ABSTRACT
High-pressure nitrogen is used to propel the melt out of the cutting zone. As far as laser cutting is concerned, these materials cut in a similar way to stainless steels. The cutting speeds table for stainless steels used as a starting point for identifying process parameters. Because this process takes more energy than simple melting, cut speeds and maximum thicknesses for thermosets are lower than for thermoplastics. Low-density woods like pine are cut faster than high-density material like tea. Laser cutting has become a standard industrial process since its initial development in the early 1970s. The technique is commonly used in job shop environments and in the manufacturing sector for applications as diverse as cutting steel engineering components and yacht sails. Computer software is used to define the tool path and cutting speed; to add tool compensation to a chosen path; and to control additional functions such as laser power, laser pulsing and cutting gas pressure.
