Investigating the CO2 laser cutting parameters of MDF wood composite material

Laser cutting of medium density fibreboard (MDF) is a complicated process and the selection of the process parameters combinations is essential to get the highest quality cut section. This paper presents a means for selecting the process parameters for laser cutting of MDF based on the design of experiments (DOE) approach. A CO₂ laser was used to cut three thicknesses, 4, 6 and 9 mm, of MDF panels. The process factors investigated are: laser power, cutting speed, air pressure and focal point position. In this work, cutting quality was evaluated by measuring the upper kerf width, the lower kerf width, the ratio between the upper kerf width to the lower kerf width, the cut section roughness and the operating cost. The effect of each factor on the quality measures was determined. The optimal cutting combinations were presented in favours of high quality process output and in favours of low cutting cost.     

Effect of CO2 laser cutting process parameters on edge quality and operating cost of AISI316L

Laser cutting is a popular manufacturing process utilized to cut various types of materials economically. The width of laser cut or kerf, quality of the cut edges and the operating cost are affected by laser power, cutting speed, assist gas pressure, nozzle diameter and focus point position as well as the work-piece material. In this paper CO₂ laser cutting of stainless steel of medical grade AISI316L has been investigated. Design of experiment (DOE) was implemented by applying Box–Behnken design to develop the experiment lay-out. The aim of this work is to relate the cutting edge quality parameters namely: upper kerf, lower kerf, the ratio between them, cut section roughness and operating cost to the process parameters mentioned above. Then, an overall optimization routine was applied to find out the optimal cutting setting that would enhance the quality or minimize the operating cost. Mathematical models were developed to determine the relationship between the process parameters and the edge quality features. Also, process parameters effects on the quality features have been defined. Finally, the optimal laser cutting conditions have been found at which the highest quality or minimum cost can be achieved.     

Optical fiber cleaved at an angle by CO2 laser ablation: Application to micromachining

Laser ablation can be achieved by delivering short power pulse with durations much smaller than the heat diffusion time. In this investigation, we are collimating and magnifying a beam from a CO₂ laser with a Keplerian telescopic system. Then we study the quality of the cut performed by scanning the beam at a fast speed over an optical fiber just after focusing a well collimated CO₂ beam at λ=10.6 μm. It is found that the best results for cutting optical fibers depend upon both the time required in raising matter temperature to the vaporization point and the scanning speed of the CO₂ laser beam. Some aspects of the laser beam collimation before focusing is reviewed briefly and results for optical fibers being cleaved at low and fast speed under various conditions are also shown and discussed.     

Multi-objective optimization of Nd:YAG laser cutting of thin superalloy sheet using grey relational analysis with entropy measurement

This paper presents a hybrid optimization approach for the determination of the optimum laser cutting process parameters which minimize the kerf width, kerf taper, and kerf deviation together during pulsed Nd:YAG laser cutting of a thin sheet of nickel-based superalloy SUPERNI 718 (an equivalent grade to Inconel 718). A hybrid approach of Taguchi methodology and grey relational analysis has been applied to achieve better cut qualities within existing resources. The input process parameters considered are oxygen pressure, pulse width, pulse frequency, and cutting speed. A higher resolution based L₂₇ orthogonal array has been used for conducting the experiments for both straight and curved cut profiles. The designed experimental results are used in grey relational analysis and the weights of the quality characteristics are determined by employing the entropy measurement method. The significant parameters were obtained by performing analysis of variance (ANOVA). The optimized parameters for straight and curved laser cut profiles have been compared. On the basis of optimization results it has been found that the optimal parameter level suggested for straight cut profiles are not valid for curved cut profiles. The application of the hybrid approach for straight cuts has reduced K_t and K_d by 52.37% and 17%, respectively. For curved cuts the approach has reduced K_w and K_t by 8.45% and 44.44%, respectively. The results have also been verified by running confirmation tests.     

