Obtaining Slots and Channels by using a 1070 nm Wavelength Laser

Slots and channels are sometimes necessary in machine building; the surfaces of the slots and channels could be obtained by means of a laser beam machining equipment. Essentially, the material removal from the workpiece needs the development of thermal phenomena of melting and vaporizing and of dynamic phenomena, respectively, by which the melted and vaporized material is moved from the machining zone. The paper includes the results of the researches concerning the possibilities to use 1070 nm wavelength laser equipment whose output power is of 300 W, in order to obtain slots and channels in metallic test pieces. The sizes of the parameters able to characterize the machined surface are influenced by the machining conditions. The theoretical analysis of the machining process highlighted the necessity of sending a compressed air jet along the laser beam axis and of an adequate selection of the machining parameters. Experimental researches were developed by changing the speed of the relative motion between the laser spot and the test piece. Empirical relations were established by mathematical processing of the experimental results. The empirical relations highlight the influence exerted by speed between the test piece and the laser beam on the depth of the channels thus generated.