Laser Cutting Parameters: Thickness, Speed, Gas, Focus, Pressure, Nozzle

Intrigued by the art of laser cutting? This blog post dives deep into the critical parameters that make or break cut quality and efficiency. Discover insider tips from seasoned mechanical engineers on honing settings like focal position, power, speed, gas assistance and more to achieve flawless results. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, unlock the secrets to mastering your laser cutter’s full potential.

Shane
November 18th, 2024
Laser Cutting

Adjusting laser cutting parameters is key to ensuring cutting quality and efficiency. We can summarize several primary laser cutting parameters and their adjustment methods:

Focal Position: The adjustment of the focal position is crucial to the cutting quality. If the focal point is too high, it will increase the brightness of the cutting surface but may cause hard slag on the lower surface. If the focal point is too low, it makes the cutting surface rough. Moreover, for materials of different thicknesses, the appropriate focal point position needs to be adjusted according to the focal length.

Laser Power: Laser power directly affects cutting speed, kerf width, cutting thickness, and cutting quality. The power level should be determined based on material characteristics and cutting mechanisms. For example, for carbon steel, a 1000W laser cut has a brightness less than 4mm thick, 2000W for 6mm, and 3000W for 8mm.

Cutting Speed: The feed rate (i.e., cutting speed) is inversely proportional to the continuous cutting time of the laser beam at the current point. The higher the speed, the shorter the duration, and vice versa. When cutting thicker steel plates, to achieve a good vertical cutting surface, a longer focal length radius may be needed, which will increase the spot diameter, reduce the power density, and therefore slow down the cutting speed.

Gas Assistance: Auxiliary gas pressure can blow away the molten slag during cutting and cool the heat-affected zone of the cut. Auxiliary gases include oxygen, compressed air, nitrogen, and inert gases. Choosing the appropriate auxiliary gas is very important for improving cutting quality and efficiency.

Other Parameters: Including cutting height, nozzle model, cutting frequency, duty cycle of cutting, and cutting pressure also affect cutting quality. The correct parameter settings can achieve perfect laser engraving and cutting effects.

In this article below, we present a list of relevant parameters for IPG and Raycus lasers, including the cutting thickness, cutting speed, auxiliary gas, focus, pressure, and cutting head size.

The listed IPG lasers include power outputs of 1000W, 1500W, 2000W, 3000W, 4000W, 6000W, and 8000W, among others.

For the parameters of the Raycus laser, its maximum power can reach up to 30,000W.

The metals that can be cut with these lasers include mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. The parameters listed are officially provided by IPG and Raycus and are considered authoritative.

However, in actual usage, it may be necessary to adjust the parameters based on specific conditions. We hope this information will be helpful to you.

IPG 1000W(50um) Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness (mm)	Power (W)	Speed (m/min)	Focus (mm)	Pressure (bar)	Nozzle (mm)
MS(O2)	1	1000	9	2	2	1.0
	2	1000	5.5	2	2	1.0
	3	1000	3	2	0.5	1.0
	4	1000	2.7	2	0.5	1.0
	5	1000	2.1	2	0.5	1.0
	6	1000	1.5	2	0.4	1.5
	8	1000	1.1	2	0.5	2.5
	10	1000	0.85	2	0.4	2.5
	12	1000	0.6	2.5	0.4	3.0
SS(N2)	1	1000	25	-0.5	12	2.0
	2	1000	9	-1	14	2.0
	3	1000	3	-1.5	14	2.0
	4	1000	1.5	-2.5	14	2.5
	5	1000	1.1	-3	14	2.5
	6	1000	0.5
AL(N2)	1	1000	25	-0.5	10	1.5
	2	1000	6	-1	14	2.0
	3	1000	2	-1	16	2.0

IPG 1500W(50um) Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness (mm)	Power (W)	Speed (m/min)	Focus (mm)	Pressure (bar)	Nozzle (mm)
MS(O2)	1	1500	9	2.5	2.5	1.0
	2	1500	5.6	2.5	2	1.0
	3	1500	3.5	3	0.6	1.0
	4	1500	3	2.5	0.6	1.0
	5	1500	3	3	0.6	1.0
	6	1500	2.3	2.5	0.5	1.2
	8	1500	1.4	2.5	0.5	2.5
	10	1500	1.2	2.5	0.5	3.0
	12	1500	1.1	2.5	0.5	3.0
	14	1500	0.8	2.5	0.5	3.5
SS(N2)	1	1500	32	0.5	10	2.0
	2	1500	12	0.5	12	2.0
	3	1500	4.5	0	12	2.0
	4	1500	2.6	-0.5	14	2.0
	5	1500	1.6	-1	15	2.5
	6	1500	0.9	-1.5	16	2.5
AL(N2)	1	1500	25	0.5	10	1.5
	2	1500	8	0.5	12	2.0
	3	1500	4	0.5	14	2.5
	4	1500	2.5	0	15	2.5
	5	1500	1.1	0	15	2.5
	6	1500	1	0	16	2.5
BRASS(N2)	1	1500	20	-2.5	10	2.0
	2	1500	8	1	12	2.0
	3	1500	2.5	0.5	12	2.5
	4	1500	1.5	0.5	12	2.5
	5	1500	0.7	-3.5	16	2.5
	6	1500	0.35	0	16	3.0
COPPER(O2)	1	1500	14	0.5	7	2.0
	2	1500	4.3	0.5	7	2.0
	3	1500	1.9	0	9	3.0
	4	1500	0.5	-1	10	3.0

IPG 2000W(100um) Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness (mm)	Power (W)	Speed (m/min)	Focus (mm)	Pressure (bar)	Nozzle (mm)
MS(O2)	1	1200	9	3	3	1.0
	2	1200	5.7	3	3	1.0
	3	1500	3	3	0.5	1.0
	3(fast cutting)	2000	3.2	4	0.6	1.0
	4	1500	2.8	3	0.5	1.0
	4(fast cutting)	2000	3	4	0.6	1.0
	5	1600	2.2	3	0.5	1.0
	5(fast cutting)	2000	2.6	4	0.6	1.0
	6	1600	2	3	0.5	1.0
	6(fast cutting)	2000	2.5	4	0.6	1.0
	8	1500	1.3	3	0.5	2.5
	10	1500	1.1	3	0.5	3.0
	12	1500	0.9	3	0.5	3.0
	14	1800	0.85	4	0.5	3.5
	16	2000	0.75	4	0.5	4.0
SS(N2)	1	2000	35	0.5	10	1.5
	2	2000	10	0	12	2.0
	3	2000	6	-1	12	2.0
	4	2000	3.2	-1.5	14	2.0
	5	2000	1.8	-2.5	15	2.5
	6	2000	1	-3.5	16	3.0
	8	2000	0.6	-4.5	16	3.0
	10	2000	0.4	-5.5	16	3.0
AL(N2)	1	2000	30	1.5	10	1.5
	2	2000	8	1.5	12	2.0
	3	2000	4	1	14	2.5
	4	2000	2.5	0.5	15	2.5
	5	2000	1.9	0.5	15	2.5
	6	2000	1	0.5	16	2.5
	8	2000	0.55	-1	16	2.5

