How Many Types of Metal Could be Cut by Laser?Laser cutting is widely used in the processing of metal and non-metal materials with the advantages of time saving, cost saving, and high-quality results.Laser cutting uses a high-density laser beam to irradiate the material surface, heating it to thousands to tens of thousands of degrees Celsius in a very short period of time to melt or vaporize, and then the molten or vaporized materials are blown away from the cutting jointing with high-pressure gases to achieve cutting. Laser cutting is widely used in the processing of metal and non-metal materials with the advantages of time saving, cost saving, and high-quality results. Useful information on some metal cutting by laser cutting machines is as follows.
1. Carbon Steel
Carbon steel sheets in 20mm can be cut by laser cutting machines. The cutting jointing by oxidation melting laser cutting machine can be controlled at an appropriate width and that of sheet metal can be as narrow as approximate 0.01mm.
2. Titanium and Titanium Alloys
Pure titanium can be well coupled with a focused laser beam into the heat. Intense chemical reactions occur when oxygen is used as the auxiliary gas. The oxidation layer in the cutting edge is generated and worse overburning although high-speed cutting is efficient. Therefore, it is better to use air as the auxiliary gas to ensure the cutting quality. The laser cutting machine is applied to cut titanium alloy commonly employed in the aircraft manufacturing industry with the benefit of high cutting quality although a little sticky slag at the bottom of cutting jointing is generated, which is easy to remove.
3. Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys
Aluminum cutting is melted cutting and the auxiliary gas used is mainly used to blow away the molten products from the cutting area to actualize high-quality finishes. For some aluminum alloys, attention should be paid to the prevention of intergranular micro-cracks on the surface of the cutting jointing.
4.Copper and Copper Alloys
Pure copper (purple copper) cannot be cut with the CO2 laser beam because of its too high reflectivity. Only fiber laser cutting machines with specific resistance to high reflexivity can be used. Brass (copper alloys) sheets can be cut by the higher-power laser cutting machine with air or oxygen as auxiliary gases.
5. Nickel and Nickel Alloys
Nickel alloys, also known as super alloys, come in many varieties. Most of them can be cut by oxidation melting cutting.
6. Alloy Steel
Most of the alloy structural steel and alloy tool steel can be cut by laser cutting methods to obtain a good quality of the cut edge. Even some high-strength materials can be cut resulting in a straight, non-stick slag cutting edge as long as processing parameters are properly controlled. However, fusion and slag can occur during the cutting of high-speed tool steel and hot-work die steel containing tungsten.
With the rapid development of the laser industry, related laser technology and laser products are also becoming mature. In the field of laser cutting machines, the fiber laser cutting machine for sheet metal processing features low maintenance cost and high cutting quality. Its market share is relatively large compared with the YAG and C02 laser cutting machines.
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