About the Cutting Table

1. Do I have to clamp parts before cutting?
2. Does the cutting table move, or does the machine use flying optics?
3. How does the machine achieve positioning accuracy?
4. Is accuracy the same over the entire cutting bed?
5. Is the machine belt driven or ball screw? Why does it matter?
6. What size cutting bed do I need?
7. What is the tallest item I can fit on the cutting bed?

 

1. Do I have to clamp parts before cutting?

No. The powerful vacuum cutting bed provides material hold-down.

2. Does the cutting table move, or does the machine use flying optics?

The machine uses flying optics. The part being cut remains stationary while the laser beam is directed by mirrors that move over the surface of the bed on an XY table. This high-speed design provides a large cutting area while consuming a minimum of valuable floor space. The entire beam path is enclosed for safety and low maintenance.

3. How does the machine achieve positioning accuracy?

The linear drive machines use closed loop servo motors with linear encoders that enable precise positioning and repeatability. This machine provides extremely high accuracy, at all speeds, and does not change over time.

4. Is accuracy the same over the entire cutting bed?

Yes.

5. Is the machine belt driven or ball screw? Why does it matter?

The machine is belt driven, using closed loop servo motors with linear encoders that enable precise positioning and repeatability. It is much more accurate than a ball screw machine, which wears over time.

6. What size cutting bed do I need?

The standard LMC and Lumen DCC (with a 48" x 48" cutting bed) require 36 square feet of floor space. The 4' x 8' extension table (with a 48" x 96" cutting bed) and the Lumen DCC pallet exchange table consumes 93 square feet of shop floor space. Space availability will be a primary consideration when selecting a system.

Many materials are available from suppliers in 4' x 8' sheets. This may be a consideration if you don’t want to cut sheets down into 4' x 4' segments. Of course, the primary consideration will be whether you intend to cut parts with dimensions greater than 48".

7. What is the tallest item I can fit on the cutting bed?

Our machines provide up to 12 inches of clearance for cutting or engraving on non-sheet material. By adjusting the height of the cutting bed, the machine allows for custom fixturing of tall parts for secondary laser cutting operations.