Corona lasers allow more flexibility with shaping metal
 
A new technology from a local company may sound like it was ripped directly off the pages of a science-fiction novel, but it’s changing the way real-life job shops are able to work with and transform metal.
 
This week nLIGHT, a laser company headquartered in Vancouver, announced the introduction of Corona fiber lasers. The lasers boast “tunable beam properties,” a company press release stated, allowing more flexibility in the materials and processes used to shape metal.
 
“Corona fiber lasers will expand the range of metal thicknesses that job shops can cut with a single machine, eliminating compromises they make today,” said Jake Bell, general manager for nLIGHT’s Industrial Lasers, in the press release.
 
“Legacy laser technology forces manufacturers to restrict their production to a limited thickness range, to purchase multiple tools for different thicknesses, or to employ expensive free-space optics to laser cut a range of materials.”
 
nLIGHT created Corona with the intention of eliminating the need for multiple machines for different types of jobs. With one Corona laser, the company’s website states, users can select anything from a high-intensity, small-spot-size beams to a large, doughnut-shaped beam.
 
Traditionally, users would have to switch between a high-power fiber laser for thin metal processing and CO2 lasers for thick metal processing. A single Corona fiber laser can handle both.
 
Read the full article on The Columbian here.