Laser Cutting With A Nitrogen Generator: Why N2 Is Best

Laser cutting is a process that is often used in industries that use metal working to produce their goods. It can be used for cutting beams, pipes, tubing, sheet metal, and more. Industries like construction, automotive, and aerospace use laser cutting on a regular basis.

The process of laser cutting requires a steady supply of gas for functionality, and the most widely used gas for laser cutting is nitrogen gas. If your business needs a laser to operate, then nitrogen gas is one of your best options, and an N2 generator is likely an essential tool for your factory floor. Here’s what to know about nitrogen gas and its use with laser cutting.

Fundamentals of Laser Cutting

Laser cutting is a process that slices metals with a high-powered laser beam. Lasers can be used to cut stainless steel, aluminum and carbon steel. Assist gas is the gas that’s used to ensure the quality and performance of the laser. The kind of gas you choose to use for your laser cutting depends on variables like what material is being cut and the thickness of the material.

Nitrogen Laser Cutting vs. Other Gases

Nitrogen is often identified as one of the leading gasses for laser cutting. Compared to gasses like air and CO2, nitrogen takes the lead. Air assisted laser cutting is not as precise, powerful or efficient. Air is sometimes used because it is abundant and easily made available, but air assisted laser cutting is not appropriate for every industry.

CO2 laser cutting has a similar problem. Like air assisted laser cutters, CO2 laser cutters cannot always slice through thick materials and are often very slow. CO2 is also very expensive. Many businesses opt for another option when using laser cutters for their industrial purposes.

Nitrogen Gas in Laser Cutting

Because of the disadvantages of the gases listed above, nitrogen gas laser cutters are common. There are many reasons that manufacturers turn to nitrogen gas when laser cutting, including:

  • Nitrogen gas makes an excellent cut that is efficient and accurate.
  • Nitrogen gas assists with the dissipation of heat, so the edge of the cut cools more quickly than other gases.
  • Cuts made with nitrogen gas have reduced discoloration along the cut edge.

Benefits of Using Nitrogen Gas

There are many reasons to use nitrogen gas over other gases in laser cutting processes. Nitrogen gas laser cutting is incredibly flexible, and this type of gas can be used for all laser cutting operations. It’s an excellent gas assist for cutting aluminum as well as stainless steel, and because the gas is inert, there are no other additional heat-producing reactions that occur while the laser cutter is functional. This allows operators to achieve cleaner cuts more quickly. Below are some of the many advantages of using nitrogen assist laser cutters.

Benefits of Using a Nitrogen Generator For Your Laser Cutter

If you have a laser cutter and are using nitrogen as your assist gas, you’ll be faced with the question of whether to use a nitrogen generator or rental cylinders. Using a nitrogen generator can make the process better and more efficient. There are many reasons to use a nitrogen generator over nitrogen cylinders. Some examples:

  • Nitrogen generators provide tremendous cost savings over traditional gas delivery methods
  • Nitrogen generators allow for variable purity options that maximize cut quality, efficiency and production costs
  • Generators produce a constant supply of nitrogen and can operate 24/7 without the chance of running out of nitrogen. Being dependent on nitrogen deliveries can create a downtime in production if nitrogen deliveries are delayed for any reason.

Does Your Business Need Nitrogen Generators for Laser Cutting

Nitrogen generators for laser cutting are an essential tool for most businesses that regularly use laser cutting as a part of their industrial processes.

It’s important to choose the right assist gas for your business’ laser cutting needs. If your business needs a nitrogen laser cutter, then a laser cutting nitrogen generator is an essential part of your industrial operations. On Site Gas Systems makes laser nitrogen generators for industrial operations. If you’re seeking a nitrogen generator for laser cutting, contact On Site Gas Systems.

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4 Signs Your Facility Needs a PSA N2 Generator Manufacturer

Pressure swing adsorption and membrane nitrogen generators have many applications and benefits in various industries including food processing, pharmaceuticals, breweries and beverage manufacturing, welding, electronics, and more. Many businesses that use nitrogen and do not have an on site nitrogen generator can benefit from a PSA or membrane nitrogen generation system. Here’s how you can tell if your business needs this type of generator.

Sign 1: High Dependency on External Nitrogen Tanks

If your business has a high dependency on nitrogen cylinders or a liquid nitrogen tank, you could benefit from a PSA nitrogen generator. Cylinders and liquid nitrogen tanks have disadvantages that must be taken into consideration. For example, nitrogen cylinders and liquid nitrogen tanks must be stored onsite and can take up more room than a nitrogen generator. Cylinders and liquid nitrogen tanks also require regular delivery that, if disrupted, can cause downtime and lost profits at your facility.

In all, this means that a heavy dependency on nitrogen cylinders and liquid nitrogen tanks can be very problematic, and the more your business needs those cylinders and liquid nitrogen tanks, the more inconvenience you may experience. Using a nitrogen generator can eliminate this inconvenience.

Sign 2: Increasing Operational Costs Due to Nitrogen Usage

Nitrogen cylinders and liquid nitrogen tanks create ongoing rental charges that can be very expensive with time. Delivery charges, plus the cost of the nitrogen itself, can change with no warning, and it is not uncommon for additional surcharges on each delivery. If your business regularly deals with ongoing operational costs due to nitrogen rental, purchasing a PSA N2 nitrogen generator can all but eliminate these costs.

With your PSA or membrane nitrogen generator, you’ll never have to worry about where the next shipment of nitrogen is coming from or how much it will cost.

Sign 3: Need for Improved Maximum Nitrogen Usage and Consistency

Some amount of nitrogen is always wasted when the cylinders begin to run low, because many businesses will stop using nitrogen cylinders when the reserves in the cylinders reach a certain level or the pressure is lower than their application pressure. Liquid nitrogen tanks are constantly venting nitrogen to the atmosphere which wastes a lot of nitrogen.

PSA nitrogen generators, on the other hand, can produce consistent results each time the generator is used. PSA N2 generators can produce high purity nitrogen to the specifications of the owner, so that you can always have nitrogen of the proper purity level every time you use your generator.

Sign 4: Space and Environmental Constraints

Nitrogen cylinders contain pressurized gas, which means they pose safety risks for anyone using them, and anyone in the area when they’re being used. People who use nitrogen cylinders must be properly trained to ensure their own safety and the safety of others in the area when the cylinders are in use. Liquid nitrogen tanks store nitrogen in a liquid state and then converts to a gas. These tanks can take up considerable space and must have safety precautions in place.

If you’re constantly fighting with these space and environmental constraints, you can benefit from nitrogen generation PSA or membrane. PSA and membrane N2 generators have a much smaller environmental impact because they take up less space in your facility and also have a much smaller carbon footprint compared to nitrogen cylinders.

Benefits of Partnering with a PSA N2 Generator Manufacturer

When you partner with PSA or membrane nitrogen generator manufacturers like On Site Gas Systems for PSA or membrane nitrogen generation, your business will enjoy many benefits. Whether your business is in the pharmaceutical industry or you’re creating modified atmosphere packaging, pressure swing adsorption nitrogen generators can be customized to meet specific facility needs. Your business will also have the advantage of ongoing support and maintenance from On Site Gas Systems.

Your business could benefit from a PSA or membrane N2 generator if your company regularly struggles with nitrogen cylinders or liquid tanks and the many inconveniences that come from nitrogen cylinder or liquid tank rental. If you struggle to find space or manage the contract for your cylinder or liquid tank rental, it’s time to assess your nitrogen supply needs. Consider the long-term benefits of a PSA or membrane N2 generator and contact On Site Gas Systems for help.

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