Atlas Copco offers on-site nitrogen generation solutions that can boost productivity for industrial laser cutting companies. This means you can produce nitrogen right where you need it, helping to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Laser cutting is a method that uses heat to cut through materials, commonly used in industrial manufacturing. It’s especially useful for cutting sheet metal. For instance, laser cutting is used to create panels for equipment canopies to reduce noise levels, as well as exhaust ducts for hot air.
These laser cutting systems can engrave metal and quickly cut sheet metal for complex tasks and for a wide variety of materials, including aluminium, stainless steel, titanium, and more. Nitrogen gas (N2) is needed at varying pressures, ranging from 15 bar to 35 bar, depending on the material and thickness being cut by laser cutting machines.
With the added support of Atlas Copco on-site nitrogen gas solutions, laser cutters showcase their versatility in industrial manufacturing by enabling the precise and swift cutting of complex shapes in a variety of metal materials.
Why use nitrogen?
Nitrogen is one of Atlas Copco’s on-site gas solutions that plays a crucial role in laser cutting. As an inert and non-reactive gas, nitrogen prevents oxidation and discoloration, enhancing the quality of the cut. By preventing oxidation, nitrogen clears a path for the laser beam to precisely reach the target area.
Laser cutting machines also rely on nitrogen to provide an inert atmosphere for cutting, as its oxygen-free environment helps prevent the material from undergoing chemical reactions. This is beneficial when working with materials like stainless steel and alloy steel, which are prone to oxidation.
Additionally, nitrogen’s cooling properties contribute to achieving superior edge quality and can help regulate the temperature of the material during the cutting process, reducing the risk of material distortion. This ensures that intricate designs and fine details can be maintained with precision, eliminating further material handling.
This controlled atmosphere created by nitrogen is vital in ensuring the quality of the cutting process, making it indispensable in most laser cutting operations.
Using nitrogen also offers several other industrial uses, including its ability to ensure continuous operation with minimal operator attention, allowing for uninterrupted production. Nitrogen helps maintain a clean laser stream by purging the beam’s travel path, preventing contamination and irregularities in the cut.
Perhaps the most important benefit of the nitrogen for the customer is how it can ensure a burr-free environment while laser cutting, leading to a lot less material handling. Combining increased productivity from higher cutting speeds with the cost-saving benefits of on-demand nitrogen generation makes this an obvious premium choice for laser cutting customers.
On-site N2 solution
As part of a complete on-site nitrogen generation system, Atlas Copco’s NGP+ range of nitrogen generators can produce nitrogen at 99.999 per cent purity while also storing nitrogen onboard in a bottle rack to meet production demands and ensure customers never run out of nitrogen.
Atlas Copco’s high-pressure nitrogen generation system is an all-in-one, plug-and-play system that provides independent gas supply and cost savings. This complete system on a compact skid includes a Variable Speed Drive (VSD) compressor, a nitrogen generator, air and nitrogen receivers, booster, dryers, filters, and a high-pressure bottle bank for storage.
Atlas Copco’s available nitrogen skid features:
• Low operating costs for extra cost-efficiency.
• Plug-and-play high-pressure skid system that delivers nitrogen at 40 or 300 bar nitrogen purity: 99.9 per cent to 99.999 per cent .
• Reliability for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
More cost-efficient and environmentally friendly
Atlas Copco’s on-site gas generators can make a laser cutting application more cost-efficient and environmentally friendly by reducing operational expenditure including lowering the overall energy consumption. Most importantly customers can generate their own nitrogen gas at their doorstep, which will never run out.
Having nitrogen generation on-site, users also eliminate the need for cylinder deliveries and reduce reliance on external suppliers. This not only streamlines operations but also ensures a reliable and uninterrupted supply of nitrogen gas.
Atlas Copco on-site nitrogen generation solutions provide a beneficial way to enhance laser cutting precision and reduce dependency on external gas supplies, ensuring consistent quality and cost efficiency.