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Optimizing CO2 laser use: Part I

By David Bell, Contributing Writer
January 10, 2006

Many factors can affect laser processing efficiency. This article, Part I of a two-part
series, stresses laser system maintenance and discusses factors that can affect
beam quality and efficiency—namely, impurities introduced by laser gases and gas
supply systems and how to prevent them. It also has a supply system requirements
list.
Although continuous improvements have been made to increase CO2 laser cutting productivity, the
basic parameters of the process have not changed in the last 20-plus years. A process's growth
depends on how the technology and its ancillary components serve the user. New laser technology
that produces cutting systems with higher power, improved material handling, and on-time
monitoring will meet future market demands and encourage laser processing growth.

The CO2 laser process depends on the power of the laser beam produced. The laser beam is
nothing more than light. In fact the word laser is an acronym for light amplification by stimulated
emission of radiation.

In the CO2 laser process, the beam is produced by exciting a mixture of carbon dioxide, nitrogen,
and helium. In some cases, other gases may be added to the mixture. The exact mixture will vary
according to the design, operating pressure, and operating mode selected by the laser system's
manufacturer.

Besides generating the laser

beam, gases are used to protect
the transmission of the beam
from the resonator to the
workpiece and also to cut the
material (Figure 1). Each gas
plays an independent role in the
total process and is critical to a
successful operation.

Factors Affecting Beam Quality

The single most important factor

in CO2 laser processing is the
beam quality. A laser-driven
manufacturing process must
deliver sufficient laser power to Figure 1
the work area at the correct
time. Industrial lasers can function in multimode operation, and good beam quality in all modes is
very important. As laser manufacturing is pushed to higher performance levels, the beam quality
often can mean the difference between acceptable and unacceptable processes.

The beam quality is determined when the laser is built, but it does not remain unchanged throughout
the laser's life. Internal components, such as cavity mirrors, resonator tubes, and electrodes, can
change over time, and each component can affect the laser's performance.

In most modern CO2 laser cutting machines, many internal functions are automated. Cutting
parameters, such as the focus point, assist gas pressure, and gas type, can be changed remotely
via a cutting database table, and selection depends on the process to be performed. If the laser
beam power is not sufficient, even properly selecting the other parameters may not achieve the
desired result.

Maintenance

As with any industrial tool, a preventive maintenance schedule should be implemented to keep the
laser working at maximum efficiency. Industrial laser power has increased dramatically over the past
few years, and more power can result in greater damage to the internal components.

Because certain gas impurities, such as oil, moisture, and other particulate material, can
significantly damage the laser resonator, maintaining the correct gas atmosphere within the
resonator is more important than ever. But how pure does the laser gas need to be? Does greater
purity increase laser productivity, and how can you know for sure that a laser resonator gas does
not contain damaging impurities? To most laser users, this is critical information that can mean the
difference between cost savings and productivity enhancements and costly repair bills and lost

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production.

The laser beam's power should be measured at the output of the resonator cavity, because the
beam also can degrade during transmission to the workpiece. Protecting the laser beam path will be
discussed in Part II of this series.

Determining the laser's current efficiency compared with standards provided by the manufacturer
can help identify any system degradation. When setting up a maintenance schedule, calculate how
long the laser has been in operation in actual operating hours, not days or months. Also consider
the type of processing the laser has performed and the surrounding environment. Has the laser
been used at or near maximum power or in a work area with high concentrations of moisture, oil, or
dirt particles? If so, maintenance may have to be performed more frequently to keep the laser
working efficiently.

Gas Impurities

Because laser gas contamination can cause beam degradation, a method is needed to determine
the introduction of contaminates. Contaminates can be found in the gases themselves, introduced
by the systems that deliver the gases to the resonator, or even created by the laser reaction.

Most lasing gases for industrial lasers are combinations of helium, nitrogen, and CO2. Various laser
manufacturers also may require small amounts of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, oxygen, and xenon
for beam improvement. All gases can contain impurities caused by the actual gas production.
Impurities also can be introduced when filling high-pressure cylinders if correct procedures are not
followed; these impurities typically are nitrogen, oxygen, and water.

If the impurity already is a component of the desired mixture, there is no reason to worry. For
example, nitrogen impurities found in helium are not a problem, because nitrogen already exists in
the lasing gas mixture. Rare gas impurities, such as argon, have little to no effect on the laser
resonator, unless they are present in quantities larger than a few percent.

As soon as a laser is activated, a series of reactions begins to occur within the resonator,
separating the CO2 molecules into carbon monoxide and oxygen. This creates many thousands of
parts per million (PPM) of carbon monoxide and oxygen within the resonator—many more than are
present even in the source product. Introducing these impurities at this level can cause the laser
resonator to overheat if other impurities are present. The main impurities present in the gases
themselves that can cause problems in the laser resonator are moisture and total hydrocarbons.
Moisture destabilizes the beam, absorbs into the coating of some optics, and decreases power
output. Hydrocarbons reduce the laser's power, which limits its ability to amplify power.

Acceptable Impurity Levels of Pure Gases*

Impurity Helium PPM Helium PPB Nitrogen PPM Nitrogen PPB

Oxygen 5 10 5 10

H2O (Water) 5 20 5 20

THC (Hydrocarbons) 1 100 1 100

N2 (Nitrogen) 5 5 NA NA

*Impurity levels are now measured in parts per billion instead of parts per million
Figure 2

Depending on the laser type, the resonator will require either premixed lasing gas or individual pure
gases. The impurity control should range from a minimum of 1 to 5 PPM for each impurity,
depending on the premixed gas and the laser type. Newer gas production and supply methods
produce impurity levels in the parts per billion (PPB) range, allowing for increased gas usage
(Figure 2).

Preventing Contamination

What can be done to protect the lasing gas and resonator from impurity contamination?
While purchasing the correct quality of laser gases is important, it is just as important to protect the
gas from the supply source to the point of use. Using the correct gas distribution equipment
designed specifically for the laser system will help prevent gas contamination from atmospheric
permeation through the hoses, improper materials used in pressure control regulation equipment,
and atmospheric contamination during cylinder changeout.

Selecting a Delivery System

The proper laser gas delivery system should meet these minimum requirements:

1. Pressure control regulation equipment equipped with stainless steel diaphragms that
does not allow the pressure to drop below 200 pounds per square inch.
2. A reserve cylinder of each laser gas to avoid unnecessary cylinder exchange during the
work process.
3. Gas lines constructed from metal prevent permeation from the atmosphere. Copper tubing

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meets minimum requirements; stainless steel is preferred.

4. Connections made with compression tube fittings. Avoid solder joints and flux.
5. A purging system that removes contaminants from air exposure during cylinder exchange.
6. Micron line filters rated 2.0 or better installed on all laser resonator gas lines.
7. Gas purifier system that serves as final protection from impurities that may have been
introduced.
8. A gas manifold switchover system with alarms for cylinder depletion and possible work
shutdown.

Laser gases and gas delivery systems represent less than 10 percent of the total laser process
operating cost, but these components can have a significant impact on the process's efficiency. Part
II of this series will discuss the process and assist gas requirements for CO2 laser cutting.

This article can be found at:

http://www.thefabricator.com/LaserCutting/LaserCutting_Article.cfm?ID=1245

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