Laser Cutting
• Laser cutting is able to cut faster and with a
higher quality then competing processes: – Punch, plasma, abrasive waterjet, ultrasonic,
oxyflame, sawing and milling
• Can be automated
• 80% industrial lasers in Japan are used for
metal cutting
• The focused beam in vaporization cutting first heats up the
surface to boiling point and generates a keyhole.
• The keyhole causes a sudden increase in the absorptivity due
to multiple reflections and the hole deepens quickly.
• As it deepens so vapor is generated and escapes blowing
ejecta out of the hole or kerf and stabilizing the molten walls
of the hole
• This is the usual method of cutting for pulsed lasers or in the
cutting of materials which do not melt such as wood, carbon,
and some plastics.
