Copper laser cutting
Your copper sheets and copper foils precisely & economically laser cut
Laser cutting of copper for prototypes and series production
Specialist for laser cutting of copper & copper foil from 0,05 mm - 5,0 mm
HAILTEC stands for the precision manufacturing of filigree components made of copper sheet and copper foilsOur modern and high-precision laser cutting systems, decades of experience, and manageable processes enable us to fully meet your requirements.
As a long-standing A-supplier to various OEMs in the medical technology, automotive, mechanical engineering and other sectors, we ensure error-free batch traceability of every single production step with state-of-the-art ERP and DMS systems.
Benefit from the precise and economical cutting technology of laser cutting for your copper parts
Many well-known customers from the industry
already trust our expertise
Precise copper cutting, fast & economical
Copper laser cutting with contour accuracy +/-0,01 mm
4 cutting technologies in-house
You tell us your ideas regarding material, sheet thickness, and requirements, and we always provide you with the most cost-effective solution – highly precise and high-quality. To achieve this, HAILTEC combines four cutting technologies under one roof: Laser fine cutting, Ultrashort pulse laser microcutting, Micro waterjet cutting and punching technology. No matter what your parameters are: We are your supplier and contact for machines from Trumpf and dmg moriThere are several questions that must be considered when choosing the right cutting technology. These include: What quality and material requirements do you have? What is your capacity utilization? And what do you need to make production cost-effective?
Is your demand skyrocketing? Use our automated laser systems for quantities up to 500.000 pieces
What distinguishes laser cutting of copper at HAILTEC?
Quality of cut copper foils and copper sheets
For precise laser cutting For highly reflective materials such as copper, we use QCW pulsed fiber lasers and Nd:YAG laser systems from DMG MORI and Trumpf. These laser sources inject very little energy into the material/component. Low heat means minimal distortion and allows for highly delicate cuts.
We use precision laser cutting systems and modern beam sources to achieve the finest cuts with a gap width of 0,03 mm or less. Tolerances range from +/- 0,01 mm, depending on the sheet thickness.
Laser cutting of copper
Which copper alloys are suitable for precision laser cutting?
There are copper sheets in various alloys with varying strengths and material properties. This overview contains the copper alloys we process most frequently. We keep many of them in stock, naturally with material test certificates. We can also procure special alloys upon request, or you can provide us with the material.
Copper sheet CW008A (Cu-OF – 2.0040)
Cu-OF material consists of high-purity, oxygen-free copper (99.99% Cu minimum content). It is a highly formable copper sheet and is also suitable for brazing and welding. However, the machinability of the material is rated as moderate to difficult.
Copper sheet CW024A (Cu-DHP – 2.0090)
Copper sheet CW004A (Cu-ETP – 2.0065)
The alloy CW004A – Cu-ETP has very high thermal and electrical conductivity and is easily formable (both hot and cold). It is also moderately to difficult to machine. Applications include electrical engineering, electronics, and mechanical and apparatus engineering.
Use our post-processing // surface finish for your laser-cut copper parts
Which copper geometry can we precisely cut for you?
Other services that may also interest you
Precise laser cut copper parts are ideal for products such as:
Laser-cut copper foil
- oxide-free cutting edges, almost burr-free
- precise and economical
- Very low thermal input and distortion
Precise precision mechanical components
- smallest web widths possible
- ideal for copper and copper alloys
- Cutting tolerance up to +/- 10 µm
Why HAILTEC is the right partner for your industry
Looking for laser cutting copper? HAILTEC GmbH is a company that specializes in Laser cutting of copper, aluminum, brass, stainless steel, and many other metals and non-ferrous metals. We have been manufacturing complex laser parts for the automotive industry, medical technology, mechanical engineering, and many other sectors for many years. Therefore, we carry out our work according to uniform processes and clear standards to ensure consistent quality of our laser parts and comprehensive traceability of every single copper sheet production step.
With excellent beam quality and extremely small spot diameters, we as a supplier fulfill
Your desire for maximum precision in laser cutting copper. Applications in the following industries, among others:
- Tool and Mold Making
- Aerospace
- Science of measuring and control engineering
- Watch industry
- Model
- Embossing and punching technology
- Medical Technology
- Automotive
- Engineering
- E-mobility
- electrical industry
- Micro/precision engineering
General information about copper
Most metals are oxidized or contain sulfur. These are referred to as oxides or sulfites. Copper, however, is one of the few exceptions and is chemically considered a pure metal. The material has several advantageous attributes. Uniquely, copper is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. Furthermore, raw copper is suitable for making alloys with other chemical substances. Zinc and tin are two different materials that can be processed differently.
