From Ecopedia

Overview

A LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) device generates highly concentrated, coherent and single wavelength (monochromatic) light beams through stimulated emissions.^[1]

Typically, laser beam cutting involves the use of laser devices to cut materials for industrial manufacturing applications that include cutting, welding, boring and engraving of materials among many others.

Laser beam cutting is also often used in many surgical applications such as laser cataract surgeries, skin resurfacing and dermabrasion procedures. ^[2]

High pressure gases such as Carbon dioxide (CO2) are utilized in laser beam cutting to achieve focused monochromatic coherent light emissions.

Types of Lasers

Laser cutting is done using three different types of lasers:

• CO2 lasers used in cutting or scribing, boring and engraving applications
• Neodymium (Nd) lasers used in boring, high energy pulses and Low repetition speed (1kHz) applications, and
• Neodymium yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd-YAG) lasers useful in applications involving boring, engraving, trimming and very high energy pulses. ^[3]

Environmental Information

Laser beam cutting is considered to be an environmentally safe procedure as the procedure ensures highest possible accuracy and minimal distortion with no generation of cutting forces, as laser cutting is a non-contact process. (Ref: www.komatsu.com)

While cutting wood, paper or other fibrous materials, laser machining effectively eliminates residues and debris, consisting of several environmental pollutants. (Ref: www.praxair.com)

Another advantage of laser beam cutting includes the creation of minimal heat affected zones while cutting, thereby, assuring reduced thermal pollution. (Ref: www.praxair.com)

Although, lasers are capable of cutting a wide range of materials including steel, aluminum, plastic, wood, fabric, leather, paper, rubber, film, vinyl, glass and acrylic among many others, lasers require vast amounts of energy for functioning. Especially, widely used lasers such as carbon dioxide lasers consume a lot of energy while functioning. Such high energy consumption by lasers is a cause for concern to most environmentalists, as high energy consumption levels might cause many environmental imbalances. ^[4]

Carbon dioxide Laser Manufacturing

Carbon dioxide lasers are one of the earliest and most useful lasers to be invented and developed by Kumar Patel in the year 1964.

CO2 lasers are currently the most efficient and highest-power continuous wave (CW) power, producing infrared light beams with principal wavelengths ranging around 9.4 micrometers and 10.6 micrometers. (Ref: en.wikipedia.org)

However, CO2 laser manufacturing involves the release of certain environment-harming pollutants into the atmosphere.

Leaking of hazardous substances

Although most lasing gases including carbon dioxide, nitrogen and helium are not toxic as the gases are only used in smaller quantities, leaks might occur in the gas delivery system.

Particularly, carbon dioxide being heavier than air would displace air quickly in enclosed spaces resulting in air contamination. Moreover, while generating the gases, many caustic chemicals or acids might get involved leading to chemical contamination.

In addition, certain commercial lasers make use of structural materials such as beryllia for boring purposes. Beryllia is considered as a biohazard if ground or broken.^[5]

Another major environmental disadvantage of laser beam cutting is that laser cutting often releases environment-pollutants such as smoke, fumes and dust particles into the atmosphere. ^[6]

References

1. ↑ Ezine Articles[1]
2. ↑ Wikipedia[2]
3. ↑ Wikipedia[3]
4. ↑ www.212articles.com
5. ↑ www.repairfaq.org
6. ↑ www.welding-technology-machines.info