The effects of low-frequency workpiece vibration on low-power CO2 laser cutting of PMMA: an experimental investigation

The effect of workpiece vibration on low-power CO₂ laser cutting of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) has been investigated. 6-mm-thick PMMA sheets have been cut using a 70-W continuous wave CO₂ laser moving at speeds in the range of 0.1–2.0?m/min. The workpiece was vibrated in a direction parallel to the laser cut at frequencies of 0, 12, 18 and 24?Hz. The use of workpiece vibration was shown to enhance the cutting process. At 12?Hz, the cutting speed was increased to 0.4?m/min compared to 0.2?m/min for the 0-Hz sample. However, the extent of the HAZ increased when workpiece vibration was used.     

Dimensional analyses and surface quality of the laser cutting process for engineering plastics

In this study, the effect of the CO₂ laser cutting process parameters (gas pressure, cutting speed, and laser power) on the dimensional accuracy and measured surface roughness of engineering plastic (PTFE and POM) materials was investigated. Cutting surface profile of specimens was examined by using an optical microscope. The surface quality of specimens was examined by measuring surface roughness and form error. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analyses are employed to assess the effect of the process parameters on the dimensional accuracy.     

CO2 laser cutting of stained glass

This paper covers the CO₂ laser cutting of stained glass using a Ferranti MF400 CNC laser cutting machine. The report examines the various laser cutting parameters required to generate a cut surface in glass which will require minimal post-treatment to be carried out, and also investigates the degree of geometrical intricacy that can be attempted, together with the associated limitations, in cutting 2D glass components. The experimental procedure used to obtain the necessary information for a preliminary database on the laser cutting of stained glass is also detailed. Finally, the implications and applications of the investigative work are examined for commercial situations through construction of a simple 2D test artefact.Notation f pulse frequency (Hz) - k thermal conductivity (W/mK) - P laser beam power (W) - Pl pulse duration (10^–5 s) - Pr pulse ratio - Ps pulse separation (10^–5 s) - P shield gas pressure (bar) - R _a surface roughness (m) - t _s substrate thickness (mm) - V cutting speed (mm/min) - V _opt optimum cutting speed (mm/min) - w kcrf width (mm) - angle of deviation (deg.) - wavelength (m) - d perforation depth (mm)     

Evaluation of cutting quality of PMMA using CO2 lasers

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is a versatile thermoplastic that is well suited for engineering and many common applications. This article presents a study to evaluate the effect of the processing parameters (laser power and cutting velocity) under the quality of the cut of PMMA. A plan of experiments was established considering CO₂ laser cutting with prefixed processing parameters in plates of PMMA with 6 mm thickness. The objective was to evaluate the quality of the cut (surface roughness, dimensional precision and heat affected zone-HAZ) in linear and complex 2D cutting. The obtained results show that PMMA in complex 2D cutting presents dimension of HAZ between 0.12 to 0.37 mm, without burr and low surface roughness Ra?<?1 μm. The results present good repeatability.     

A comparative study on the processing parameters during fibre and CO2 laser surface treatments of silicon nitride engineering ceramic

This paper demonstrates a comparative study of a relatively novel fibre laser and a conventional CO₂ laser to surface-process silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) engineering ceramic. The objective of the research is to investigate the threshold of the novel fibre laser and compare it to the conventionally used CO₂ laser to process Si₃N₄ engineering ceramic and to produce a laser surface treatment free from major surface cracking without using any of the pre- or post heating techniques as this would increase the cost of the process and add more expense to the product when considering a bigger view point. The results showed that the fibre laser surface processing of the Si₃N₄ engineering ceramic differed to that of the CO₂ laser as the Gaussian beam modes, the beam quality factors, wavelength and the beam delivery systems were different between the two lasers. This consequently had a different effect on the surface of the Si₃N₄ engineering ceramic. The CO₂ laser wavelength when surface treating the Si₃N₄ engineering ceramic was being absorbed more than that of the fibre laser as higher power density and same traverse speed was used to reach the threshold for the Si₃N₄ engineering ceramic.     

