Factors Influencing on the Dimensions Accuracy in Laser Cutting

Abstract

This research aims to establish the influence of different factors on the dimensions accuracy in laser cutting. Samples with different thickness were made of DC01 EN 10130 steel. On each sample 32 round or square holes were cut in 4 rows by different laser beam movement schemes linear, zig-zag and random. The tests were made by pulse CO2 laser with regimes, recommended for each sheet thickness, by the machine operating manual. The diameters of the round holes and the dimensions of the square holes along the laser head and the table axes were measured by a projector. The varying intervals of the dimensions and the shape deviations were calculated. It was established that three groups of factors influence on the dimensions accuracy in laser cutting: factors, related to the machine, laser parameters power, laser cutting speed and focus distance, determining the technological process parameters, and the material characteristics thermal physical properties and sample sizes. Factors, related to the machine, exert effect mainly on the intervals of dimensions varying, while the laser parameters and the material properties influence on the dimensions value independently of the cutting scheme. In the all laser cutting schemes the increasing of the sample thickness leads to the larger interval of the dimensions varying and increasing of the shape deviation. Nomenclature