Influence of laser output power on cutting quality

For lasers with continuous wave output, the laser power and mode are both important for cutting. In actual operation, the maximum power is often set to obtain a higher cutting speed, or to cut thicker materials. However, the beam mode (the distribution of beam energy in the cross-section) is sometimes more important, and when the output power is increased, the mode often deteriorates slightly. It can often be found that the focal point achieves the highest power density and the best cutting quality at less than the maximum power. During the entire effective working life of the laser, the modes are inconsistent. The condition of the optical elements, the subtle changes in the laser working mixed gas and the fluctuations in the flow rate will affect the mode mechanism.

The size of the laser power has a considerable influence on the cutting speed, slit width, cutting thickness and cutting quality. The amount of power required depends on the characteristics of the material and the mechanism of cutting. For example, materials with good thermal conductivity, high melting point, and high reflectivity on the cutting surface require greater laser power. Generally, under certain other conditions, there is a laser power to obtain the best cutting quality in the laser cutting process. If the power is further reduced or increased, the slag or over-burning phenomenon will occur and the processing quality will be reduced.

In addition, as the discharge voltage increases, the intensity of the laser will increase due to the increase in the input peak power, so that the diameter of the spot increases and the width of the slit increases accordingly. As the pulse width increases, the average power of the laser will increase and the width of the laser slit will increase. Generally, as the pulse frequency increases, the slit will also become wider. When the frequency exceeds a certain value, the slit width will tend to decrease.