Cutting glass substrates with dual-laser beams

In order to improve the cutting quality, a dual-laser-beam method was proposed to cut glass substrates in the current study, where a focused CO₂-laser beam was used to scribe a straight line on the substrate, and a defocused CO₂-laser beam was used to irradiate on the scribing line to generate a tensile stress and separate the substrate. The finite-element-method (FEM) software ANSYS was applied to calculate the temperature distribution and the resulting thermal stress filed. Through experimental study, it concluded that the glass substrate can be separated along an expected path with dual-laser beams and the cutting quality can be improved comparing with the cutting using a defocused laser beam alone. The relation between the cutting speed and the defocused laser power was also investigated in cutting glass with this method.     

The effect of moisture content in fibre laser cutting of pine wood

This paper reports a statistical analysis of the multiple-pass laser cutting of wet and dry pine wood with a Ytterbium fibre laser. As multiple factors affect the laser wood cutting process, finding the optimal combination of process parameters is necessary to achieve good quality and high process efficiency. Design of experiments (DOE) and statistical modelling were used in this study to investigate the significant process parameters and their interactions. A high brightness, 1 kW IPG single mode, continuous wave Ytterbium doped fibre laser was employed to cut wet and dry pine wood samples. The parameters investigated are laser power, traverse speed, focal plane position (f.p.p.), gas pressure, number of passes, direction of cut (normal or parallel to wood's tracheids) and the moisture content. The experimental results were compared against process responses defining the efficiency (i.e. kerf depth and energy consumption) and quality of the cut section (i.e. kerf width, heat affected zone—HAZ, edge surface roughness and perpendicularity). It has been found that the laser cutting process was mainly affected by the moisture content and the cut direction with respect to the wood's tracheids, followed by traverse speed, laser power and the number of passes. The effect of moisture content on energy consumption in the laser cutting process of both wet and dry wood is analysed. The wood cutting results with fibre laser are compared with those from a CO₂ laser.     

355 nm DPSS UV laser cutting of FR4 and BT/epoxy-based PCB substrates

The 355 nm DPSS UV laser cutting of electronics printed circuit board (PCB) substrates including FR4, and BT/epoxy-based PCB substrates was investigated. The effects of various laser conditions such as scanning speed, assisting gas, repetition rate, and interval between scans on the heat affected zone (HAZ) and charring were studied. The quality and morphology of laser cut PCB substrates were evaluated with optical microscope, and scanning electron microscope (SEM). It was found that multi-pass cutting at high scanning speed can achieve high quality cutting with little charring. It was also found that with O₂ assist gas, a certain amount of interval time between scans and higher repetition rate led to less HAZ and less charring. High quality laser cutting of PCB substrates with no delamination, very little charring and minimum HAZ was demonstrated. The developed process has important potential applications in the electronics industry.     

Comparison of Cut Path Deviation Between CO2 and Diode Lasers in Float-Glass Cutting

Laser cutting of glass using the controlled fracture technique leads to cut path deviation at the leading and trailing edges of the float glass sheet. In this technique, thermal stresses are used to induce the crack, and the material is separated along the cutting path by extending the crack. We show that the cut path deviation is partly due to high magnitudes of thermal stresses generated near the sheet edges. The absorption of intense radiation from the CO₂ and diode laser beams in the glass causes local temperature increases and consequently generates different thermal fields and stress distributions due to surface and volumetric heat absorption. In this paper, we report the effect of the CO₂ and diode laser wavelength interaction with the float glass and its effect on the magnitudes of thermal stresses generated near the edges of the glass sheet. We simulate the distribution of the thermal stress and temperature using finite-element analysis software Abaqus and validate it against the experimental data. We show that the CO₂ laser produces a lower surface quality and a larger cut path deviation at the leading and trailing edges of the glass sheet as compared to the diode laser.     

Femtosecond pulsed laser ablation of thin gold film

Laser micromachining on 1000 nm-thick gold film using femtosecond laser has been studied. The laser pulses that are used for this study are 400 nm in central wavelength, 150 fs in pulse duration, and the repetition rate is 1 kHz. Plano-concave lens with a focal length of 19 mm focuses the laser beam into a spot of 3 μm (1/e² diameter). The sample was translated at a linear speed of 400 μm/s during machining. Grooves were cut on gold thin film with laser pulses of various energies. The ablation depths were measured and plotted. There are two ablation regimes. In the first regime, the cutting is very shallow and the edges are free of molten material. While in the second regime, molten material appears and the cutting edges are contaminated. The results suggest that clean and precise microstructuring can be achieved with femtosecond pulsed laser by controlling the pulse energy in the first ablation regime.     

