Can the aluminum plate be laser cut?

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Aluminum sheet processing is often encountered in sheet metal processing. One of the questions is whether the aluminum sheet can be cut by laser? The answer is yes.

A few years ago, the laser cutting machine was able to cut aluminum plates, when workers applied ink to the aluminum plates and then cut them. Besides, the parameters of the laser were very difficult to adjust. At that time, only aluminum plates with a thickness of 1 mm could be cut. After accumulating experience, the aluminum plate cuts were smooth and there was no dross.

The laser-cut aluminum plate depends on the power of the laser generator. The thickness of 6000W can be cut to 16mm, and the thickness of 4500W can be cut to 12mm, but the processing cost is high. Because it is a highly reflective material, laser cutting uses a focused high-power-density laser beam. The workpiece, the irradiated material quickly melts, vaporizes, ablates, or reaches the ignition point, and at the same time blows away the molten material by the high-speed airflow coaxial with the beam, to realize the cutting of the workpiece.

Is the cut surface of the laser-cut aluminum sheet as smooth as cutting other materials? The cut of the aluminum plate is also smooth. The aluminum plate is only a highly reflective material and requires a large laser generator. The cutting gas is the same as other materials. It is cut with nitrogen and will not cause the surface to be uneven.

Features of Laser Cutting Aluminum Sheet:

1. Cutting gap: The kerf of laser-cut aluminum plate is generally 0.1mm-0.2mm.

2. Smooth cutting surface: The cutting surface of the laser-cut aluminum plate has no burrs and dross.

3. Small thermal deformation: small slits, fast speed, and concentrated energy, so the heat transferred to the material to be cut is small, and the deformation of the material is also very small.

4. Material saving: laser processing adopts computer programming. The laser equipment can cut aluminum plate processing parts of different shapes, improve the material utilization rate of aluminum plate, and save a lot of material cost.

5. The thickness of the aluminum plate that can be cut mainly depends on the power of the laser generator. Generally, the thickness of 6000W can be cut to 16mm, and the thickness of 4500W can be cut to 12mm.

Summary: According to personal experience, the price of a carbon dioxide laser cutting machine is relatively low, and the power of the laser generator is large. You can try to cut aluminum plates when you need them. Pay attention to coating black light-absorbing material on the aluminum plate to prevent the lens or laser head from being burnt by the reflection.

Precautions for laser cutting aluminum sheet: Aluminum sheet is a highly reflective material, which will damage the laser greatly, so use it as little as possible. It is recommended that aluminum plates below 6 mm are processed by CNC punching machines, and aluminum plates above 6 mm are processed by water cutting.