IPG 3000W(100um) Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness (mm)	Power (W)	Speed (m/min)	Focus (mm)	Pressure (bar)	Nozzle (mm)
MS(O2)	1	1200	9	2.5	3	1.0
	2	1200	6	2.5	2.5	1.0
	3	1500	3.2	2.5	0.4	1.0
	3(fast cutting)	3000	3.6	3.5	0.6	1.0
	4	1500	3	2.5	0.5	1.0
	4(fast cutting)	3000	3.4	3.5	0.6	1.0
	5	1800	2.5	2.5	0.5	1.0
	5(fast cutting)	3000	3.2	3.5	0.6	1.0
	6	1800	2.3	2.5	0.5	1.0
	6(fast cutting)	3000	2.8	3.5	0.6	1.0
	8	1500	1.3	2.5	0.5	2.5
	8(fast cutting)	3000	2.3	3.5	0.6	1.0
	10	1500	1.1	2.5	0.5	2.5
	12	1800	1	2.5	0.5	3.0
	14	1800	0.85	3	0.5	3.5
	16	2000	0.75	3	0.5	4.0
	18	2000	0.7	3	0.5	4.0
	20	2000	0.65	3	0.5	4.0
SS(N2)	1	3000	55	0	10	1.5
	2	3000	20	-0.5	12	2.0
	3	3000	8	-1.5	12	2.0
	4	3000	4.5	-2	14	2.5
	5	3000	3	-2.5	14	2.5
	6	3000	2	-3	16	3.0
	8	3000	1.2	-4.5	16	3.0
	10	3000	0.8	-6.5	16	3.0
	12	3000	0.5	-7.5	14	4.0
SS(AIR)	1	3000	55	0	8	1.5
	2	3000	20	-0.5	8	2.0
	3	3000	8	-1.5	10	2.0
	4	3000	4.5	-2	12	2.5
	5	3000	3.5	-2.5	12	2.5
	6	3000	2.4	-3	12	3.0
	8	3000	1.5	-4.5	12	3.0
	10	3000	0.95	-6	12	3.0
	12	3000	0.6	-7	12	3.0
AL(N2)	1	3000	50	0.5	10	1.5
	2	3000	20	-0.5	12	2.0
	3	3000	8	-1.5	12	2.5
	4	3000	4	-1.5	14	2.5
	5	3000	2.8	-2.5	14	2.5
	6	3000	1.7	-3	14	2.5
	8	3000	1.1	-2.5	15	3.0
	10	3000	0.75	-3	16	3.0
	12	3000	0.45	-3	16	3.0
AL(AIR)	1	3000	50	0.5	8	1.5
	2	3000	20	-0.5	8	2.0
	3	3000	8	-1	10	2.0
	4	3000	4	-2	10	2.5
	5	3000	2.8	-2	10	2.5
	6	3000	1.8	-2.5	12	2.5
	8	3000	1.1	-3	12	3.0
	10	3000	0.95	-3	12	3.0
	12	3000	0.6	-3	12	3.0

IPG 4000W(100um) Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness (mm)	Power (W)	Speed (m/min)	Focus (mm)	Pressure (bar)	Nozzle (mm)
MS(O2)	1	1200	10	2	3	1.0
	2	1200	6	2	1.5	1.0
	3	1200	3.2	2	0.4	1.0
	3(fast cutting)	2000	3.8	3	0.5	1.0
	4	1500	3	2	0.4	1.0
	4(fast cutting)	2500	3.4	3	0.5	1.0
	5	2000	2.8	2	0.5	1.0
	5(fast cutting)	3000	3.2	3	0.5	1.0
	6	2000	2.5	2	0.5	1.0
	6(fast cutting)	4000	2.8	3	0.6	1.0
	8	1500	1.3	2	0.4	2.5
	8(fast cutting)	4000	2.5	3	0.7	1.0
	10	1500	1.1	2	0.4	2.5
	12	1500	1	2	0.4	3.0
	14	1800	0.85	2.5	0.5	3.5
	16	1800	0.8	2.5	0.5	4.0
	18	2000	0.7	2.5	0.4	4.0
	20	2000	0.65	2.5	0.5	4.0
SS(N2)	1	4000	50	-0.5	10	1.5
	2	4000	18	-0.5	12	2.0
	3	4000	9	-1.5	12	2.0
	4	4000	5.5	-2.5	12	2.0
	5	4000	4.5	-3.5	14	2.5
	6	4000	3.2	-4	14	2.5
	8	4000	1.9	-5	15	3.0
	10	4000	1.3	-6.5	16	3.0
	12	4000	0.8	-7.5	18	3.5
	14	4000	0.6	-8.5	18	4.0
	16	4000	0.45	-10	18	4.0
SS(AIR)	1	4000	50	-0.5	8	1.5
	2	4000	23	-0.5	10	2.0
	3	4000	10	-1.5	10	2.0
	4	4000	7	-2.5	10	2.5
	5	4000	5	-3.5	10	2.5
	6	4000	3.6	-4	12	2.5
	8	4000	2.3	-5	12	3.0
	10	4000	1.6	-6.5	12	3.0
	12	4000	1.1	-7.5	12	3.5
	14	4000	0.8	-8.5	12	4.0
	16	4000	0.6	-10	12	4.0
AL(N2)	1	4000	50	-0.5	10	1.5
	2	4000	18	-0.5	12	2.0
	3	4000	10	-1.5	14	2.0
	4	4000	5.5	-2.5	14	2.5
	5	4000	4.2	-2.5	14	2.5
	6	4000	2.5	-3	14	2.5
	8	4000	1.6	-3.5	16	3.0
	10	4000	1	-3.5	16	3.0
	12	4000	0.75	-4	16	3.5
	14	4000	0.6	-4	16	3.5
	16	4000	0.45	-4	16	4.0
	18	4000	0.35	-4	16	4.0
AL(AIR)	1	4000	55	-0.5	10	1.5
	2	4000	17	-1	10	2.0
	3	4000	8.2	-1.5	10	2.0
	4	4000	5.5	-2.5	12	2.5
	5	4000	3.8	-3.5	12	3.0
	6	4000	2.4	-4	12	3.0
	8	4000	1.2	-4	12	3.5
	10	4000	0.8	-4.5	12	4.0
	12	4000	0.7	-4.5	12	4.0
	14	4000	0.55	-5.5	12	4.0
	16	4000	0.45	-5.5	12	4.0

IPG 6000W(100um) Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness (mm)	Power (W)	Speed (m/min)	Focus (mm)	Pressure (bar)	Nozzle (mm)
MS(O2)	1	1200	10	2	3	1.0
	2	1200	6	2	1.5	1.0
	3	1200	3.2	2	0.4	1.0
	3(fast cutting)	2000	3.8	3	0.5	1.0
	4	1500	3	2	0.4	1.0
	4(fast cutting)	2500	3.4	3	0.5	1.0
	5	2000	2.8	2	0.5	1.0
	5(fast cutting)	3000	3.2	3	0.5	1.0
	6	2000	2.5	2	0.5	1.0
	6(fast cutting)	4000	2.8	3	0.6	1.0
	8	1500	1.3	2	0.4	2.5
	8(fast cutting)	4000	2.5	3	0.7	1.0
	10	1500	1.1	2	0.4	2.5
	10(fast cutting)	4500	2.1	3	0.8	1.2
	12	1500	1	2	0.4	3.0
	12(fast cutting)	5000	1.9	3	0.8	1.2
	14	2200	0.85	2.5	0.5	3.5
	16	2200	0.8	2.5	0.5	4.0
	18	2200	0.7	2.5	0.4	4.0
	20	2200	0.65	2.5	0.5	4.0
SS(N2)	1	6000	70	0	12	1.5
	2	6000	36	-1	12	2.0
	3	6000	18	-1	12	2.5
	4	6000	13	-1.5	12	2.5
	5	6000	7.8	-3	14	2.5
	6	6000	6.3	-3.5	14	2.5
	8	6000	3.8	-4	16	3.0
	10	6000	2.1	-6.5	14	3.5
	10.1	6000	2.2	-6.5	14	3.5
	12	6000	1.5	-8.5	14	3.5
	12.1	6000	1.5	-7.5	14	3.5
	14	6000	1	-9	14	3.5
	16	6000	0.8	-10.5	18	3.5
	16.1	6000	0.8	-10.5	20	3.5
	18	6000	0.55	-12.5	20	4.0
	18.1	6000	0.5	-11.5	15	5.0
	20	6000	0.4	-10	22	4.0
SS(AIR)	1	6000	75	0	10	1.5
	2	6000	40	-0.5	10	2.0
	3	6000	18	-1	10	2.5
	4	6000	14	-1.5	10	2.5
	5	6000	8	-3	10	2.5
	6	6000	7.2	-3.5	10	2.5
	8	6000	4	-4.5	10	3.0
	10	6000	2.5	-6.5	12	3.5
	12	6000	1.5	-8	12	3.5
	14	6000	1	-9	12	4.0
	16	6000	0.7	-11	12	4.0
AL(N2)	1	6000	80	0	10	1.5
	2	6000	30	-0.5	12	2.0
	3	6000	16	-1	14	2.0
	4	6000	10	-2.5	14	2.5
	5	6000	8	-3	14	2.5
	6	6000	5.5	-3	14	2.5
	8	6000	2.5	-3.5	16	3.0
	10	6000	1.3	-4	16	3.0
	12	6000	0.9	-4.5	16	3.5
	14	6000	0.8	-4.5	16	4.0
	16	6000	0.7	-4.5	16	4.0
	18	6000	0.6	-5	16	4.0
	20	6000	0.45	-5	16	4.0
AL(AIR)	1	6000	80	-0.5	10	1.5
	2	6000	35	-1	10	2.0
	3	6000	16	-1.5	12	2.0
	4	6000	10	-3	12	2.5
	5	6000	8	-4	12	2.5
	6	6000	5.5	-4	12	2.5
	8	6000	3	-4.5	12	3.5
	10	6000	1.5	-5	12	3.5
	12	6000	1	-5.5	12	3.5