Design and evaluation of high-pressure nozzle assembly for laser cutting of thick carbon steel

Laser cutting of carbon steel is extensively used across a range of industries, due to its advantage of high speed, low kerf and high quality. Currently, a 1-kW carbon dioxide (CO₂) laser with its subsonic nozzle assembly can be used only to cut steel plates up to around 10 mm. This paper aims to design and evaluate a high-pressure supersonic laser cutting nozzle assembly, which can enable a 1-kW CO₂ laser to cut steel of up to 50 mm thickness. Basic gas dynamic and compressible flow equations were used to design the supersonic nozzle assembly. The flow of the high-pressure gas jet inside the nozzle assembly was investigated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and the structural integrity of the high-pressure nozzle assembly was ensured using finite element analysis (FEA). The gas flow pattern at the exit of the nozzle assembly was computed and compared with the experimental observation made through a shadowgraph technique. Laser cutting experiments were performed with the developed supersonic nozzle assembly to demonstrate cutting of 50-mm-thick low carbon steel with 1-kW CO₂ laser.     

CO2 laser cutting of Kevlar laminate: influence of assisting gas pressure

In the present study, laser cutting of Kevlar laminate is considered, and the effect of assisting gas pressure and laser output power on the end product quality is examined. The end product quality is judged via measurement of out-of-flatness and kerf width ratios. Experimental tests are carried out using a CO₂ laser beam with pulse repetition rate of 300 Hz. The cutting model introduced previously is accommodated to predict the kerf size for various laser output power and assisting gas pressures. The predictions are compared with the experimental results. It is found that the predictions of kerf size are in good agreement with the experimental results. The influence of assisting gas pressure is significant on the resulting cut quality, in which case, out-of-flatness and kerf width ratio improve considerably at high assisting gas pressures (500 kPa).     

Effect of process parameters on the cutting quality in lasox cutting of mild steel

Samples of mild steel have been cut on a CO₂ laser machine using the principle of laser assisted oxygen cutting (LASOX). The combined effects of input process parameters (cutting speed, gas pressure, laser power and stand off distance) on cut quality (heat affected zone (HAZ) width, kerf width and surface roughness) have been studied. Regression analysis has been used to develop models that describe the effect of the independent process parameters on cut quality. Using the developed model, we attempted to optimize the input parameters that would improve the cut quality (minimization of HAZ width, kerf width and surface roughness), increase the productivity and minimize the total operation cost. We found from the study that the gas pressure and cutting speed had pronounced effect on cut quality. Low gas pressure produces lower HAZ width, lower kerf width and good surface finish whereas increase in speed results in higher HAZ width, lower kerf width and good surface finish.     

Parametric studies on the CO2 laser cutting of Kevlar-49 composite

In the present study, the cutting performance of a CO₂ laser on Kevlar-49 composite materials has been studied. The Taguchi technique is employed to identify the effect of laser control parameters, i.e., laser power, cutting speed, material thickness, assistance gas pressure, and laser mode, on the quality of cut parameters, namely, kerf width, dross height, and slope of the cut. From the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio response tables, the significant parameters and the optimal combination levels of cutting parameters are determined. The obtained results are interpreted and modeled to closely understand the behavior and quality of CO₂ laser cutting. Kevlar-49 composites are found to be cut satisfactorily by the CO₂ laser at the optimum process parameter ranges. The results showed that laser power is the most significant parameter affecting the quality of cut parameters. The optimal combination of cutting parameters minimized the kerf width, dross height, and slope of cut to 0.103 mm, 0.101 mm, and 2.06°, respectively. The error between experimental results with optimum settings and the predicted values for the kerf width, dross height, and slope of cut lie within 2.9%, 7.92%, and 6.3%, respectively.     

CO2 laser high-speed crack-free cutting of thick-section alumina based on close-piercing lapping technique

The greatest obstacles encountered in laser cutting of thick-section ceramics are catastrophic fracture and low cutting speed. Close-piercing lapping (CPL) technique has provided a cutting strategy via suppressing the thermal stress development during cutting to achieve crack-free cutting. Although this technique provided a wide operating window, the low process efficiency limited it to further industrial applications. In order to improve the process efficiency, the mechanism of CPL crack-free cutting should be understood and hence, the corresponding process parameters can be optimised for high-speed crack-free cutting. Based on the numerical and experimental study in this work, it was found that the sufficient cooling effect during laser-off periods was crucial to develop a low thermal-stress distribution during CPL cutting, by which the crack-free cutting can be achieved. Based on this finding, a low pulse repetition rate with low pulse duty cycle cutting process was proposed. Also, a procedure for process parameters optimisation was presented, by which CO₂ laser high-speed crack-free profile cutting of 6 mm thick alumina was demonstrated. The corresponding cutting speed (i.e. 90 mm/min for straight line cutting and 80 mm/min for profile cutting) was significantly higher than the CPL technique (i.e. 12 mm/min).     

