When operating a laser cutting machine, the main performer is the laser tube, which releases heat when the laser beam is activated. If the cooling water of the laser tube rises above 30 ° C, it can cause the laser beam to disappear, ie the laser beam itself does not form when this temperature is exceeded. As the temperature rises, the resource of the laser tube begins to decrease rapidly and the glass laser tube may break due to heat. We recommend keeping the cooling water temperature between 20-25 ° C. To achieve a stable and constant laser beam and to keep the cooling water cool, our CO2 laser cutting machines have a cooling system. It is certainly useful to have a water filter as well to prevent dirt from entering the laser tube, which can clog it. Clogging of the cooling system can, in the worst case, result in the laser tube breaking.
We divide the cooling systems into two - Passive and Active.
Passive cooling system
A passive cooling system consists of a coolant container and a standard water pump. The cooling water starts circulating from the container, through the hoses through the laser tube and then back into the container. The heat generated is released into the surrounding environment. The biggest disadvantage of a passive cooling system is that the temperature of the cooling water depends on the ambient temperature and in the summer it is difficult to keep the cooling water within the appropriate temperature range. In addition, cooling the cooling water is quite cumbersome. A passive cooling system is not suitable for lasers with a power of more than 60W, because their heat release is significantly higher, which is why the temperature of the cooling water rises very quickly.
Active cooling system
Similar to the passive cooling system, the active cooling system also consists of similar parts. The biggest advantage is that the cooling water temperature is lowered by fans. There are different variants of active cooling systems, and they are the Active Cooling System CW3A, CW5A and CW6AG. You can find their more detailed specifications on our accessories page – https://lasermeister.ee/lisavarustus/
The biggest difference between them is that CW5A and CW6AG work with a coolant and have a higher cooling capacity than CW3A. In addition, the CW5A and CW6AG have an intelligent temperature control function, where the device maintains a pre-set temperature.
Cooling water
Various liquids can be used as cooling water. Normal water is suitable if there is a water filter in the cooling system and the water could be changed every few months. The water filter must also be cleaned. This ensures the purity of the water and prevents various residues from settling in the cooling system.
We recommend using distilled water , as it prevents the natural minerals in the water from settling in the cooling system. It is recommended to change the cooling water every few months, and in the case of an active cooling system every 6 months. It is also possible to use different coolants, but in this case, only INDUSTRIAL coolant should be chosen.
