Laser Burning Question

[schmism]

the more common name around hear is EDM or wire EDM

Electrical discharge machining - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But its often a slow process, expensive and usually only used on otherwise non-machineable materials (such as hardened tool steel for dies)

 

[have_blue]

I don't know any machinist forums to post this too so here goes.
Anybody had any experience with burning 5/8" tap drill holes in 1/2" plate steel with a NC Laser. Does the material in the heat zone micro harden so as to make tapping very impractical? I can have it burned slightly under and then run a drill through but it will drive the labor cost sky high.

Depends on how many holes you expect from each tap. If this is going to be an ongoing production process, I don't think it would be practical. If you're going to tap a few holes and then you're done, it could work. If you keep a CO2, Argon, or nitrogen blanket on it while it's burning, you can avoid some of the abrasive scale.

 

[Renze]

I've been in the laser cutting business for awhile.

I'd say with 1/2 inch plate and 5/8 holes, which is about M14 in metric, the cut will be rough. Lasers cut rough due to the heat put into the material when cutting holes with the same diameter as the plate thickness.

Are you talking lots and lots of holes ? Then either use the laser to precisely engrave the center of the hole and then drill and tap (and save on laser time because spouting a start hole costs as much time as making a 2 feet cut) or laser a hole that is 2mm smaller than what needs to be tapped, and use a tap drill. I dont know if you can get them in that size, or in imperial sizes, but it is a tap with a drill up front. we used them all the time.

 

[sandman2234]

I am wondering if this is a couple of wheel adapter's for his tractor or is he fixing to start a manufacturing line of them?
If just a couple, heck mark them out, send them to me and I will drill and tap them. If your starting a business, I am not the one you need to talk to.
David from jax