What are the material processing methods and existing problems of fiber laser cutting machines? Nowadays, fiber laser cutting machines are widely used in various industries due to their fast processing speed and good cutting quality. The sheet metal processing industry not only brings huge economic benefits to our enterprises but also provides convenience for our residents' production and life.

Fiber laser cutting technology has developed alongside the sheet metal processing industry and plays an important role in promoting social production progress.
Common processing materials for fiber laser cutting machines include stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum, copper, and titanium.
Let's take a look at the common processing methods for these materials.
When using oxygen as the processing gas for carbon steel fiber laser cutting machines, there will be slight oxidation on the cutting edge. For plates with a thickness of 4mm, nitrogen can be used as the processing gas for high-pressure cutting. In this case, the cutting edge will not be oxidized. For plates thicker than 10mm, using a laser cutting machine with a dedicated laser for steel plates and applying oil to the workpiece surface during processing can achieve better results.
Both copper and brass have high reflectivity and very good thermal conductivity. Nitrogen can be used to cut brass with a thickness of less than 1mm. Copper with a thickness of less than 2mm must be cut using oxygen as the processing gas. Copper and brass can only be cut when the system is equipped with a "reflection absorber"; otherwise, reflection will damage the optical components.
Stainless steel is the most widely used material in various industries. When cutting stainless steel, the fiber laser cutting machine uses nitrogen to achieve edges that are free of oxidation and burrs, without affecting the oxidation at the edges. Applying an oil film on the plate surface can achieve better perforation results without reducing processing quality.
Aluminum, although it has high reflectivity and thermal conductivity for fiber laser cutting machines, can cut aluminum with a thickness of less than 6mm depending on the alloy type and laser power. When cutting with oxygen, the cutting surface is rough and hard. When using nitrogen, the cutting surface is smooth. Pure aluminum is difficult to cut due to its high purity, and it can only be cut when a "reflection absorption" device is installed on the fiber laser cutting machine system; otherwise, reflection will damage the optical components.
Titanium and titanium sheets are cut using argon and nitrogen as processing gases. Other parameters can refer to nickel-chromium steel.
We know that during the processing of various materials, problems will occur to some extent. So how can we solve these problems to ensure better processing quality?
When laser processing cuts stainless steel and aluminum-zinc coated plates, if the workpiece has burrs, it first depends on the burr situation when cutting stainless steel. You can check if the nozzle needs to be replaced, whether the guide rail movement is unstable, etc. However, the cutting speed may also be a reason. If the cutting speed is too fast, it may sometimes lead to the plate not being cut through. This situation is particularly prominent when processing aluminum-zinc coated plates.
Small holes may deform during cutting. This is because the machine tool does not use the explosive perforation method when processing small holes but uses the pulse perforation method. This causes the laser energy to be overly concentrated in a small area, burning the non-processing area and forming deformations in the holes, affecting processing quality. At this time, the pulse perforation method should be changed to the explosive perforation method in the processing program to resolve this. For lower power laser cutting machines, the opposite is true. When processing small holes, the pulse perforation method should be used to achieve better surface finish.
Abnormal sparks may occur when cutting carbon steel, affecting the surface finish and processing quality of the parts. At this time, when other parameters are normal, the following situations should be considered: wear of the laser head nozzle; if there is wear, it should be replaced in a timely manner (if there is no new nozzle to replace, the pressure of the cutting gas should be increased). Check if the threads at the nozzle connection to the laser head are loose; if loose, cutting should be stopped immediately and the threads reinstalled.
The material processing methods and existing problems of fiber laser cutting machines vary. The materials that fiber laser cutting machines can process cover most metals, and the problems that arise during the cutting process are also different. Specific analysis should be based on actual cutting conditions, and any problems should be promptly reported to the manufacturer for technical guidance.
Otherwise, reflection will damage the optical components.

Stainless steel is the most widely used material in various industries. When cutting stainless steel, the fiber laser cutting machine uses nitrogen to achieve edges that are free of oxidation and burrs, without affecting the oxidation at the edges. Applying an oil film on the plate surface can achieve better perforation results without reducing processing quality.

Aluminum, although it has high reflectivity and thermal conductivity for fiber laser cutting machines, aluminum with a thickness of less than 6mm can be cut, depending on the alloy type and laser power. When cutting with oxygen, the cutting surface is rough and hard. When using nitrogen, the cutting surface is smooth. Pure aluminum is very difficult to cut due to its high purity, and it can only be cut when a "reflection absorption" device is installed on the fiber laser cutting machine system; otherwise, reflection will damage the optical components.

Titanium, titanium sheets are cut using argon and nitrogen as processing gases. Other parameters can refer to nickel-chromium steel.

We know that various materials will encounter some problems during the processing. So how can we solve these problems to ensure better processing quality?

When laser processing cuts stainless steel and aluminum-zinc coated plates, if the workpiece has burrs, it is important to first check the burr situation when cutting stainless steel. You can check if the nozzle needs to be replaced, whether the guide rail movement is unstable, etc. However, cutting speed may also be a reason; sometimes, cutting speed can lead to the plate not being cut through, and this situation is particularly prominent when processing aluminum-zinc coated plates.

Deformation may occur when cutting small holes, which is due to the machine tool not using the explosive perforation method when processing small holes but using the pulse perforation method. This causes the laser energy to be overly concentrated in a small area, burning the non-processing area and forming deformations in the holes, affecting processing quality. At this time, the processing program should change the pulse perforation method to the explosive perforation method to resolve this. For lower power laser cutting machines, the opposite is true; the pulse perforation method should be used when processing small holes to achieve better surface finish.

Abnormal sparks appear when cutting carbon steel, which can affect the surface finish and processing quality of the cut parts. In this case, under normal conditions for other parameters, the following situations should be considered: wear of the laser head nozzle; if worn, the nozzle should be replaced in a timely manner (if no new nozzle is available, the cutting gas pressure should be increased); whether the thread connection between the nozzle and the laser head is loose; if loose, cutting should be immediately suspended and the thread should be properly reattached.

The material processing methods and issues of fiber laser cutting machines vary. The materials that fiber laser cutting machines can process cover most metals, and the problems that arise during the cutting process are also different. Specific analysis should be based on the actual cutting situation, and problems should be promptly reported to the manufacturer for technical guidance.