The air assist is the system that blows air onto your workpiece, to remove smoke and debris produced from your laser operation. The LaserBeam comes with a 12V air assist assembly for this purpose. It is recommended that you use air assist for projects with simple outlines and cutouts which allows for more direct and effective laser penetration into the material.
Below is a general breakdown of the pros and cons of using air assist on your project.
Advantages:
- Less lens cleaning
- Improved cutting efficiency
- Higher quality cuts
- Increased safety (lower fire risk)
Disadvantages:
- Need to properly position nozzle
- Can sometimes cause charred surface finish when engraving