Investigation of AISI 304 Laser Prototyping by Different Techniques

The laser forming process of metal sheet has been investigated and has proved to be adequate to rapid prototyping. In order to successfully apply this technique, a deep understanding of laser-material interaction is required. Since the AISI 304 stainless steel is widely used for deformation processes, the authors decided to investigate its laser forming behavior. The forming effect has been evaluated in terms of the bending of sheet-shaped specimens. The influence of the main technological and geometrical parameters of the process were investigated by a factorial design, i.e. ANOVA and Surface Response. The experimental results were used to built a neural network that is able to predict some process parameters once the designer has fixed the initial and final geometry of the specimen. The obtained results show that the laser bending of AISI 304 can be a valid alternative to conventional forming and prototyping techniques.