Coherent has introduced the Metabeam 1000, a turnkey, laser-based machining tool that enables cost effective cutting of sheet metal including stainless steel, mild steel, aluminum and brass.
The Metabeam 1000 uses a 1000W CO2 laser, Coherent’s Diamond E-1000, which is the world’s only completely sealed-off kilowatt CO2 laser that has a peak power greater than 2500W, an M2 less than 1.2, and is completely maintenance-free for its entire lifetime. The Metabeam tool offers substantially lower acquisition and operational costs when compared to legacy systems based on fast flow CO2 lasers.
The long wavelength infrared CO2 laser output and added power enables the system to cut a wide range of metals as well as organic materials such as wood and plastic. The Metabeam 1000 is available with either a 50-inch x 50-inch (1.27m x 1.27m) or 50-inch x 100-inch (1.27m x 2.54m) cutting table, and offers a cutting accuracy of ±0.001-inch (25μm) over its entire range.
The system is a full feature machine tool that includes a capacitive height sensor to maintain constant spacing between the cutting nozzle and metal surface, and comes standard with auto focus to deliver consistent clean cuts.