Laser cutting aluminum is challenging due to its high thermal conductivity and reflectivity. Neodymium or CO2 lasers can be used with gas assist technology to remove waste material. Thicker aluminum requires more powerful CO2 lasers, and flying optics systems are used for large sheets. Energy consumption and costs are higher, and heat treatment may be necessary.
Laser cutting aluminum can be more difficult than using a laser to precision cut carbon steel, stainless steel, or other materials. Aluminum is difficult to cut with a laser because it is both reflective and has high thermal conductivity, the ability to shed heat. Because of these characteristics, laser cutting of aluminum requires special handling and equipment to provide adequate quality of aluminum.
There are two main classes of lasers used for metal cutting. These include neodymium or neodymium-doped crystal lasers and carbon dioxide (CO2) gas lasers. Crystal lasers focus and amplify the light beam through a solid crystal composed of the elements that describe them. CO2 lasers use carbon dioxide to drive the laser light beam.
In addition to the laser, gas assist technology can be employed. Gas assist systems use a stream of gas passed through the laser beam nozzle or through a secondary nozzle. This removes molten metal, gases and other materials away from the cutting area.
Cutting aluminum with a laser requires more powerful lasers than might be needed for other metals. Gas assist is often required to prevent molten slag from accumulating at the lower edge of the cut. Aluminum conducts heat and cools quickly, which can lead to a poor finish cut. Thicker aluminum foil normally requires the use of a CO2 laser, which is more powerful than neodymium class lasers.
Laser cutting of aluminum can be achieved by moving the aluminum sheet under the optical cutting head or by moving the optical head over a fixed sheet of aluminum. The latter method is referred to as a flying optics system and is usually linked to a computerized cutting system. Flying optics systems are more common for large industrial cutting operations because the size of the aluminum sheet can be very large and would be difficult to move under a stationary cutting head.
There are a number of considerations when laser cutting aluminum. Electricity consumption can be significantly higher during this process than with other cutting technologies. Energy consumption can also be significantly higher than that required for other metals. Additional costs are incurred by the need for gas-assist to remove waste material and maintain high cut quality.
The high thermal conductivity of aluminum can limit the thickness of aluminum that can reasonably be cut with laser systems. Laser cutting of aluminum creates high cut edge temperatures which can change the properties of the metal near the cut, which may require additional heat treatment. Understanding these considerations is critical to the cost-effectiveness of the process.
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