A Comprehensive Guide To Buying Laser Drilling Machines The laser drilling machines make use of various laser technologies such as the image projection, percussion, direct writing and trepanning. These technologies determine the performance, durability, the output, efficiency and lifespan of the drilling machine and directly contribute to the factors that should be put in place by anyone who need to buy these drilling machines. How to Choose Drilling Machines When you need to buy any type of laser engraving machines, be it Printed Circuit Board (PCB) drilling machines or the laser drilling machines there are a number of factors that you should put into considerations.
1. The Laser Light Technology Used Make a choice from the four basic laser technologies that determine the mode of operation of the drilling machine. These are (a) Image Projection and Direct writing Also known as mask illumination, this is a technique where patterns are transferred to the material by making use of an imaging lens that collects and projects the laser light shining through a custom mask. (b)Direct writing
This technique makes use of a focused laser beam that is steered into the shape of your pattern by a scanner while the material is being kept stationary through the fine-kerf cutting process. (c) Percussion Laser Drilling In this technique, the laser is delivered in rapid bursts of pulse that are meant to evaporate layer by layer without the use of any strata or striation defects. (d) Trepanning Laser Drilling The technique makes us of the removal of a cylindrical core or circular disk from a substrate. The position of the substrate or the beam is then moved in conjunction with a predetermined beam in order to achieve the desired edge quality, resolution, and production throughput. 2.The specifications and Tolerance of the Drilling Machine When making a purchase for these machines, make sure that the resolution of features that are produced by the laser micro-hole drilling are proportional to the beam quality and the wavelength used. Make sure that the positional accuracy on the micron level allows you to make unique parts that are not achievable using other conventional methods.
3. The Cutting speed of the Drilling Machine The cutting speed is the rate expressed in feet per minute. Have an understanding of the factors that affect the cutting speed. These factors are; - The kind of material being drilled (Speed is high in soft materials) - The cutting tool material (Speed is high in hard materials) - The quantity of the hole design - The efficiency and use of the cutting fluid
- The size and type of the drilling machine. Understanding the feed is another important aspect. The feed is the distance that the drill moves into a work piece for each complete turn of the drill made. 4. The Drilling Machine Age and Conditions Access the condition of the machine that you are about to buy. Make a choice between new machine and the refurbished or second-hand ones. The performance of the machine is going to be determined by; - The management of equipment - The working conditions - Condition tools 5. The Stability of the Control System If the control system of the PCB drilling machine is unstable, it will make the machine to be slow. Thus, is because the numerical control systems of the CPU and the hard drive heat cause system instability. In case of any virus infection on the hard disk, or if the software has any defects, it will make the production to be slow, leading to cutting errors and affecting the cutting quality. 6. Cost The cost of the laser drilling machine is an obvious consideration factor. The cost of the machine will depend on the cutting accuracy, the size of the drilling machine, the performance, and output efficiency. The laser technique type and the state of the machine will have a role to play in determining the final price of the equipment. 7. Setup and Installation Make sure that you get the required documentation and assistance that will guide you in the setting up and installing the components of the drilling machine.
8. The Beam quality Have and understanding of the factors that affect the beam quality and understand how they have been incorporated in the drilling machine. These factors include the internal components such as the cavity mirrors, the flash lamps, the diodes and the delivery optics. 9. Warranty Look at the warranty that has been placed on the machine and how authentic the PCB drilling machine is. Warranty offers you the flexibility and the security as you work on the purchased equipment. 10. Deliverability The machine deliverability is another important factor that should not be overlooked. You would not like to buy a drilling machine that would take centuries to be delivered