Multi-objective optimization of laser cutting for flash memory modules with special shapes using grey relational analysis

This paper presents a novel effective method for optimizing laser cutting of specially shaped electronic printed circuit board (PCB) carrier substrates of advanced integrated circuit (IC) back-end packages that have multiple performance characteristics identified using grey relational analysis (GRA). Laser cutting parameters, including laser beam parameters (average laser power and Q-switch frequency), focusing parameters (laser beam focusing spot size), and machine parameters (laser cutting speed), were optimized based on multiple performance characteristics. Some characteristics of the specially shaped flash memory module for IC packages, such as smart disk (SD) cards are verified. The characteristics of interest are the average surface roughness on a PCB substrate cross-section, and the maximum width of the heat-affected zone (HAZ). Eight experiments were conducted using GRA to optimize the settings for laser beam cutting parameters to generate various quality characteristics. Analysis of the grey relational grade indicates that parameter significance and the optimal parameter combination for the laser cutting process are identified. The analytical results from two confirmation experiments using the optimal parameters confirm that laser cutting technology can be effectively applied to cut substrates into special shapes.     

Modelling and optimization of cut quality during pulsed Nd:YAG laser cutting of thin Al-alloy sheet for straight profile

Thin sheets of aluminium alloys are widely used in aerospace and automotive industries for specific applications. Nd:YAG laser beam cutting is one of the most promising sheetmetal cutting process for cutting sheets for any profile. Al-alloy sheets are difficult to cut by laser beam because of its highly reflective nature. This paper presents modelling and optimization of cut quality during pulsed Nd:YAG laser cutting of thin Al-alloy sheet for straight profile. In the present study, four input process parameters such as oxygen pressure, pulse width, pulse frequency, and cutting speed and two output parameters such as average kerf taper (T_a) and average surface roughness (R_a) are considered. The hybrid approach comprising of Taguchi methodology (TM) and response surface methodology (RSM) is used for modelling whereas multi-objective optimization is performed using hybrid approach of TM and grey relational analysis (GRA) coupled with entropy measurement methodology. The entropy measurement methodology is employed for the calculation of weight corresponding to each quality characteristic. The results indicate that the hybrid approaches applied for modelling and optimization of the LBC process are reasonable.     

A power ramped pulsed mode laser piercing technique for improved CO2 laser profile cutting

Laser piercing is one of the inevitable requirements of laser profile cutting process and it has a direct bearing on the quality of the laser cut profiles. We have developed a novel power ramped pulsed mode (PRPM) laser piercing technique to produce much finer pierced holes and to achieve a better control on the process parameters compared to the existing methodology based on normal pulsed mode (NPM). Experiments were carried out with both PRPM and NPM laser piercing on 1.5-mm-thick mild steel using an in-house developed high-power transverse flow continuous wave (CW)-CO₂ laser. Significant improvements in the spatter, circularity of the pierced hole and reproducibility were achieved through the PRPM technique. We studied, in detail, the dynamics of processes involved in PRPM laser piercing and compared that with those of the NPM piercing.     

Laser cutting of thick ceramic tile

This paper details developments in the CO₂ laser cutting of thick ceramic tiles, that is thicknesses of 8.5 mm and 9.2 mm. These tiles were cut at a combination of different cutting speeds to determine the necessary cutting parameters for various tile geometries. Different cutting modes were used in conjunction with different cutting speeds to investigate cut quality after laser processing. The work also looked into the effects on cutting through using various shield gases. Multipass cutting and underwater cutting were performed to examine their effects on thermal load during processing.     

