While there is an increase in cost due to the greater consumption, nitrogen should still be strongly considered. Using nitrogen as an assist gas will result in 10 to 15 times the consumption rate of gas to oxygen. The drawback, however, will be in gas consumption. In addition to the speed, the use of nitrogen will provide a superior cut quality to oxygen and ensure proper weld surfaces and paint adhesion-and it will also eliminate secondary operations. An increase in power can lead into 50 percent to 60 percent increases in cutting speeds. The use of nitrogen allows the laser to use the full power of the machine as this process is based on the laser power doing the majority of the work. This limits the cutting speed independent of the maximum laser power of the machine. The oxygen will actually do 70 percent of the work. The use of oxygen as an assist in light gauge material limits the amount of power that can be applied to the material. Light gauge steels also benefit from this increase in power by using nitrogen as an assist gas instead of oxygen. When processed with nitrogen as an assist gas, stainless steel and aluminum, as well as heavy plate, will see an increase in power. And to that end, here are some basic, and maybe not-so-basic, tenets for sheet metal fabricators to consider: In this column, we’ll focus on ways to expand your productivity by increasing speed and improving process reliability. Some other aspects to help increase your productivity include (1) finding ways to reduce non-productive times, such as set-up times, and (2) reducing down times by improving reliability of the machine process. These same principles hold true for sheet metal processing, and fabricators need to recognize that factors in addition to laser power and speed contribute to productivity. And when you’re on the racetrack, you may find that you need to actually slow down in order to negotiate obstacles faster. In auto racing, there are other factors, such as setup, where adjustments have to be made to the vehicle’s suspension, brakes and transmission.Īlso, the time it takes to service/pit stop the car with regard to new tires, air pressure, and minor adjustments contributes to success. And it is not only speed that wins on the shop floor. However, let me raise the yellow flag because there is a caveat to share – and it’s an important one: It is not just speed that makes the sport. Using auto racing as an analogy, we might say that the fastest machine on the shop floor wins. You want to get the job done quickly, accurately and inexpensively. The goal of every fabricator is to maximize productivity in order to generate as much revenue as possible.
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