In the laser cutting operation, the quality of finished products is a key factor. What factors affect the quality of laser cutting?
1. Alloy composition
Alloy composition affects the strength, specific gravity, weldability, oxidation resistance and acidity of materials to a certain extent. The higher the carbon content is, the more difficult the material is to cut (the critical value is 0.8% carbon).
2. Basic microstructure of materials
Generally speaking, the finer the particles of the constituent materials are, the better the quality of the cutting edges is.
3. Surface quality and roughness
If there are rusty areas or oxide layers on the surface, the cut contour will be irregular and many damage points will appear. If the corrugated plate is to be cut, select the maximum thickness cutting parameter.
4. Surface treatment
The most commonly used surface treatments are galvanization, focusing galvanization, painting, anodizing or covering with layered plastic film. The plates treated with zinc are prone to slag hanging at the edge; For painted panels, the cutting quality depends on the composition of the coated product.
5. Beam reflection
How the light beam reflects on the workpiece surface depends on the basic materials, surface roughness and treatment. Some aluminum alloy, copper, brass and stainless steel plates have the characteristics of high reflectivity. When cutting these materials, pay special attention to adjusting the focus position.
6. Thermal conductivity
When welding, materials with low heat conductivity need less power than materials with high heat conductivity.
7. Heat affected zone
Laser flame cutting and laser melting cutting will cause material variation in the edge area of the cutting material.
When machining low carbon steel or oxygen free steel, the quenching of heat affected zone is reduced; For high carbon steel (such as Ck60), the edge area will harden; For hard rolled aluminum alloy, the heat affected zone is even slightly weaker than the rest.
In addition, the use of gas is also critical in laser processing. The gas used in laser cutting will affect the quality of finished products. The corresponding gas should be selected according to the different materials being cut.
