When you are setting up a new food-processing facility, you've got to make sure that all of the equipment is carefully chosen and that you use the right materials with health, safety and productivity in mind. In this case, you may well decide to choose stainless steel, due to its properties and the fact that it is easy to keep clean and able to cope with varying temperatures. However, you may have come across a problem when trying to cut and shape these stainless-steel sheets, as they may interfere with the machine due to their reflective qualities. Does this mean that you cannot use laser cutting technology to help you with your project, or is there an alternative?

Scale of the Problem

As you may know, laser cutting is the preferred approach these days, due to its precision and relative simplicity. Yet certain materials can be an issue, as they may reflect the laser beam back into the machine due to their shiny nature. Still, this is not a problem that is specific to stainless steel, and it has been encountered in the past when working with gold, bronze, brass and silver. In fact, there is so much demand for laser cutting when it comes to these materials that a certain device can now be fitted to the cutting equipment to get around this issue.

Laser in Action

As you may know, these cutting machines feature a very highly targeted beam that is directed, using a combination of mirrors and lights, onto the surface of the material. The laser is able to cut a shape with very high accuracy and in a short amount of time so that you can design and craft the working systems for your project.

Failsafe Device

However, to get around the problem with reflection, you will need to add a failsafe device. This will be linked to sensors and detectors and can automatically switch off the machine if abnormally high levels of reflection are encountered.

You will also need to adjust the angle of the beam carefully and will know whether it is in the right place or not, based on feedback from the failsafe device. Once you have managed to get everything set up properly, then the job can proceed without any delay, safe in the knowledge that the machinery itself will be protected from damage due to reflection.

Installation

Make sure that you install this device when you introduce your laser cutting machinery so that you can complete your project successfully.