Common Consumable Parts of Lasers and Their Detailed Introduction

Table of Common Consumable Parts

Detailed Introduction of Consumable Parts

1. Diode Pump Module

• Function: Provides energy for the laser, one of the core components of the laser.
• Causes of Damage: Long-term operation leads to performance degradation and a drop in output power.
• Replacement Cycle: Generally 1-2 years, depending on usage frequency and working environment.

1. Fiber Coupling Head

• Function: Transfers the laser from the fiber to the laser cavity, ensuring efficient laser transmission.
• Causes of Damage: Frequent plugging and unplugging can cause poor contact, and dust contamination can affect laser transmission efficiency.
• Replacement Cycle: Generally 6 months – 1 year, with regular cleaning and inspection required.

1. Laser Cavity

• Function: Generates and amplifies the laser, the core area of the laser.
• Causes of Damage: Long-term high-temperature operation can lead to component aging, and mechanical vibration can also damage the laser cavity.
• Replacement Cycle: Generally 2-3 years, with regular inspection and maintenance required.

1. Water Chiller

• Function: Cools the laser to ensure it operates at a normal temperature and prevents overheating damage.
• Causes of Damage: Long-term operation leads to coolant degradation and blockage, affecting cooling efficiency.
• Replacement Cycle: Generally 1-2 years, with regular coolant replacement and cleaning of the cooling system required.

1. Reflective Mirror

• Function: Guides the laser beam to the cutting head to ensure accurate laser direction.
• Causes of Damage: Dust and oil contamination can reduce laser reflection efficiency, and high-energy laser can also damage the mirror.
• Replacement Cycle: Generally 3-6 months, with regular cleaning required.

1. Focusing Lens

• Function: Focuses the laser beam onto the material surface to increase laser energy density.
• Causes of Damage: High-energy laser damage, and changes in gas pressure can cause lens deformation.
• Replacement Cycle: Generally about 4 months, depending on usage.

1. Protective Lens

• Function: Prevents splashes from damaging the lens and protects other internal components of the laser.
• Causes of Damage: Splashes and high-temperature damage.
• Replacement Cycle: Generally about 3 months, with regular inspection required.

1. Cutting Nozzle

• Function: Accelerates and guides the laser cutting process to ensure cutting quality.
• Causes of Damage: High temperature and mechanical wear, the nozzle opening can easily deform or clog.
• Replacement Cycle: Generally 1-2 months, with regular inspection of the nozzle opening shape and cleanliness required.

1. Ceramic Ring

• Function: Insulation and capacitive effect at the cutting head tip to protect other components of the cutting head.
• Causes of Damage: Collision and high temperature can cause the ceramic ring to shatter.
• Replacement Cycle: Generally 3-6 months, with regular inspection of its integrity required.

1. Gas Nozzle
   • Function: Accelerates and guides the auxiliary gas to ensure smooth cutting.
   • Causes of Damage: Sealing system wear and contamination.
   • Replacement Cycle: Generally about 3 months, with regular inspection of the sealing condition required.
2. Pressure Gauge
   • Function: Measures gas flow and pressure to ensure normal gas supply during the cutting process.
   • Causes of Damage: Humid environment and frequent use can cause the pressure gauge to malfunction.
   • Replacement Cycle: Generally about 1 year, with regular calibration and maintenance required.

Why Consumable Parts of Lasers Need to Be Replaced in a Timely Manner

1. Ensuring Stable Laser Performance

• Output Power and Beam Quality: Many consumable parts, such as diode pump modules, focusing lenses, and reflective mirrors, directly affect the output power and beam quality of the laser. If these components age or become damaged, the laser’s output power will decrease, and the beam quality will deteriorate. This leads to reduced processing efficiency and insufficient processing accuracy. For example, if a reflective mirror is contaminated by dust or damaged by high-energy laser, the laser reflection efficiency will decrease, and the direction and intensity distribution of the beam will change, affecting the cutting, welding, and other processing effects.
• Operational Stability: The proper functioning of components like water chillers and fiber coupling heads is essential for the stable operation of the laser. Poor cooling performance from a water chiller can cause the internal temperature of the laser to rise, leading to unstable laser performance and even damage to key internal components. Poor contact or damage to a fiber coupling head can affect laser transmission efficiency, preventing the laser from operating normally.

2. Extending the Overall Lifespan of the Laser

• Preventing Damage to Other Components: When some consumable parts are damaged, they can cause a chain reaction that affects other components of the laser. For example, if a protective lens is damaged, debris can directly enter the laser cavity and damage other expensive components inside, such as laser crystals. Replacing the protective lens in a timely manner can prevent this, thereby extending the overall lifespan of the laser.
• Reducing Maintenance Costs and Downtime: Replacing consumable parts in a timely manner can prevent sudden failures caused by component damage, reducing maintenance costs and downtime. If you wait until a component is severely damaged before replacing it, more complex repairs may be required, and multiple components may need to be replaced, increasing maintenance costs and time.

3. Ensuring Processing Quality and Efficiency

• Processing Accuracy and Efficiency: In laser processing equipment, such as laser cutting machines and laser welding machines, the condition of consumable parts directly affects processing quality and efficiency. For example, if a cutting nozzle is worn, the shape of the nozzle opening will change, affecting the direction and flow of the laser and auxiliary gas. This can lead to uneven cutting edges and reduced cutting speeds. Replacing the nozzle in a timely manner can ensure cutting quality and efficiency.
• Consistency in Repeated Processing: For processing tasks that require high precision and high repeatability, such as laser marking and laser micro-processing, the condition of consumable parts is crucial for the consistency of processing results. If consumable parts age or become damaged, the results of each processing operation may vary significantly, affecting product quality and production efficiency.

4. Ensuring Operational Safety

• Avoiding Safety Hazards: The failure of some consumable parts can lead to safety hazards in laser equipment. For example, coolant leakage from a water chiller can cause electrical short circuits, leading to fire and other safety accidents. Replacing the water chiller in a timely manner can prevent these safety hazards and ensure the safety of operators and equipment.
• Compliance with Safety Standards: In some industrial production environments, laser equipment must meet specific safety standards and regulations. Replacing consumable parts in a timely manner can ensure that the equipment always operates safely and complies with relevant safety standards.