IPG IPG8000W Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness (mm)	Speed (m/min)	Focus (mm)	Pressure (BAR)	Power (W)	Nozzle (mm)
MS(O2)	1	11	3.5	2.5	1200	1
	2	6.5	3.5	2.5	1200	1
	3(FAST)	4.2	5	0.6	3000	1
	3	3.2	3.5	0.5	1800	1
	4(FAST)	3.8	5	0.6	4000	1
	4	3	3.5	0.5	1800	1
	5(FAST)	3.7	5	0.6	4000	1
	5	2.7	3.5	0.5	1800	1
	6(FAST)	3.3	5	0.6	4000	1
	6	2.2	3.5	0.5	1800	1
	8(FAST)	2.7	6	0.7	4000	1
	8	1.3	3.5	0.5	1800	2.5
	10(FAST)	2.1	6	0.7	4000	1
	10	1.2	3.5	0.5	1800	3
	12(FAST)	1.6	6	0.7	4000	1.25
	12	1.1	3.5	0.5	2000	3
	14	0.95	4	0.5	2000	3.5
	16	0.85	4	0.5	2000	4
	18	0.75	4	0.5	2000	4
	20	0.65	5	0.5	2000	4
	22	0.6	5	0.5	2000	4
MS(N2)	1	70	0	12	8000	1.5
	2	31	-0.5	12	8000	2
	3	24	0	14	8000	2.5
	4	18	-2	14	8000	2.5
	5	12	-2.5	14	8000	2.5
	6	8	-3	14	8000	3
	8	5	-4	16	8000	3
SS(N2)	1	75	0	10	8000	1.5
	2	40	-1	10	8000	2
	3	27	0	14	8000	3
	4	20	-0.5	14	8000	3
	5	13	-2	14	8000	3
	6	7.5	-4	14	8000	4
	8	5	-5.5	14	8000	4
	10	3.5	-7	14	8000	4
	12	2.7	-8.5	14	8000	4
	14	1.9	-11	14	8000	4
	16	1.4	-13	15	8000	4
	18	1.1	-14.5	16	8000	BOOSTERCUT 5mm
	20	0.85	-16	18	8000	BOOSTERCUT 5mm
	25	0.45	-17	20	8000	BOOSTERCUT 5mm
	30	0.2	-18	20	8000	BOOSTERCUT 5mm
SS(AIR)	1	80	0	10	8000	1.5
	2	45	-0.5	10	8000	2
	3	28	0	10	8000	2
	4	22	-1	10	8000	3
	5	15	-2.5	10	8000	3
	6	11	-3	10	8000	3
	8	7	-4	10	8000	3
	10	4.5	-5	10	8000	3
	12	3.5	-6	10	8000	3
	14	2.2	-10	12	8000	3
	16	1.8	-12	12	8000	3
	18	1.4	-13	12	8000	3
	20	1.1	-14	12	8000	3
	25	0.55	-16	12	8000	4
AL(N2)	1	70	-0.5	10	8000	1.5
	2	40	-1	14	8000	3
	3	30	-1	14	8000	2.5
	4	20	-3	14	8000	2.5
	5	15	-3	14	8000	3
	6	9	-3.5	14	8000	3
	8	4	-4	14	8000	4
	10	3	-5	14	8000	4
	12	2	-5	16	8000	4
	14	1.3	-5	18	8000	4
	16	1.2	-5	18	8000	4
	18	1.1	-5	18	8000	4
	20	0.9	-5	18	8000	4
	22	0.7	-5	18	8000	4
	25	0.5	-5	18	8000	4
	30	0.3	-5	18	8000	4.5
AL(AIR)	1	70	0	10	8000	1.5
	2	50	0	10	8000	2
	3	40	0	10	8000	3
	4	25	-1	10	8000	3
	5	15	-2	10	8000	3
	6	10	-4	12	8000	3
	8	2.5	-4.5	12	8000	4
	10	1.6	-5.5	12	8000	4
	12	1	-6	12	8000	4
BRASS(N2)	1	65	-0.5	12	8000	2
	2	35	-0.5	12	8000	2
	3	20	-0.5	14	8000	2.5
	4	15	-1	12	8000	2.5
	5	10	-2	14	8000	2.5
	6	8	-2.5	14	8000	2.5
	8	4.5	-3.5	14	8000	2.5
	10	3	-5	14	8000	3
	12	2	-6.5	14	8000	4
COPPER(O2)	1	50	-1.5	8	8000	2
	2	25	-2.5	8	8000	2
	3	16	-3.5	8	8000	2
	4	10	-4.5	8	8000	2.5
	5	6	-5.5	8	8000	2.5
	6	4	-6.6	8	8000	3
	8	2	-8.5	8	8000	3

Raycus 3000W (Single mode) Laser Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness [mm]	Speed [m/min]	Power [W]	Gas	Pressure [bar]	Nozzle [mm]	Focus [mm]	Cutting Height [mm]
Mild Steel	1	28-35	3000	N2/Air	10	1.5S	0	1
Mild Steel	2	16-20	3000	N2/Air	10	2.0S	0	0.5
Mild Steel	2	3.8-4.2	2100	O2	1.6	1.0D	+3	0.8
	3	3.2-3.6	2100		0.6	1.0D	+4	0.8
	4	3-3.2	2400		0.6	1.0D	+4	0.8
	5	2.7-3	3000		0.6	1.2D	+4	0.8
	6	2.2-2.5	3000		0.6	1.2D	+4	0.8
	8	1.8-2.2	3000		0.6	1.2D	+4	0.8
	10	1-1.3	3000		0.6	1.2D	+4	0.8
	12	0.9-1	2400		0.6	3.0D	+4	0.8
	14	0.8-0.9	2400		0.6	3.0D	+4	0.8
	16	0.6-0.7	2400		0.6	3.5D	+4	0.8
	18	0.5-0.6	2400		0.6	4.0D	+4	0.8
	20	0.5-0.55	2400		0.6	4.0D	+4	0.8
	22	0.5	2400		0.6	4.0D	+4	0.8
Stainless Steel	1	28-35	3000	N2	10	1.5S	0	0.8
	2	18-24			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	7-10			12	2.5S	-0.5	0.5
	4	5-6.5			14	2.5S	-1.5	0.5
	5	3-3.6			14	3.0S	-2.5	0.5
	6	2-2.7			14	3.0S	-3	0.5
	8	1-1.2			16	3.5S	-4.5	0.5
	10	0.5-0.6			16	4.0S	-6	0.5
Aluminum	1	25-30	3000	N2	12	1.5S	0	0.8
	2	15-18			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	7-8			14	2.0S	-1	0.5
	4	5-6			14	2.5S	-2	0.5
	5	2.5-3			16	3.0S	-3	0.5
	6	1.5-2			16	3.0S	-3.5	0.5
	8	0.6-0.7			16	3.5S	-4	0.5
Brass	1	20-28	3000	N2	12	1.5S	0	0.8
	2	10-15			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	5-6			14	2.5S	-1	0.5
	4	2.5-3			14	3.0S	-2	0.5
	5	1.8-2.2			14	3.0S	-2.5	0.5
	6	0.8-1			16	3.0S	-3	0.5