CO2 laser cutting of slate

Slate is a natural stone which has the characteristic that shows a well-developed defoliation plane, allowing to easily split it in plates parallel to that plane which are particularly used as tiles for roof building. At present, the manufacturing of slate is mostly manual, being noisy, powdery and unsafe for the worker. Thus, there is a need to introduce new processing methods in order to improve both the working conditions and the quality of the products made of slate.Following the previous work focused on the drilling and cutting of slate tiles using a Nd : YAG laser, we present in this paper the results of the work carried out to explore the possibilities to cut slate plates by using a CO₂ laser. A 1.5 kW CO₂ laser was used to perform different experiments in which, the influence of some processing parameters (average power, assist gas pressure) on the geometry and quality of the cut was studied. The results obtained show that the CO₂ laser is a feasible tool for a successful cutting of slate.     

Crack-free cutting of thick and dense ceramics with CO2 laser by single-pass process

This paper presents a laser crack-free cutting method of Al₂O₃ ceramics by single-pass process in internal straight and curve profiles. The thickness and theoretical density of the ceramics are up to 10 mm and about 99%, respectively. The effective cutting speed is about 0.23–0.42 mm/s corresponding to the laser head moving speed of 3 mm/s. The cutting process based on close-piercing lapping of piercing time of 0.1–0.5 s and piercing pitch of 0.03–0.05 mm is divided into two continuous stages. Appropriate time slot for each piercing, high peak power of 3500 W and low cycle duty (<30%) achieve crack-free cuts. Optimal cut quality parameters are analyzed and characterized. These results demonstrate that the laser crack-free cutting method is a promising method to achieve complex profiles of ceramic cuts.     

Study of optimal laser parameters for cutting QFN packages by Taguchi's matrix method

This paper reports the study of optimal laser parameters for cutting QFN (Quad Flat No-lead) packages by using a diode pumped solid-state laser system (DPSSL). The QFN cutting path includes two different materials, which are the encapsulated epoxy and a copper lead frame substrate. The Taguchi's experimental method with orthogonal array of L₉(3⁴) is employed to obtain optimal combinatorial parameters. A quantified mechanism was proposed for examining the laser cutting quality of a QFN package. The influences of the various factors such as laser current, laser frequency, and cutting speed on the laser cutting quality is also examined. From the experimental results, the factors on the cutting quality in the order of decreasing significance are found to be (a) laser frequency, (b) cutting speed, and (c) laser driving current. The optimal parameters were obtained at the laser frequency of 2 kHz, the cutting speed of 2 mm/s, and the driving current of 29 A. Besides identifying this sequence of dominance, matrix experiment also determines the best level for each control factor. The verification experiment confirms that the application of laser cutting technology to QFN is very successfully by using the optimal laser parameters predicted from matrix experiments.     

Cutting copper sheets using CO2 lasers

In this work various problems concerning cutting copper sheets using CO₂ laser are reported. First, all copper thermophysical properties, that regulate the process dynamics, and then the weight of each parameter has been evaluated numerically, even though only approximately. The surface absorption value of copper at room temperature and near the melting point and the order of laser power that is necessary to cause a gradual raise of the workpiece temperature from room to melting have been estimated. Then, the order of the cutting speed at which a sheet of a known thickness can be cut has been calculated. The analysis of all these problems, and the process dynamics and state of the art seem to confirm the validity of the current thesis on the impossibility of cutting copper by CO₂ laser. In the second part of the work the experimental data relating to the first ever tests on 0.2–4.0 mm thick copper sheet cutting by 2 kW CO₂ laser are reported. These first interesting results have been obtained thanks to the possibility of making overlapped layers of cupric oxide CuO, mixed with a small quantity of cuprous oxide Cu₂O grown under laser beam irradiation (CuO and Cu₂O, together, allow the laser cutting to be carried out). This has been confirmed by the analyses of the cutting edges with a computerized X-ray diffractometer. We have also seen that the per cent absorption of laser radiation at 10.6 micron does not increase in the presence of just cuprous oxide while, when the experimental conditions allow it, the growth of cupric oxide increases the absorption value to around 52–58 per cent, giving rise to the loop process with three variable quantities (temperature-oxide-absorption) that has been the winning clue of cutting process. The behaviour of the critical cutting speedV, the cutting widthsb and the productV·b versus the thickness for 2 kW CO₂ laser using a 4″ ZnSe and 3.5″ KCl focusing lens have been tested. Moreover, the influence of different gases and flows on the cutting process have been experimented. The work-speed turned out to be significant and various micrographic sections, performed on the workpieces have shown that the laser cutting quality is quite good. A first analysis of the results has shown that laser cutting is not comparable to the one of steel, so much so that the mathematical formalism developed for steels has proved to be unsuitable for copper. This paper was done under research contract with Italian Governmental Agency ISMEZR-INTERVENTO STRAORDINARIO NEL MEZZOGIORNO, which is supporter and financing organization within the project P.S. 35-105 IND. The first, the second and the third paper on this topic has been published on:-Review LA MECCANICA ITALIANA, n. 190, 1985, 45–47, ITALY (all rights reserved)-Review LASERS & APPLICATIONS, n. 3, Vol. 5, 1986, 59–64, High Tech. Publications Inc., Torrance, CA-USA (all rights reserved)-Proceedings of ECOOSA'86-European Conference on Optics, Optical Systems and Applications, Sept. 30–Oct. 3, 1986, Florence, ITALY (all rights reserved)     

