Fusion cutting of aluminum, magnesium, and titanium alloys using high-power fiber laser

The effects of cutting speed and assist gas pressure on laser cutting of 1-mm thick Al 1050, AZ31, and Ti6Al4V lightweight alloys are experimentally investigated. Fiber laser cutting of these materials is not broadly investigated and the acquisition of a new level of knowledge is of fundamental importance for applications like sheet metal trimming in automotive industry. The main process outputs are in depth compared with results reported in literature and obtained by cutting with CO2 and Nd:YAG lasers. The good cut quality, the high productivity, and the easy delivery of the beam obtained at the same time, corroborate the advantage of using fiber lasers for thin sheets lightweight alloys cutting.