Can aluminum plates be cut with a laser

Laser cutting machines are now able to cut aluminum sheets. At that time, workers would apply ink to the aluminum sheets before cutting, and the laser parameters were also difficult to adjust. Back then, they could only cut aluminum sheets that were 1 millimeter thick. After gaining more experience, the cuts on the aluminum sheets became very smooth and burr-free.

Laser cutting of aluminum plates also depends on the power of the laser generator. A 6000W laser can cut up to 16mm thick, while a 4500W one can cut up to 12mm, but the cost is higher, because aluminum is a highly reflective material. Laser cutting works by using a highly focused, high-power-density laser beam to irradiate the workpiece, causing the material to rapidly melt, vaporize, ablate, or reach its ignition point. At the same time, high-speed gas coaxial with the laser beam blows away the molten material, thereby achieving the cutting of the workpiece.

Is the cut surface of laser-cut aluminum as smooth as when cutting other materials?

The cut edges of aluminum are also smooth. Aluminum is just a highly reflective material, which requires a more powerful laser generator. The cutting gas is the same as for other materials, typically nitrogen, and it does not cause the surface to be uneven.

Features of Laser Cutting Aluminum Plates:

1. Narrow cutting seams: The cut seam of laser-cut aluminum plates is generally 0.1mm-0.2mm.

2. Smooth cutting surface: The cut surface of laser-cut aluminum plates has no burrs or slag.

3. Minimal thermal deformation: Laser cutting produces fine seams, fast speed, and concentrated energy, so the heat transferred to the material is small, causing minimal deformation.

4. Material savings: Laser processing uses computer programming, allowing laser equipment to layout aluminum parts of different shapes efficiently, improving material utilization and saving significant costs.

5. The maximum thickness of aluminum that can be cut mainly depends on the power of the laser generator. Generally, a 6000W laser can cut up to 16mm thick, while a 4500W laser can cut up to 12mm.

Summary: Based on personal experience, CO2 laser machines are relatively inexpensive and have high laser generator power, so they can be used to try cutting aluminum sheets when particularly needed. Note, as I mentioned above, apply a black absorptive coating on the aluminum sheet to prevent reflections from damaging the lens or laser head. As for fiber laser machines, it's better not to cut aluminum sheets as it's not worth the risk; consider other methods for processing aluminum sheets.

Precautions for laser cutting aluminum sheets: Aluminum is a highly reflective material and can cause significant damage to the laser, so use it sparingly. It is recommended that aluminum sheets up to 6mm thick can be processed with CNC punching machines, while sheets thicker than 6mm should be cut with waterjet processing.