As far as I know, there is no direct vocational training in the field of laser machines. Of course, there were and still are physicists who have driven the development of lasers and there are now a few degree courses that deal with laser technology and the theoretical design and layout of lasers. I studied mechanical engineering and gained my first experience in the field of lasers during my practical semester and the subsequent diploma phase at a large German laser manufacturer, where I subsequently worked for many years in the application and research & development departments. In the field of mechanical engineering, a lot is still learning by doing. You have a basic knowledge thanks to your studies, but you have to acquire the rest.

I started out as a metalworker and became a master metalworker after my apprenticeship. In my company at the time, I operated a laser cutting system, among other things, and later also programmed it. With this prior knowledge, I was then able to delve deeper and deeper into the subject at ACCURL Europe. Through exchanges with colleagues, with manufacturers and with many of my own tests, I gained experience and my understanding of the physical components grew. Every problem that you are allowed to solve takes you further.

There is no foreseeable end to the development of laser technology. Since my studies, lasers and their application in industry have continued to develop. This makes the job extremely diverse and interesting in the long term.

Of course, this means that you are always faced with new tasks – whether in laser cutting or in another cutting technology. You are on site or in our own technology center and solve tasks, set up parameters and work closely with the operator so that the customer can ultimately work in the best possible way. Be it during commissioning, training or support. You work with customers from different industries, see a wide variety of applications, state-of-the-art technology and experience many small and large successes.

A laser can of course be used to cut very different materials – there are different laser processes depending on the task. In principle, you first look at what the customer wants to cut and then select the type of laser with the right wavelength for the material group. Glass or wood, for example, cannot be cut with all laser types. The beam parameters and process parameters are then designed depending on the material group and the material thicknesses to be cut. The most important of these are the cutting speed, the focus position, the laser power and, of course, the cutting gas and the cutting gas pressure. In order to achieve the best possible results, the parameters must be adapted to the respective material or alloy.

A distinction must certainly be made here between the different types of laser cutting machines. Small precision cutting systems can achieve accuracies in the single-digit µm range, while the laser systems used in industrial production today have a higher accuracy, usually in the range of 0.1 mm and smaller, depending on the material thickness to be cut.

In addition, laser systems are highly complex systems that can only develop their full potential with the right training. This includes, for example, giving the operator an understanding of the interaction between the individual components of a laser system during training, as well as explaining the individual machine and laser parameters for the cutting process.

A laser machine is often one of the most expensive systems in operation. Of course, the operation of such a system is becoming more and more optimized and the control systems used are becoming increasingly intelligent, but the operator still plays a decisive role in the efficiency of such a system. Due to the wide variety of applications, the best possible results can only be achieved with the right knowledge. And what could be more expensive than the machine standing still or having to rework cuts because the operator lacks the necessary knowledge.

Beam protection is the most important part of a laser system. This is because the laser beam is the most dangerous component. There is also the danger posed by moving parts such as the shuttle table and the potential for injury from sharp-edged parts. At least the sharp edges are not foreign to the metalworker, even without a laser.

The use of fiber lasers has significantly reduced maintenance times. When using a CO2 laser in a laser cutting system, the beam source is simply the most maintenance-intensive component. The fiber laser, on the other hand, is completely maintenance-free in this respect. This means that fiber laser cutting systems only require maintenance of the machine construction, axes, etc. The maintenance effort is similar to that of a CO2 laser. As with other types of cutting systems such as plasma, the amount of maintenance required simply depends on the size of the system, the degree of automation and the operating hours. We recommend maintenance every 2000 operating hours or at least once a year.

There are different variants depending on the requirements:

• The simplest variant is an automatic shuttle table that enables loading and unloading from and into the laser cabin.
• This can be expanded to include a material handling system, which can be used for parallel loading and unloading and also automates the feeding and removal of the sheet metal to the shuttle table.
• In conjunction with a storage system, virtually unmanned production can be achieved.
• There are also solutions for the variable processing of large-format sheets and systems that enable the automated material handling of pipes and profiles.

It is certainly possible to retrofit a machine, but depending on the requirements, it is often unprofitable. If you want to cut thicker materials or significantly increase the cutting speed, you may have to replace a lot more than just the laser source. This can even include reinforcing the shuttle table, new servomotors, etc. Here it is important to analyze the individual case in detail.

The trend continues towards achieving higher speeds with higher laser power and cutting thicker sheets. As a result, an ever-increasing degree of automation is also required. After all, I don't want to lose the time I have gained with a faster laser when handling parts. In addition, advancing digitalization in the sense of Industry 4.0 is a groundbreaking aspect. Everything comes together in the quest for ever more efficient production methods.