Raycus 3300W Laser Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness [mm]	Speed [m/min]	Power [W]	Gas	Pressure [bar]	Nozzle [mm]	Focus [mm]	Cutting Height [mm]
Mild Steel	1	25-30	3300	N2/Air	10	1.5S	0	1
Mild Steel	2	10-12	3300	N2/Air	10	2.0S	-1	0.5
Mild Steel	2	4.5-5	1800	O2	1.6	1.2D	+3	0.8
	3	4-4.5	1800		0.6	1.2D	+3	0.8
	4	3.2-3.6	2400		0.6	1.2D	+3	0.8
	5	3-3.2	2400		0.6	1.2D	+3	0.8
	6	2.2-2.5	3300		0.6	1.2D	+3	0.8
	8	1.8-2.2	3300		0.6	1.2D	+3	0.8
	10	1.1-1.3	1800-2200		0.5	3.0D	+2.5	0.8
	12	0.9-1.1	1800-2200		0.5	3.5D	+2.5	0.8
	14	0.8-0.9	2200-3300		0.5	3.5D	+2.5	0.8
	16	0.7-0.8	2200-3300		0.5	4.0D	+2.5	0.8
	18	0.65-0.7	2200-3300		0.5	4.0D	+2.5	0.8
	20	0.55-0.65	2200-3300		0.6	4.0D	+3	0.8
	22	0.5-0.55	2200-3300		0.6	4.0D	+3	0.8
Stainless Steel	1	25-30	3300	N2	10	1.5S	0	0.8
	2	10-13			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	5-7			12	2.5S	-1.5	0.5
	4	4-5			14	2.5S	-2	0.5
	5	3-4			14	2.5S	-2.5	0.5
	6	2-3			14	3.0S	-3	0.5
	8	0.8-1.2			16	3.5S	-4	0.5
	10	0.6-0.8			16	4.0S	-5	0.5
Alumimum	1	20-25	3300	N2	12	1.5S	0	0.8
	2	10-15			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	6-8			14	2.0S	-1.5	0.5
	4	4-5			14	2.0S	-2	0.5
	5	2-3			16	3.0S	-2.5	0.5
	6	1.5-2			16	3.0S	-3	0.5
	8	0.6-0.8			16	3.5S	-4	0.5
Brass	1	18-22	3300	N2	12	1.5S	0	0.5
	2	10-12			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	4-5			14	2.5S	-1.5	0.5
	4	2-3			14	3.0S	-2	0.5
	5	1.5-2			14	3.0S	-2.5	0.5
	6	1-1.3			16	3.0S	-3	0.5

Raycus 4000W Laser Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness [mm]	Speed [m/min]	Power [W]	Gas	Pressure [bar]	Nozzle [mm]	Focus [mm]	Cutting Height [mm]
Mild Steel	1	28-35	4000	N2/Air	10	1.5S	0	1
	2	12-15	4000		10	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	8-12	4000		10	2.0S	-1.5	0.5
Mild Steel	3	4-4.5	1800	O2	0.6	1.2D	+3	0.8
	4	3-3.5	2400		0.6	1.2D	+3	0.8
	5	2.5-3	2400		0.6	1.2D	+3	0.8
	6	2.5-2.8	3000		0.6	1.2D	+3	0.8
	8	2-2.3	3600		0.6	1.2D	+3	0.8
	10	1.8-2	4000		0.6	1.2D	+3	0.8
	12	1-1.2	1800-2200		0.5	3.0D	+2.5	0.8
	14	0.9-1	1800-2200		0.5	3.5D	+2.5	0.8
	16	0.7-0.9	2200-2600		0.5	3.5D	+2.5	0.8
	18	0.6-0.7	2200-2600		0.5	4.0D	+2.5	0.8
	20	0.55-0.65	2200-2600		0.5	4.0D	+3	0.8
	22	0.5-0.6	2200-2800		0.5	4.5D	+3	0.8
	25	0.5	2400-3000		0.5	5.0D	+3	0.8
Stainless Steel	1	30-40	4000	N2	10	1.5S	0	0.8
	2	15-20			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	10-12			12	2.0S	-1.5	0.5
	4	6-7			12	2.5S	-2	0.5
	5	4-4.5			14	2.5S	-2.5	0.5
	6	3-3.5			14	3.0S	-3	0.5
	8	1.5-1.8			14	3.0S	-4	0.5
	10	1-1.2			16	4.0S	-5	0.5
	12	0.8			16	4.0S	-6	0.5
Aluminum	1	25-30	4000	N2	12	1.5S	0	0.6
	2	16-20			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	10-13			14	2.0S	-1.5	0.5
	4	6-7			14	2.5S	-2	0.5
	5	4-5			14	2.5S	-2.5	0.5
	6	2.5-3			16	3.0S	-3	0.5
	8	1-1.3			16	3.0S	-4	0.5
	10	0.8			16	3.5S	-5	0.5
Brass	1	25-28	4000	N2	12	1.5S	0	0.6
	2	12-15			12	1.5S	-1	0.6
	3	7-8			14	2.0S	-1	0.6
	4	4-5			14	2.5S	-2	0.5
	5	2.5-3			14	3.0S	-2	0.5
	6	2-2.5			16	3.0S	-2.5	0.5
	8	0.8-1			16	3.0S	-4	0.5

Raycus 6000W Laser Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness [mm]	Speed [m/min]	Power [W]	Gas	Pressure [bar]	Nozzle [mm]	Focus [mm]	Cutting Height [mm]
Mild Steel	1	30-45	6000	N2/Air	12	1.5S	0	1
	2	20-25			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	12-14			14	2.0S	-1.5	0.5
	4	7-8			14	2.0S	-2	0.5
	5	5-6			16	3.0S	-2.5	0.5
	6	4.5-5			16	3.5S	-3	0.5
Mild Steel	3	3.5-4.2	2400	O2	0.6	1.2E	+3	0.8
	4	3.3-3.8	2400		0.6	1.2E	+3	0.8
	5	3-3.6	3000		0.6	1.2E	+3	0.8
	6	2.7-3.2	3300		0.6	1.2E	+3	0.8
	8	2.2-2.5	4200		0.6	1.2E	+3	0.8
	10	2.0-2.3	5500		0.6	1.2E	+4	0.8
	12	0.9-1	2200		0.6	3.0D	+2.5	0.8
	12	1.9-2.1	6000		0.6	1.2E	+5	0.8
	14	0.8-0.9	2200		0.6	3.5D	+2.5	0.8
	14	1.4-1.7	6000		0.6	1.4E	+5	1
	16	0.8-0.9	2200		0.6	4.0D	+2.5	0.8
	16	1.2-1.4	6000		0.6	1.4E	+6	1
	18	0.65-0.75	2200		0.6	4.0D	+2.5	0.8
	18	0.8	6000		0.6	1.6S	+12	0.3
	20	0.5-0.6	2400		0.6	4.0D	+3	0.8
	20	0.6-0.7	6000		0.6	1.6S	+13	0.3
	22	0.45-0.5	2400		0.6	4.0D	+3	0.8
	22	0.5-0.6	6000		0.6	1.6S	+13	0.3
	25	0.5	2400		0.5	5.0D	+3	1
	25	0.4-0.5	6000		0.6	1.8S	+14	0.3
Stainless Steel	1	30-45	6000	N2	10	1.5S	0	0.8
	2	25-30			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	15-18			12	2.5S	-1.5	0.5
	4	10-12			14	2.5S	-2	0.5
	5	7-8			14	3.0S	-2.5	0.5
	6	4.5-5			15	3.0S	-3	0.5
	8	3.5-3.8			15	3.0S	-4	0.5
	10	1.5-2			15	3.5S	-6	0.5
	12	1-1.2			16	3.5S	-7.5	0.5
	14	0.8-1			16	4.0S	-9	0.5
	16	0.5-0.6			18	4.0S	-10.5	0.5
	18	0.4-0.5			20	5.0S	-11	0.3
	20	0.2-0.35			20	5.0S	-12	0.3
Aluminum Alloy	1	35-45	6000	N2	12	1.5S	0	1
	2	20-25			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	14-16			14	2.5S	-1.5	0.5
	4	8-10			14	2.5S	-2	0.5
	5	5-6			14	3.0S	-3	0.5
	6	3.5-4			16	3.0S	-3	0.5
	8	1.5-2			16	3.0S	-4	0.5
	10	1-1.2			18	3.5S	-4.5	0.5
	12	0.6-0.7			18	4.0S	-5	0.5
	14	0.4-0.6			18	4.0S	-5	0.3
	16	0.3-0.4			20	5.0S	-8	0.3
Brass	1	30-40	6000	N2	12	1.5S	0	1
	2	18-20			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	12-14			14	2.5S	-1	0.5
	4	8-9			14	3.0S	-1.5	0.5
	5	5-5.5			14	3.0S	-2	0.5
	6	3.2-3.8			16	3.0S	-2.5	0.5
	8	1.5-1.8			16	3.5S	-3	0.5
	10	0.8-1			16	3.5S	-3	0.5
	12	0.6-0.7			18	4.0S	-4	0.3
Copper	1	25-30	6000	O2	14	2.0S	-0.5	1
	2	15-18			14	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	8-10			12	2.0S	-2	0.5
	4	5-6			12	2.0S	-2	0.5
	5	3-4			10	2.5S	-3	0.5
	6	1.5-2			10	2.5S	-3	0.5