- Copper is a metal that occurs naturally
- It is a red metal and has good conductivity
- It is an important metal for industry and is used in many areas
- Copper is also used in medicine
Our services are aimed exclusively at businesses in industry, engineering, and skilled trades. We carry out custom copper cutting from the very first workpiece, finding the right solution for projects of any size. Copper is one of the oldest known materials and plays a vital role in many different industries today. The reddish metal has a soft consistency and is used primarily in electrical and communications technology. Copper is also highly sought after for interior design and piping.
The reason copper is so sought after is primarily due to its excellent thermal and electrical conductivity. Additionally, it's a material that's easy to maintain. Although it's relatively easy to work with, copper is quite expensive compared to other metals. Therefore, it's especially important to keep waste to a minimum when laser cutting.
Can copper be laser cut?
Copper is a non-ferrous metal and is particularly difficult to work with due to its highly shiny surface.
In particular, CO² lasers are not suitable for laser cutting non-ferrous metals, gold and copper because they conduct heat and reflect it strongly.
Nevertheless, copper is ideal for laser cutting, but with pulsed fiber lasers. This semi-precious metal has good electrical and thermal conductivity.
The Laser cutting of copper is a method that is always used when precise and reliable results are required in the Copper sheet processing are in demand – for example, in medical technology, the automotive industry, the electrical industry, or vehicle and mechanical engineering. It is a fast and cost-effective process that can be used for cutting sheet steel as well as non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, brass or Copper suitable is.
Why copper sheets and copper foil are challenging to process
Copper is very challenging to cut with laser beams. This requires special expertise and modern laser machines. This semi-precious metal is very good at reflecting light, which makes it extremely difficult to cut copper sheets with a conventional CO2 laser. Its excellent thermal conductivity, similar to that of aluminum, distributes the heat evenly throughout the workpiece as soon as the laser beam touches it.
Because copper has a very high melting point, increased energy input from oxygen is required. This makes it possible to achieve a narrower cutting gap, which still needs to be wide enough to allow the cutting gas to enter. A pulsed fiber laser is particularly suitable for cutting thin copper sheets up to 3 mm thick. Fiber lasers are not quite as fast as a continuously emitting laser, but operate at low to medium power.
This results in the highest quality and the highest precision. The thermal stress on the sheet metal is very low. A cutting gas, such as oxygen, nitrogen, or argon, is used for cutting. This gas blows the molten material created during cutting out of the kerf, thus preventing scale formation. This results in virtually burr-free cut edges.
What is the problem with reflective materials such as copper sheet and copper foil?
Some metals have the ability to act as near-perfect mirrors for laser light. This can mean that the high-energy laser beam is reflected in all directions, posing risks and problems to people and materials in the vicinity (especially in open laser machines).
The following materials are highly reflective and must therefore be handled and processed with extreme care: silver, copper and gold.
The laser light can also be reflected and return to the laser source. This can cause irreparable or very expensive damage to the optics or the laser source itself. At HAILTEC, we have years of experience in laser processing copper, so this challenge is no problem for us.
How can HAILTEC laser cut these mirror metals like copper?
In practice, there are many tricks to reduce the reflective effect of materials. Most objects exhibit the greatest reflective effect when they are in solid form.
Once copper is melted, the light it reflects back is reduced to approximately 90%, depending on the material's temperature. Aluminum reflects approximately 95% of light in its solid state and approximately 70% in its liquid state.
As we can see, the initial cut into the solid metal is the most problematic. On average, people have tried various options to see if they work, from clearly highlighting the path the laser takes to coating the top layer of metal. These methods work in different ways, but they all still pose a potential risk to the environment and the laser source. In practice, there is often not much choice, and the risk is, of course, present.
In principle, the damage caused by reflection is never fully compensated. Therefore, it is a "calculated risk" that requires a balance between risk and outcome.
Which is better, laser cutting or waterjet cutting of copper sheet?
The choice of cutting technology for a specific workpiece should depend on its material properties and the requirements it meets. Micro waterjet cutting is usually the alternative if there are weaknesses in the laser cutting technology, e.g. no heat input is allowed.
Member of networks and associations
HAILTEC - Your certified partner
