Material processing firm Fonon Corp. has advanced motion and beam-shaping technology its laser cutting system hardware, as well as the system’s automatic adaptability to different material thicknesses. A magnetic motion system allows the cutting systems to balance high acceleration, and cut speeds and positioning with accuracy. Traditional flatbed laser cutting systems rely on rack and pinion, ball screws or belt drives to overcome the cutting head face limitations of mechanical, high-contact systems; Fonon is using a direct drive motion system with linear motion, which levitates the cutting head across the working surface. The company’s vice president, Jay Schlegel, compared the technology concept to that which the U.S. Navy is testing to launch fighter jets from an aircraft carrier. The company’s CleanCut technology improves the precision and slimness of a laser beam, reducing or eliminating the heat-affected zone. Conventional lasers tend to create areas of discoloration, potentially weakening the material on either side of a cut. Adaptive beam-shaping technology automatically adjusts the beam’s properties to process different material thicknesses. Fonon designs laser-based material processing technologies for advanced industrial manufacturing in 3D metal printing, and 2D and 3D laser cutting, marking and engraving applications.