Raycus 8000W Laser Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness [mm]	Speed [m/min]	Power [W]	Gas	Pressure [bar]	Nozzle [mm]	Focus [mm]	Cutting Height [mm]
Mild Steel	1	35-45	8000	N2 / Air	12	1.5S	0	1
	2	30-35			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	20-25			13	2.0S	-1	0.5
	4	15-18			13	2.5S	-1.5	0.5
	5	10-12			13	2.5S	-2	0.5
	6	8-9			13	2.5S	-2	0.5
	8	5-5.5			13	3.0S	-3	0.5
Mild Steel	8	2.3-2.5	4000	O2	0.6	1.2E	+4	0.8
	10	2.3	6000		0.6	1.2E	+6	0.8
	12	1.8-2	7500		0.6	1.2E	+7	0.8
	14	1.6-1.8	8000		0.6	1.4E	+8	0.8
	16	1.4-1.6			0.6	1.4E	+9	0.8
	20	1-1.2			0.6	1.6E	+9	0.8
	22	0.6-0.65			0.7	1.8E	+9	0.8
	25	0.3-0.45			0.7	1.8E	+10	0.8
	30	0.2-0.25			1.3	1.8E	+11	1.2
	40	0.1-0.15			1.5	1.8E	+11.5	1.2
Stainless Steel	1	40-50	8000	N2	10	2.0S	0	1
	2	30-35			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	20-24			13	2.0S	0	0.5
	4	12-15			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	5	9-10			15	2.5S	-1	0.5
	6	7-8			8	3.5B	-2	0.5
	8	4-5			7	5.0B	-2	0.5
	10	3-3.5			5	5.0B	-3	0.5
	12	2-2.5			6	6.0B	-4	0.5
	14	1.5-2			6	7.0B	-6	0.3
	16	1-1.5			6	7.0B	-8	0.3
	18	0.8-1			14	5.0B	-9	0.5
	20	0.6-0.8			6	7.0B	-11	0.3
	25	0.3-0.4			6	7.0B	-13	0.3
	30	0.15-0.2			10	7.0B	+8	0.3
Stainless Steel	1	35-50	8000	Air	10	2.0S	0	1
	2	30-35			10	2.5S	0	0.5
	3	22-25			10	2.5S	0	0.5
	4	14-16			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	5	9-10			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	6	7-8			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	8	5-5.5			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	10	3-3.5			10	3.5B	-1	0.5
	12	2-2.5			10	5.0B	-4	0.5
	14	1.5-2			10	5.0B	-6	0.5
	16	0.8-1			10	5.0B	-8	0.5
	18	0.7-0.8			10	5.0B	-9	0.5
	20	0.6-0.7			10	5.0B	-11	0.3
	25	0.4-0.5			10	5.0B	-13	0.3
	30	0.2-0.25			10	5.0B	-15	0.3
Aluminum Alloy	1	40-45	8000	N2	12	2.0S	0	0.8
	2	25-30			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	22-25			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	4	12-15			12	2.0S	-2	0.5
	5	8-10			14	2.5S	-3	0.5
	6	6-7			14	2.5S	-3	0.5
	8	3.5-4			14	2.5S	-4	0.5
	10	2-2.5			14	5.0B	-5	0.5
	12	1.6-2			16	5.0B	-5	0.5
	14	1-1.2			16	5.0B	-6	0.5
	16	0.8-1			16	5.0B	-7	0.5
	18	0.7-0.8			16	5.0B	-8	0.5
	20	0.5-0.6			16	7.0B	-9	0.3
	25	0.4-0.5			16	7.0B	-10	0.3
	30	0.2			18	7.0B	+7	0.3
Brass	1	30-40	8000	N2	12	2.0S	0	1
	2	25-27			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	15-18			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	4	10-11			12	2.0S	-2	0.5
	5	7-8			14	2.5S	-3	0.5
	6	6-6.5			14	2.5S	-3	0.5
	8	2.5-3			14	2.5S	-4	0.5
	10	1-1.5			14	5.0B	-5	0.5
	12	0.8-1			14	5.0B	-5	0.5
	14	0.7-0.8			16	5.0B	-8	0.5
	16	0.6			16	5.0B	-11	0.3
Copper	1	25-30	8000	O2	14	2.0S	-0.5	1
	2	16-20			14	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	12-14			14	2.0S	-2	0.5
	4	7-8			12	2.0S	-2	0.5
	5	4-5			12	2.5S	-3	0.5
	6	2.5-3			12	2.5S	-3	0.5
	8	1-1.5			12	3.0S	-4	0.5
	10	0.5-0.7			12	4.0S	-5	0.5

Raycus 10000W Laser Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness [mm]	Speed [m/min]	Power [W]	Gas	Pressure [bar]	Nozzle [mm]	Focus [mm]	Cutting Height [mm]
Mild Steel	1	40-45	10000	N2/Air	12	1.5S	0	1
	2	35-40			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	25-30			13	2.0S	0	0.5
	4	18-20			13	2.5S	0	0.5
	5	13-15			13	2.5S	0	0.5
	6	10-12			13	2.5S	0	0.5
	8	7-8			13	3.0S	-1	0.5
	10	3.5-4.5			13	4.0S	-3	0.5
Mild Steel	10	2-2.3	6000	O2	0.6	1.2E	+6	0.8
	12	1.8-2	7500		0.6	1.2E	+7	0.8
	14	1.6-1.8	8500		0.6	1.4E	+7	0.8
	16	1.4-1.6	9500		0.6	1.4E	+8	0.8
	20	1.2-1.4	10000		0.6	1.6E	+8	0.8
	22	1.0-1.2			0.7	1.8E	+9	0.8
	25	0.5-0.65			0.7	1.8E	+10	0.8
	30	0.3-0.35			1.3	1.8E	+11	1.2
	40	0.2			1.5	1.8E	+11.5	1.2
Stainless Steel	1	45-50	10000	N2	10	2.0S	0	1
	2	35-40			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	25-30			13	2.0S	0	0.5
	4	18-20			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	5	12-15			15	2.5S	0	0.5
	6	8-9			8	3.5B	0	0.5
	8	5-6			7	5.0B	0	0.5
	10	3.5-4			5	5.0B	-1	0.5
	12	2.5-3			6	6.0B	-4	0.5
	14	2-2.5			6	7.0B	-6	0.3
	16	1.6-2			6	7.0B	-8	0.3
	18	1.2-1.5			14	5.0B	-9	0.5
	20	1-1.2			6	7.0B	-11	0.3
	25	0.5-0.6			6	7.0B	-13	0.3
	30	0.25			10	7.0B	+7	0.3
	40	0.15			15	7.0B	+9	0.3
Stainless Steel	1	45-50	10000	Air	10	2.0S	0	1
	2	30-35			10	2.5S	0	0.5
	3	20-25			10	2.5S	0	0.5
	4	18-20			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	5	15-17			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	6	8-10			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	8	6-7			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	10	5-6			10	3.5B	-1	0.5
	12	4-4.5			10	5.0B	-4	0.5
	14	2.5-3			10	5.0B	-6	0.5
	16	1.8-2			10	5.0B	-8	0.5
	18	1.2-1.5			10	5.0B	-9	0.5
	20	1-1.2			10	5.0B	-11	0.3
	25	0.5-0.6			10	5.0B	-13	0.3
	30	0.25-0.4			10	5.0B	-14	0.3
Aluminum Alloy	1	45-50	10000	N2	12	2.0S	0	0.8
	2	25-30			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	20-25			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	4	18-20			12	2.0S	-2	0.5
	5	14-16			14	2.5S	-3	0.5
	6	8-9			14	2.5S	-3	0.5
	8	5-6			14	2.5S	-4	0.5
	10	4-4.5			14	5.0B	-5	0.5
	12	1.6-2			16	5.0B	-5	0.5
	14	1.2-1.5			16	5.0B	-5	0.5
	16	1-1.2			16	5.0B	-5	0.5
	18	0.8-1			16	5.0B	-5	0.5
	20	0.6-0.8			16	7.0B	-5	0.3
	25	0.5-0.6			16	7.0B	-5	0.3
	30	0.25-0.45			18	7.0B	+7	0.3
	40	0.15-0.2			18	7.0B	+8	0.3
Brass	1	35-40	10000	N2	12	2.0S	0	1
	2	22-27			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	15-20			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	4	12-15			12	2.0S	-2	0.5
	5	10-11			14	2.5S	-3	0.5
	6	6-7			14	2.5S	-3	0.5
	8	4-5			14	2.5S	-4	0.5
	10	3.5-4			14	5.0B	-5	0.5
	12	1.6-2			14	5.0B	-5	0.5
	14	0.8-1			16	5.0B	-8	0.5
	16	0.5-0.7			16	5.0B	-11	0.3
Copper	1	25-30	10000	O2	14	2.0S	-0.5	1
	2	16-20			14	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	12-15			14	2.0S	-2	0.5
	4	8-10			12	2.0S	-3	0.5
	5	5-6			12	2.5S	-4.5	0.5
	6	3.5-4			12	2.5S	-5	0.5
	8	1.5-2			12	3.0S	-6	0.5
	10	0.5-0.7			12	4.0S	-8	0.5

