Laser cutting of metal plates is widely used in industry due to its flexibility and low cost. The multi-physical phenomena that occur during the process mean that the properties of the material influence the cutting parameters and quality of cut obtained. This, combined with the variability in the properties of the material and its surface condition, can lead to cutting losses in the production environment, with consequential economic losses.
To counter the lack of information in this area, the following article looks at the effect of the composition and surface condition of steel plates with thicknesses between 6 mm and 15 mm on the laser cutting parameters and on the resulting quality. The tests were carried out on a fibre laser cutting machine with a power of 4 kW, and the side roughness and burrs were evaluated as quality parameters.
Three types of steel with different compositions were tested, and some of these materials underwent machining or oxidation processes in order to study the influence of the surface condition.
The results have demonstrated that both the composition and the finish influence the characteristics of the cut. On the one hand, it was verified that surface oxidation has a negative impact on the cut quality, with a reduction of the cutting speed and the resulting quality. On the other hand, the study carried out on different compositions suggested that quantities of silicon and sulphur conditioned the cutting process.