Wedge cutting of mild steel by CO2 laser and cut-quality assessment in relation to normal cutting

In some applications, laser cutting of wedge surfaces cannot be avoided in sheet metal processing and the quality of the end product defines the applicability of the laser-cutting process in such situations. In the present study, CO₂ laser cutting of the wedge surfaces as well as normal surfaces (normal to laser beam axis) is considered and the end product quality is assessed using the international standards for thermal cutting. The cut surfaces are examined by the optical microscopy and geometric features of the cut edges such as out of flatness and dross height are measured from the micrographs. A neural network is introduced to classify the striation patterns of the cut surfaces. It is found that the dross height and out of flatness are influenced significantly by the laser output power, particularly for wedge-cutting situation. Moreover, the cut quality improves at certain value of the laser power intensity.     

Laser cutting of polymeric materials: An experimental investigation

The CO₂ laser cutting of three polymeric materials namely polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is investigated with the aim of evaluating the effect of the main input laser cutting parameters (laser power, cutting speed and compressed air pressure) on laser cutting quality of the different polymers and developing model equations relating input process parameters with the output. The output quality characteristics examined were heat affected zone (HAZ), surface roughness and dimensional accuracy. Twelve sets of tests were carried out for each of the polymer based on the central composite design. Predictive models have been developed by response surface methodology (RSM). First-order response models for HAZ and surface roughness were presented and their adequacy was tested by analysis of variance (ANOVA). It was found that the response is well modeled by a linear function of the input parameters. Response surface contours of HAZ and surface roughness were generated. Mathematical model equations have been presented that estimate HAZ and surface roughness for various input laser cutting parameters. Dimensional accuracies of laser cutting on polymers were examined by dimensional deviation of the actual value from the nominal value. From the analysis, it has been observed that PMMA has less HAZ, followed by PC and PP. For surface roughness, PMMA has better cut edge surface quality than PP and PC. The response models developed can be used for practical purposes by the manufacturing industry. However, all three polymeric materials showed similar diameter errors tendency in spite of different material properties.     

The effects of power rippling on CO2 laser cutting

A power rippling method was proposed in this study to improve the cut edge quality by disturbing the natural frequency of the periodic striations in high power C0₂ laser cutting. A pilot study was also designed and set up to examine the power responsibility of the laser system, which is externally controlled by a modulated analogue signal from a signal generator. Several aspects were examined in this study. The effects of different power rippling frequencies on the cut surface roughness is the first such aspect, and the different power modulation depth on cut surface roughness is another. The power rippling shape is the third important parameter examined in this study. It was found that the amplitude and frequency of the striation pattern on the cut surface were significantly affected by the characteristics of the rippling power. Cutting quality can be significantly improved by rippling the laser power.