Raycus 12000W Laser Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness [mm]	Speed [m/min]	Power [W]	Gas	Pressure [bar]	Nozzle [mm]	Focus [mm]	Cutting Height [mm]
Mild Steel	1	50-60	12000	N2/Air	12	1.5S	0	1
	2	40-45			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	30-35			13	2.0S	0	0.5
	4	20-26			13	2.5S	0	0.5
	5	15-18			13	2.5S	0	0.5
	6	10-13			13	2.5S	0	0.5
	8	7-10			13	3.0S	-1.5	0.5
	10	5-6.5			13	4.0S	-3	0.5
Mild Steel	10	2-2.3	6000	O2 Positive focus	0.6	1.2E	+6	0.8
	12	1.8-2	7500		0.6	1.2E	+7	0.8
	14	1.6-1.8	8500		0.6	1.4E	+7	0.8
	16	1.5-1.6	9500		0.6	1.4E	+8	0.8
	20	1.3-1.4	12000		0.6	1.6E	+8	0.8
	22	0.9-1			0.7	1.8E	+9	0.8
	22	1-1.2			0.7	1.4SP	+11	0.5
	25	0.7-0.9			0.7	1.8E	+11	0.8
	25	0.8-1			0.7	1.5SP	+12	0.5
	30	0.4-0.5			1.3	1.8E	+11	1.2
	30	0.7-0.8			0.8	1.5SP	+12	0.5
	40	0.25-0.3			1.5	1.8E	+11.5	1.2
Mild Steel	12	3-3.5	12000	O2 Negative focus	1	1.6SP	-10	1.5
	14	3-3.2			1	1.6SP	-10	1.5
	16	2.8-3			1	1.6SP	-12	1.5
	20	2-2.3			1.2	1.6SP	-12	1.5
	25	1.1-1.3			1.3	1.8SP	-14	1.5
	30	0.9-1			1.4	1.8SP	-14	1.5
Stainless Steel	1	50-60	12000	N2	10	2.0S	0	1
	2	40-45			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	30-35			13	2.0S	0	0.5
	4	23-27			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	5	15-18			15	2.5S	0	0.5
	6	13-15			8	3.5B	0	0.5
	8	8-10			7	5.0B	0	0.5
	10	6.5-7.5			5	5.0B	-1	0.5
	12	5-5.5			6	6.0B	-4	0.5
	14	3-3.5			6	7.0B	-6	0.3
	16	2-2.3			6	7.0B	-8	0.3
	18	1.3-1.5			6	7.0B	-9	0.5
	20	1.2-1.4			6	7.0B	-11	0.3
	25	0.7-0.9			6	7.0B	-13	0.3
	30	0.25-0.3			10	7.0B	+7	0.3
	40	0.15-0.2			15	7.0B	+8	0.3
Stainless Steel	1	50-60	12000	Air	10	2.0S	0	1
	2	40-45			10	2.5S	0	0.5
	3	30-35			10	2.5S	0	0.5
	4	25-30			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	5	16-19			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	6	14-17			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	8	9-11			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	10	7-8			10	3.5B	-1	0.5
	12	5.5-6			10	5.0B	-4	0.5
	14	3.5-4			10	5.0B	-6	0.5
	16	2.2-2.4			10	5.0B	-8	0.5
	18	1.3-1.6			10	5.0B	-9	0.5
	20	1.2-1.5			10	5.0B	-11	0.3
	25	0.7-1			10	5.0B	-13	0.3
	30	0.3-0.4			10	5.0B	-14	0.3
Aluminum Alloy	1	45-50	12000	N2	12	2.0S	0	0.8
	2	30-35			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	20-25			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	4	18-20			12	2.0S	-2	0.5
	5	14-16			14	2.5S	-3	0.5
	6	10-12			14	2.5S	-3	0.5
	8	6-8			14	2.5S	-4	0.5
	10	4-6			14	5.0B	-5	0.5
	12	2-3			16	5.0B	-5	0.5
	14	1.5-2.5			16	5.0B	-5	0.5
	16	1.3-2			16	5.0B	-5	0.5
	18	1-1.6			16	5.0B	-5	0.5
	20	0.8-1.2			16	7.0B	-5	0.3
	25	0.5-0.7			16	7.0B	-5	0.3
	30	0.4-0.5			18	7.0B	+7	0.3
	40	0.25-0.3			18	7.0B	+8	0.3
Brass	1	35-45	12000	N2	12	2.0S	0	1
	2	30-35			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	18-22			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	4	15-18			12	2.0S	-2	0.5
	5	12-15			14	2.5S	-3	0.5
	6	8-10			14	2.5S	-3	0.5
	8	5-7			14	2.5S	-4	0.5
	10	4-5			14	5.0B	-5	0.5
	12	1.8-2			14	5.0B	-5	0.5
	14	1.2-1.4			16	5.0B	-8	0.5
	16	0.8-1			16	5.0B	-11	0.3
Copper	1	25-30	12000	O2	5	2.0S	-0.5	1
	2	20-25			5	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	16-18			6	2.0S	-2	0.5
	4	10-12			8	2.0S	-3	0.5
	5	6-8			8	2.5S	-4.5	0.5
	6	4-5			8	2.5S	-5	0.5
	8	2-2.5			10	3.0S	-6	0.5
	10	1-1.2			12	4.0S	-8	0.5

