LASER CUTTING.

Abstract

The laser cutting process is discussed by first describing the physical mechanism whereby a laser is able to cut, then illustrating how it is currently used in industry and some of the current research developments which are being considered. This is followed by a discussion of how the process can be modeled theoretically. Then follows a section on the practical performance of cw lasers in cutting with tables and graphs of the relationships between the principal laser operating parameters and the cut speed and quality. The operating parameters considered are: laser power, beam diameter, mode structure, F number of focusing optics, nozzle design, gas flow and composition, arc augmentation. Pulsed lasers are treated separately together with the specialist cutting processes such as hole drilling, surgical uses of lasers, etching, scribing and resistance trimming.