Laser-assisted shearing of stainless steel and spring steel plates with the use of a laser scanner system - new hybrid production technology for the sheet metal industry

The Fraunhofer IPT recently developed a new hybrid laser-assisted shearing process which enables conventional punching machines to produce punched sheared edges with continuous flush-cut surfaces in stainless steel plates (1.4301), spring steel plates (1.4310) and titanium alloy plates (3.7165). The new combination of localised laser-induced softening of the plate material in the shearing zone and the shearing process significantly reduces both process forces and process-related noise emissions. A modular system-upgrade for existing punching machines allows laser-assisted shearing to be implemented without the need for expensive new machine designs. The principle of the laser-assisted shearing process is based on briefly and selectively heating the material in the shearing zone via local absorption of laser radiation on the underside of the sheet metal plate before the punching tool comes into contact on the upper side of the metal plate. Laser-induced heating softens the material in the shearing zone within the material within a few tenths of a second. The laser-induced softening mechanisms also lead to a significant decrease of cutting forces as well as a reduction of tool wear, warping and noise emissions.