Raycus 15000W Laser Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness [mm]	Speed [m/min]	Power [W]	Gas	Pressure [bar]	Nozzle [mm]	Focus [mm]	Cutting Height [mm]
Mild Steel	1	50-60	15000	N2/Air	10	1.5S	0	1
	2	45-48			10	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	30-38			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	4	26-29			12	2.5S	0	0.5
	5	20-23			12	2.5S	0	0.5
	6	17-19			12	2.5S	0	0.5
	8	10-12			12	3.0S	-1	0.5
	10	7-8			13	4.0S	-1	0.5
	12	5-6			13	4.0S	-2	0.5
	14	4.5-5.5			13	4.0S	-6	0.5
	16	3-3.5			13	5.0B	-8	0.5
Mild Steel	10	2-2.3	6000	O2 Positive focus	0.6	1.2E	+6	0.8
	12	1.8-2	7500		0.6	1.2E	+7	0.8
	14	1.6-1.8	8500		0.6	1.4E	+7	0.8
	16	1.5-1.6	9500		0.6	1.4E	+8	0.8
	20	1.3-1.4	12000		0.6	1.6E	+8	0.8
	22	1-1.2	15000		0.7	1.8E	+9	0.8
	22	1.2-1.3			0.7	1.4SP	+11	0.5
	25	0.8-1			0.7	1.8E	+10	0.8
	25	1.2-1.3			0.7	1.5SP	+12	0.5
	30	0.6-0.7			0.8	1.8E	+11	1.2
	30	0.75-0.85			0.8	1.5SP	+12	0.5
	40	0.3-0.35			1.5	1.8E	+11.5	1.2
	50	0.2-0.25			1.6	1.8E	+11.5	1.8
	60	0.18-0.2			1.8	1.8E	+12	2
Mild Steel	12	3.2-3.5	15000	O2 Negative focus	1	1.6SP	-10	1.5
	14	3-3.2			1	1.6SP	-10	1.5
	16	3-3.1			1	1.6SP	-12	1.5
	20	2.5-2.8			1.2	1.6SP	-12	1.5
	25	1.6-1.9			1.3	1.8SP	-14	1.5
	30	1.2-1.3			1.4	1.8SP	-14	1.5
	35	1-1.2			1.4	2.0SP	-15	1.5
Stainless Steel	1	50-60	15000	N2	10	2.0S	0	1
	2	45-50			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	35-38			13	2.5S	0	0.5
	4	25-29			12	2.5S	0	0.5
	5	18-22			15	2.5S	0	0.5
	6	15-18			8	3.5B	0	0.5
	8	10-12			7	5.0B	0	0.5
	10	8-9			5	5.0B	-1	0.5
	12	6-7			6	6.0B	-4	0.5
	14	4-4.2			6	7.0B	-6	0.3
	16	2.6-2.8			6	7.0B	-8	0.3
	18	2-2.3			6	7.0B	-9	0.5
	20	1.8-2			6	7.0B	-11	0.3
	25	1-1.2			6	7.0B	-13	0.3
	30	0.6-0.7			10	5.0B	-15	0.3
	40	0.3-0.4			15	7.0B	+8	0.3
	50	0.2-0.25			15	8.0B	+9	0.3
Stainless Steel	1	50-60	15000	Air	10	2.0S	0	1
	2	45-50			10	2.5S	0	0.5
	3	35-38			10	2.5S	0	0.5
	4	25-29			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	5	18-22			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	6	15-18			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	8	10-12			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	10	8-9			10	3.5B	-1	0.5
	12	6-7			10	5.0B	-4	0.5
	14	4-4.5			10	5.0B	-6	0.5
	16	2.9-3.1			10	5.0B	-8	0.5
	18	2.2-2.4			10	5.0B	-9	0.5
	20	1.9-2.1			10	5.0B	-11	0.3
	25	1.2-1.4			10	5.0B	-13	0.3
	30	0.8-1			10	5.0B	-15	0.3
	40	0.4-0.5			12	6.0B	-15	0.3
	50	0.2-0.4			12	8.0B	-16	0.3
Aluminum Alloy	1	48-52	15000	N2	12	2.0S	0	0.8
	2	35-38			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	25-27			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	4	20-22			12	2.0S	-2	0.5
	5	15-17			14	2.5S	-3	0.5
	6	12-14			14	2.5S	-3	0.5
	8	8-9			14	2.5S	-4	0.5
	10	5-7			14	5.0B	-5	0.5
	12	2.5-3.5			16	5.0B	-5	0.5
	14	2-3			16	5.0B	-5	0.5
	16	1.5-2.5			16	5.0B	-5	0.5
	18	1.3-1.8			16	5.0B	-5	0.5
	20	0.8-1.2			18	7.0B	-5	0.3
	25	0.5-0.7			18	7.0B	-5	0.3
	30	0.4-0.5			20	7.0B	-7	0.3
	40	0.25-0.3			20	7.0B	+8	0.3
	50	0.2-0.25			20	8.0B	+9	0.3
Brass	1	38-40	15000	N2	12	2.0S	0	1
	2	32-37			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	20-24			12	2.0S	-1	0.5
	4	16-19			12	2.0S	-2	0.5
	5	13-16			14	2.5S	-3	0.5
	6	9-11			14	2.5S	-3	0.5
	8	6-8			14	2.5S	-4	0.5
	10	5-6			14	5.0B	-5	0.5
	12	2-2.2			14	5.0B	-5	0.5
	14	1.4-1.6			16	5.0B	-8	0.5
	16	1.2-1.3			18	5.0B	-11	0.5
	18	1-1.2			18	5.0B	-11	0.5
	20	0.6-0.7			18	6.0B	-12	0.3
Copper	1	25-30	15000	O2	5	2.0S	-0.5	1
	2	20-25			5	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	18-20			6	2.0S	-2	0.5
	4	12-14			8	2.0S	-3	0.5
	5	8-9			8	2.5S	-4.5	0.5
	6	6-7			8	2.5S	-5	0.5
	8	2.5-3.5			10	3.0S	-6	0.5
	10	1.5-2			12	4.0S	-8	0.5

Raycus 20000W Laser Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness [mm]	Speed [m/min]	Power [W]	Gas	Pressure [bar]	Nozzle [mm]	Focus [mm]	Cutting Height [mm]
Mild Steel	5	23-28	20000	N2/Air	8	3.0S	0	0.5
	6	18-20			8	3.0S	-0.5	0.5
	8	14-16			8	3.0S	-1	0.5
	10	9-12			8	3.5S	-1.5	0.5
	12	8-10			8	3.5S	-2	0.5
	14	6-8			8	4.0S	-3	0.5
	16	5-6			8	5.0S	-4	0.5
	18	3.2-4			10	6.0S	-6	0.5
	20	2.7-3.2			10	6.0S	-8	0.5
Mild Steel	10	2-2.3	6000	O2 Positive focus	0.6	1.2E	+8	0.8
	12	1.8-2	7500		0.6	1.2E	+9	0.8
	14	1.6-1.8	8500		0.6	1.4E	+10	0.8
	16	1.5-1.6	9500		0.6	1.4E	+11	0.8
	20	1.3-1.4	12000		0.6	1.6E	+12	0.8
	22	1.2-1.3	20000		0.7	1.8E	+12.5	0.8
	22	1.4-1.5			0.7	1.4SP	+13	0.5
	25	1.2-1.4			1.0	1.5SP	+13	0.4
	30	1.2-1.3			1.2	1.5SP	+13.5	0.4
	40	0.8-0.9			1.4	1.5SP	+14	0.4
	50	0.3-0.5			1.6	1.8E	+13	2
	60	0.2-0.25			1.6	1.8E	+13.5	2
	70	0.18-0.2			1.7	1.8E	+13.5	2
	80	0.12-0.15			1.8	1.8E	+14	2
Mild Steel	12	3.2-3.5	20000	O2 Negative focus	1	1.6SP	-10	1.5
	14	3-3.2			1	1.6SP	-10	1.5
	16	3-3.1			1	1.6SP	-12	1.5
	20	2.8-3			1.2	1.6SP	-12	1.5
	25	2.4-2.6			1.3	1.8SP	-14	1.5
	30	1.7-1.9			1.4	1.8SP	-14	1.5
	35	1.4-1.6			1.4	2.0SP	-15	1.5
	40	1-1.2			1.5	2.5S	-15	1.5
	45	0.8-0.9			1.6	2.5S	-17	1.5
Stainless Steel	1	50-60	20000	N2	8	2.0S	0	1
	2	50-60			8	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	40-45			8	2.5S	0	0.5
	4	30-35			8	2.5S	0	0.5
	5	22-24			8	3.0S	0	0.5
	6	18-22			8	3.5B	0	0.5
	8	13-16			8	5.0B	-1	0.5
	10	10-12			8	5.0B	-1.5	0.3
	12	8-10			8	6.0B	-2	0.5
	14	6-8			8	6.0B	-4	0.3
	16	5-6			8	6.0B	-5	0.3
	18	3.2-4			8	6.0B	-6	0.3
	20	3-3.2			12	6.0B	-7.5	0.3
	25	1.5-2			12	7.0B	-12	0.3
	30	1-1.2			12	7.0B	-16	0.3
	40	0.5-0.8			16	7.0B	-16	0.3
	50	0.2-0.3			16	8.0B	+11	0.3
	60	0.15-0.2			20	8.0B	+11	0.3
	70	0.1-0.13			20	8.0B	+11	0.3
	80	0.08-0.1			20	8.0B	+11	0.3
	90	0.05-0.06			20	8.0B	+11	0.3
	100	0.04-0.05			20	8.0B	+11	0.3
Stainless Steel	1	50-60	20000	Air	8	2.0S	0	1
	2	50-60			8	2.5S	0	0.5
	3	40-45			8	2.5S	0	0.5
	4	30-35			8	3.5B	0	0.5
	5	22-24			8	3.5B	0	0.5
	6	18-22			8	3.5B	0	0.5
	8	13-16			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	10	11-13			10	3.5B	-1.5	0.3
	12	9-11			10	5.0B	-4	0.3
	14	7-9			10	5.0B	-6	0.3
	16	6-7			10	5.0B	-7	0.3
	18	3.5-4.5			10	5.0B	-8	0.3
	20	3.5-4.5			10	5.0B	-9	0.3
	25	1.8-2.5			10	5.0B	-13	0.3
	30	1.4-1.6			10	5.0B	-17	0.3
	40	0.5-0.8			16	7.0B	-16	0.3
	50	0.2-0.3			16	8.0B	-18	0.3
	60	0.15-0.2			20	8.0B	-20	0.3
	70	0.1-0.13			20	8.0B	-25	0.3
Aluminum Alloy	1	55-60	20000	N2	8	2.0S	0	0.8
	2	40-45			8	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	30-35			10	2.5S	-1	0.5
	4	25-30			12	2.5S	-2	0.5
	5	18-20			14	3.0S	-3	0.5
	6	16-18			14	3.0S	-3	0.5
	8	10-12			14	3.5S	-4	0.5
	10	9-10			14	3.5S	-5	0.5
	12	5-6			16	5.0B	-6	0.3
	14	4-5			16	5.0B	-7	0.3
	16	3-4			16	5.0B	-7	0.3
	18	2-3			16	5.0B	-7	0.3
	20	1.5-2			18	6.0B	-7	0.3
	25	1-1.2			18	6.0B	-7.5	0.3
	30	0.8-1			20	7.0B	-7.5	0.3
	40	0.5-0.8			20	7.0B	-9	0.3
	50	0.4-0.6			20	8.0B	-9	0.3
	60	0.2-0.3			20	8.0B	-9	0.3
Brass	1	40-45	20000	N2	12	2.0S	0	1
	2	35-40			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	28-30			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	4	19-22			12	2.5S	0	0.5
	5	18-19			14	2.5S	0	0.5
	6	12-15			14	3.0S	0	0.5
	8	8-10			14	3.0S	0	0.5
	10	7-8			14	5.0B	-1	0.3
	12	2.5-3.5			14	5.0B	-2	0.3
	14	2-2.5			16	5.0B	-3	0.3
	16	1.5-2			18	5.0B	-3	0.3
	18	1.2-1.5			18	5.0B	-4	0.3
	20	0.8-1			18	6.0B	-5	0.3
Copper	1	25-30	20000	O2	5	2.0S	0	1
	2	25-30			5	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	20-25			6	2.0S	0	0.5
	4	16-18			8	2.5S	-1	0.5
	5	10-12			8	2.5S	-1	0.5
	6	8-10			8	3.0S	-2	0.5
	8	4-6			10	3.0S	-3	0.5
	10	2-3.5			12	3.5S	-4	0.5
	12	2-2.5			12	3.5S	-5	0.5