Thermal stress fracture mode of CO2 laser cutting of aluminum nitride

A thermal stress fracture mode of material removal by laser cutting was conducted in 1-mm thick wafers of aluminum nitride (AlN) using a continuous wave CO₂ laser with a defocused beam. In this mode, a thin layer (10–20 μm) of AlN surface was melted in an oxygen environment to form aluminum oxide. Solidification of the melt layer coupled with thermal expansion mismatch generated thermal stresses that in turn created a crack along the middle path of the laser beam, resulting in material separation. Thermochemical modeling of laser heating, oxide forming, and subsequent cooling of AlN was performed to validate the formation of cracks as well as material separation through unstable crack propagation. A comparison with the conventional “evaporation/melt and blow” laser cutting method showed that the thermal stress method offers significant benefits such as improved precision, better cut quality, higher cutting speed, and lower energy losses.     

Dimethicone-aided laser cutting of solar rolled glass

Solar rolled glass, with one micro-structure surface and another roughness surface, can cause diffuse refraction of the focused laser spot, and this phenomenon restricts the application of laser manufacturing. In this study, laser cutting of solar rolled glass with a thickness of 2.5 mm was successfully achieved with the help of dimethicone to ensure laser focusing. Dimethicone was coated on the top surface of the rolled glass processing zone, and a Z bottom–up multilayer increment with the X–Y spiral line was applied to control the cutting path. Different viscosity values of dimethicone were considered. Results showed that surface quality increased as the viscosity increased until a certain threshold was reached; afterward, the surface quality decreased or directly caused the cutting to fail. The minimum surface roughness (3.26 µm) of the processed surface (chipping: Width≤113.64 µm, area 215199 µm²) was obtained when the dimethicone viscosity and laser pulse frequency were 1000 mm²/s and 43 kHz (power 25.4 W), respectively. The micro-defects on the processed surface were few, and the edge chipping width and depth of the laser processed surface were small.     

Application of laser joining process for elimination of stair steps in steel laminate tooling

Laminate tooling is a relatively fast and simple method of making large metal tools directly for various moulding processes in the rapid prototyping and manufacturing field. Metal sheets are usually cut, stacked, aligned and joined. In most cases, lasers are used only for the cutting of steel sheets in laminate tooling, but in this study, the use of the laser was expanded for improved laminate tooling. First, the laser was applied to eliminate the stair steps of steel laminates by filling them with molten filler metals. Then application of hard particles to molten filler metals for improved surface hardness of laminate tools was investigated. To achieve this goal, a CO₂ laser system composed of a CO₂ laser, a five-axis CNC table, an automatic feeding equipment of filler metal and flux and a personal computer was developed. Various experiments on filling stair steps and hardening were performed and the results were verified and estimated.     

Selection of optimum cutting condition of cobalt-based superalloy with GONNS

Machining of new superalloys is challenging. Automated software environments for determining the optimal cutting conditions after reviewing a set of experimental results are very beneficial to obtain the desired surface quality and to use the machine tools effectively. The genetically optimized neural network system (GONNS) is proposed for the selection of optimal cutting conditions from the experimental data with minimal operator involvement. Genetic algorithm (GA) obtains the optimal operational condition by using the neural networks. A feed-forward backpropagation-type neural network was trained to represent the relationship between surface roughness, cutting force, and machining parameters of face-milling operation. Training data were collected at the symmetric and asymmetric milling operations by using different cutting speeds (V _c), feed rates (f), and depth of cuts (a _p) without using coolant. The surface roughness (Ra_asymt, Ra_symt) and cutting force (Fx_asymt, Fy_asymt, Fz_asymt, Fx_symt, Fy_symt, Fz_symt) were measured for each cutting condition. The surface roughness estimation accuracy of the neural network was better for the asymmetric milling operation with 0.4% and 5% for training and testing data, respectively. For the symmetric milling operations, slightly higher estimation errors were observed around 0.5% and 7% for the training and testing. One parameter was optimized by using the GONNS while all the other parameters, including the cutting forces and the surface roughness, were kept in the desired range.     

