Laser Cutting Carbon Steel: Addressing Common Challenges and Solutions

1. Striations, Rough Surface, and Dross at the Bottom

Reasons:

Excessive gas pressure: High gas pressure can affect the cutting quality, leading to a rough surface and even dross formation.

Slow cutting speed: A slow cutting speed causes the laser beam to stay in contact with the metal surface for too long, resulting in excessive heat concentration in the cutting area and dross formation at the bottom.

Focus too high: An improperly set high focus point causes uneven distribution of laser energy, resulting in a rough surface and dross accumulation at the bottom.

Solution:

Reduce gas pressure: Adjust the gas pressure to prevent excessive pressure that can lead to rough surfaces.

Increase cutting speed: Increase the cutting speed to ensure the laser beam passes through the material quickly, preventing overheating.

Lower the focus point: Lower the focus point to ensure the laser energy is concentrated on the optimal cutting location, minimizing heat-affected zones and improving cutting quality.

2. Burnt Edges and Yellowing

Reasons:

Focus too high: When the focus point is too high, the laser energy is concentrated on the surface, leading to overheating and causing burnt edges and yellowing.

Excessive gas pressure: High gas pressure can cause the laser beam to hit the material at the wrong angle, resulting in overheating or oxidation, leading to yellowing.

Excessive laser power: High laser power can excessively heat the material's surface, causing burning or discoloration.

Solution:

Lower the focus point: Adjust the focus to ensure the laser energy is focused precisely on the cutting point, preventing overheating.

Reduce gas pressure: Lowering gas pressure can help avoid the excessive airflow that disturbs the cutting process and reduces oxidation.

Reduce nozzle diameter: By reducing the nozzle diameter, the gas flow is concentrated, which helps prevent heat dispersion and reduces the occurrence of burnt edges.

Reduce laser power: Lower the laser power to avoid excessive heating of the material’s surface, reducing the risk of burnt edges or yellowing.

3. Good Cutting Quality at the Top, Dross at the Bottom

Reasons:

Focus too high: A high focus point leads to insufficient penetration of the laser beam, resulting in an unclean cut at the bottom and dross formation.

Low gas pressure: Insufficient gas pressure fails to effectively remove molten slag, causing dross at the bottom.

Cutting speed too fast: A fast cutting speed results in the laser beam spending too little time on the material, preventing sufficient heat application, causing incomplete melting at the bottom and dross formation.

Solution:

Reduce cutting speed: Lower the cutting speed to allow the laser beam to stay on the material for a longer period, ensuring sufficient slag removal.

Lower the focus point: Adjust the focus to ensure the laser beam penetrates more effectively into the material and improves cutting quality at the bottom.

Increase gas pressure: Increase gas pressure to help expel molten slag, preventing its accumulation at the bottom.

The common problems encountered during laser cutting of carbon steel can usually be resolved by adjusting cutting parameters such as gas pressure, focus point, and cutting speed, as well as optimizing equipment configuration. By fine-tuning these parameters, cutting quality can be enhanced, surface defects minimized, and overall production efficiency improved. Companies engaged in laser cutting should select appropriate settings based on the characteristics of the materials and specific process requirements to achieve optimal cutting results.

For more information on laser cutting technology or to resolve specific issues, please contact our technical support team. We are committed to providing you with the best assistance.

Contact Information:

Huawei Laser

Email: huaweilaser2017@163.com

Website: www.huawei-laser.com