wire or strip passes over a hollow cylinder with at least one opening in its cylindrical surface. It passes over at least one opening, and is cut (when it has reached a predetermined length) by a continuous or pulsed laser beam focussed - radially outwards in the direction of one of the openings - by means of a focussing unit installed in the interior of the cylinder. The focussing unit is displaceable along the cylinder axis by means of a connecting mechanism. The opening in the cylindrical surface has the form of a slot parallel to the cylinder axis, and the cylindrical surface itself is provided with guideways for wire or strip. An appropriately positioned lead is provided for gas (or gas mixt.) supply to support the cutting process or to remove its by-products. USE/ADVANTAGE - For high-productivity wire and strip cutting installations. The cutting process does not require reduction of the material speed. The energy density of the laser beam is kept the same over the entire length of cut.