Experimental investigation on CO2 laser-assisted micro-slot milling characteristics of borosilicate glass

Demands for micro-machining on glass have been increasing in various industries due to the unique properties of glass, such as transparency or biocompatibility. However, micro-channel fabrication on glass with high precision has been challenging due to its brittle characteristics. This research presents the CO₂ laser-assisted micro-milling process and investigates the machining characteristics experimentally. Micro-channels without cracks were fabricated using micro-end mill and CO₂ laser irradiation as an assisting heat source. Compared to the process without laser heating in the same matching conditions, the average surface roughness was reduced by 96%, and cutting force was reduced by 28% and 66% for the feed and thrust direction, respectively. Continuous and sheared chips were observed with laser heating, indicating the process is in ductile-regime machining. Through the investigation of machining parameters, it was found that micro-channels with low average surface roughness can be achieved at the proper laser power when the workpiece is heated up to the strain point at tool position, at low feed rate, and at high axial depth of cut, as long as the tool withstands the cutting forces. Consequently, it can be concluded that it is possible to increase the material removal rate in micro-milling of borosilicate glass with high quality by using the CO₂ laser, which was found to be an effective and suitable heating method.     

Crack separation mechanism in CO2 laser machining of thick polycrystalline cubic boron nitride tool blanks

An improved method for cutting thick polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) tool blanks is explored because current methods of pulsed Nd:YAG laser cutting and wire electrical discharge machining (EDM) are constrained by low speed and low precision. We present a CO₂ laser/waterjet (LWJ) process to cut 4.8-mm-thick PCBN tool inserts by a crack separation mechanism. In LWJ, the PCBN blank is locally heated using a high-power continuous wave CO₂ laser to cause phase transition from cubic to hexagonal followed by water quenching to generate thermal stresses and form boron oxide leading to increased brittleness, subsequent cracking, and material separation. A 2³ fractional design of experiment (DOE) approach was employed to determine the factors of laser power, cutting speed, and waterjet pressure on the responses of phase transformation depth, taper, and surface roughness. A numerical heat flow model, based on Green’s function, was used to calculate the temperature distributions along the depth. Surface profilometer, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy were utilized to analyze the phase transformation and crack zones. Results from LWJ compared with pulsed Nd:YAG laser and laser microjet? methods indicate LWJ cuts 30 times faster; this was attributed to a nonconventional material removal (crack separation) mechanism. When LWJ was compared against nitrogen-assisted CO₂ laser cutting, improved cut quality (less taper and smaller heat-affected zone) was observed due to a greater control on phase transformation and crack propagation. DOE analysis revealed laser power and waterjet pressure, and the interactions among them are more significant factors than others.     

Remote cutting of Li-ion battery electrodes with infrared and green ns-pulsed fibre lasers

Thin sheet anode and cathode materials made in composite structures constitute some of the most important components of a Li-ion battery. These materials are currently cut by punching technology, which shows degrading behaviour as the tool wears out. A viable option for Li-ion battery electrode manufacturing is the use of remote laser cutting. However, the operation requires fulfilling both productivity and quality aspects to substitute the conventional production method. One of the most critical aspects in quality is the clearance width, which is defined as the extent of the exposed middle layer of the sandwich at the laser cut kerf. This work investigates the quality aspects of laser cutting of Li-ion electrodes when a green fibre laser source (λ?=?532 nm, τ?=?1 ns) is used rather than the more traditional infrared (IR) fibre laser source (λ?=?1,064 nm, τ?=?250 ns). The processing conditions were investigated to reveal the technological feasibility zones. Clearance width was studied within the technological feasibility zones for all the material-laser combinations. Results showed that high productivity criterion is met by the IR system, since cutting speed could reach 30 m/min with 54 W average laser power on both anode and cathode. On the other hand, the green laser provided clearance width below 20 μm. In the best case, the clearance on anode could be eliminated with the green laser system. Although the maximum cutting speed was 4.5 m/min, upscaling of green laser power can provide required productivity.     

