Where the laser cutting process needs to start anywhere other than the edge of the material, a piercing process is used, whereby a high power pulsed laser makes a hole in the material, for example taking 5-15 seconds to burn through a 0.5-inch-thick (13 mm) stainless steel sheet. This light is focused at the work area by mirrors or fibre optics that direct the beam through a lens which intensifies it.Īt its narrowest point, a laser beam is typically under 0.0125 inches (0.32 mm) in diameter, but kerf widths as small as 0.004 inches (0.10mm) are possible depending on material thickness. The lasing material is amplified by being reflected internally via a partial mirror until its energy is enough for it to escape as a stream of coherent monochromatic light. The laser beam is created by the stimulation of lasing materials through electrical discharges or lamps inside a closed container. The focused laser beam burns, melts, vaporises or is blown away by a jet of gas to leave a high-quality surface finished edge. Typically, the process uses a motion control system to follow a CNC or G-code of the pattern that is to be cut onto the material. Laser cutting uses a high-power laser which is directed through optics and computer numerical control (CNC) to direct the beam or material. Click here to see our latest technical engineering podcasts on YouTube.

This article is one of a series of TWI frequently asked questions (FAQs). Laser cutting is a process that uses a laser to cut different materials for both industrial and more artistic applications, such as etching. National Structural Integrity Research Centre.Structural Integrity Research Foundation.

Co2 laser cuttable materials