Analysis of precision deburring using a laser —An experimental study and FEM simulation

The purpose of this study is to develop an effective methods for automated deburring of precision components. A high power laser is proposed as a deburring tool for complex part edges and burrs. For the laser experiments, rectangular-shaped carbon steel and stainless steel machined specimens with burr along one side were prepared. A 1500 Watts CO₂ laser was used to remove burrs on the workpieces. The prediction of the heat affected zone (HAZ) and cutting profile of laser-deburred parts using finite element method is presented and compared with the experimental results. This study shows that the finite element method (FEM) analysis can effectively predict the thermal affected zone of the material and that the technique can be applied to precision components.     

Optimization of cutting conditions for minimum residual stress,cutting force and surface roughness in end milling of S50C medium carbon steel

Residual stresses are usually imposed on a machined component due to thermal and mechanical loading. Tensile residual stresses are detrimental as it could shorten the fatigue life of the component; meanwhile, compressive residual stresses are beneficial as it could prolong the fatigue life. Thermal and mechanical loading significantly affect the behavior of residual stress. Therefore, this research focused on the effects of lubricant and milling mode during end milling of S50C medium carbon steel. Numerical factors, namely, spindle speed, feed rate and depth of cut and categorical factors, namely, lubrication and milling mode is optimized using D-optimal experimentation. Mathematical model is developed for the prediction of residual stress, cutting force and surface roughness based on response surface methodology (RSM). Results show that minimum residual stress and cutting force can be achieved during up milling, by adopting the MQL-SiO₂ nanolubrication system. Meanwhile, during down milling minimum residual stress and cutting force can be achieved with flood cutting. Moreover, minimum surface roughness can be attained during flood cutting in both up and down milling. The response surface plots indicate that the effect of spindle speed and feed rate is less significant at low depth of cut but this effect significantly increases the residual stress, cutting force and surface roughness as the depth of cut increases.     

Preparation of tungsten disulfide (WS2) soft-coated nano-textured self-lubricating tool and its cutting performance

This paper proposes a new effective dry cutting tool named tungsten disulfide (WS₂) soft-coated nano-textured self-lubricating tool which is fabricated by two steps. First, nano-texture is made on the tool–chip interface of rake face of uncoated YS8 (WC + TiC + Co) cemented carbide cutting inserts by femtosecond laser micromachining technology. Second, WS₂ soft coating is deposited on the nano-textured tool by medium-frequency magnetron sputtering, multi-arc ion plating and ion beam assisted deposition technique. Dry turning tests on 45# quenched and tempered steel were carried out with three kinds of cutting tools: conventional YS8 tool, nano-textured tool (CFT), and WS₂ soft-coated nano-textured self-lubricating tool (CFTWS). Results show that the cutting forces, cutting temperature, the friction coefficient at the tool–chip interface, and the antiadhesive effect of the nano-textured tools were significantly reduced compared with those of the conventional one. The CFTWS tool had the best cutting performance among all the tools tested under the same test conditions. Through cutting force and cutting temperature theoretical analysis and experimental results, four mechanisms responsible were found. The first one is explained as the formation of the WS₂ lubricating film with low shear strength at the tool–chip interface, which was released from the surface nano textures and smeared on the rake face, and served as lubricating additive during dry cutting processes to reduce the cutting forces and cutting temperature. The second one is explained by the reduced contact length at the tool–chip interface of the nano-textured tools; the smaller direct contact area between the chip and tool rake face leads to less friction force, which can also contribute to the decrease of cutting forces and cutting temperature. The third one can be explained that because of the excellent lubricity of the WS₂ lubricating film, the antiadhesive effect can be significantly improved which can reduce adhesive wear of the cutting tool and prolong the tool life. The fourth one can be explained that the advantage of CFTWS tool in cutting forces and cutting temperature is obvious in relatively high-speed and high-temperature conditions may be because of ultra-low friction coefficient, high temperature resistance, and the high oxidation resistance of WS₂ soft coating which is not sensitive to high cutting temperature and high cutting speed can significantly improve the severe dry cutting environment.