Raycus 30000W Laser Cutting Parameters

Material	Thickness [mm]	Speed [m/min]	Power [W]	Gas	Pressure [bar]	Nozzle [mm]	Focus [mm]	Cutting Height [mm]
Mild Steel	5	22-30	30000	N2/Air	8	3.0S	0	0.5
	6	18-22			8	3.0S	-0.5	0.5
	8	14-16			8	3.0S	-1	0.5
	10	12-14			8	3.5S	-1.5	0.5
	12	10-12			8	3.5S	-2	0.5
	14	8-10			8	4.0S	-3	0.5
	16	8-8.5			8	5.0S	-4	0.5
	18	5.5-6.5			10	6.0S	-6	0.5
	20	4.5-5.5			10	6.0S	-8	0.5
	25	2.8-3.2			10	6.0S	-12	0.5
Mild Steel	10	2-2.3	6000	O2 Positive focus	0.6	1.2E	+8	0.8
	12	1.8-2	7500		0.6	1.2E	+9	0.8
	14	1.6-1.8	8500		0.6	1.4E	+10	0.8
	16	1.6-1.8	9500		0.6	1.4E	+11	0.8
	20	1.5-1.6	12000		0.6	1.6E	+12	0.8
	22	1.4-1.5	18000		0.7	1.4SP	+13	0.5
	25	1.2-1.4	18000		1.0	1.5SP	+13	0.4
	30	1.2-1.3	19000		1.2	1.5SP	+13.5	0.4
	40	0.9-1.1	20000		1.4	1.5SP	+14	0.4
	50	0.6-0.8	30000		1.6	1.8SP	+14	0.4
	60	0.2-0.25			1.6	1.8E	+13.5	2
	70	0.18-0.2			1.7	1.8E	+13.5	2
	80	0.12-0.15			1.8	1.8E	+14	2
Mild Steel	12	3.2-3.5	30000	O2 Negative focus	1	1.6SP	-10	1.5
	14	3-3.2			1	1.6SP	-10	1.5
	16	3-3.1			1	1.6SP	-12	1.5
	20	2.8-3			1.2	1.6SP	-12	1.5
	25	2.6-2.8			1.3	1.8SP	-14	1.5
	30	2.2-2.6			1.4	1.8SP	-14	1.5
	35	1.4-1.6			1.4	2.0SP	-15	1.5
	40	1-1.4			1.5	2.5S	-15	1.5
	45	0.8-0.9			1.6	2.5S	-17	1.5
Stainless Steel	1	50-60	30000	N2	8	2.0S	0	1
	2	50-60			8	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	40-50			8	2.5S	0	0.5
	4	35-40			8	2.5S	0	0.5
	5	25-30			8	3.0S	0	0.5
	6	22-25			8	3.5B	0	0.5
	8	18-22			8	5.0B	-1	0.5
	10	13-16			8	5.0B	-1.5	0.3
	12	10-12			8	6.0B	-2	0.5
	14	8-10			8	6.0B	-4	0.3
	16	7-8			8	6.0B	-5	0.3
	18	6-7			8	6.0B	-6	0.3
	20	4-5			12	6.0B	-7.5	0.3
	25	2-2.5			12	7.0B	-12	0.3
	30	1.2-2			12	7.0B	-16	0.3
	40	0.6-0.8			16	7.0B	-16	0.3
	50	0.2-0.3			16	8.0B	+11	0.3
	60	0.15-0.2			20	8.0B	+11	0.3
	70	0.1-0.13			20	8.0B	+11	0.3
	80	0.08-0.1			20	8.0B	+11	0.3
	90	0.05-0.06			20	8.0B	+11	0.3
	100	0.04-0.05			20	8.0B	+11	0.3
Stainless Steel	1	50-60	30000	Air	8	2.0S	0	1
	2	50-60			8	2.5S	0	0.5
	3	40-50			8	2.5S	0	0.5
	4	35-40			8	3.5B	0	0.5
	5	25-30			8	3.5B	0	0.5
	6	22-25			8	3.5B	0	0.5
	8	18-22			10	3.5B	0	0.5
	10	14-18			10	3.5B	-1.5	0.3
	12	12-14			10	5.0B	-4	0.3
	14	10-12			10	5.0B	-6	0.3
	16	8-9			10	5.0B	-7	0.3
	18	6-7			10	5.0B	-8	0.3
	20	5-6			10	5.0B	-9	0.3
	25	2.5-3			10	5.0B	-13	0.3
	30	1.5-2			10	5.0B	-17	0.3
	40	0.8-1			16	7.0B	-16	0.3
	50	0.2-0.3			16	8.0B	-18	0.3
	60	0.15-0.2			20	8.0B	-20	0.3
	70	0.1-0.13			20	8.0B	-25	0.3
Aluminum Alloy	1	55-60	30000	N2	8	2.0S	0	0.8
	2	40-45			8	2.0S	-1	0.5
	3	30-35			10	2.5S	-1	0.5
	4	25-30			12	2.5S	-2	0.5
	5	18-25			14	3.0S	-3	0.5
	6	18-20			14	3.0S	-3	0.5
	8	15-18			14	3.5S	-4	0.5
	10	12-15			14	3.5S	-5	0.5
	12	10-12			16	5.0B	-6	0.3
	14	8-10			16	5.0B	-7	0.3
	16	6-8			16	5.0B	-7	0.3
	18	3-4			16	5.0B	-7	0.3
	20	2-3			18	6.0B	-7	0.3
	25	1.5-2			18	6.0B	-7.5	0.3
	30	0.8-1			20	7.0B	-7.5	0.3
	40	0.5-0.8			20	7.0B	-9	0.3
	50	0.4-0.6			20	8.0B	-9	0.3
	60	0.2-0.3			20	8.0B	-9	0.3
Brass	1	40-45	30000	N2	12	2.0S	0	1
	2	35-40			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	28-30			12	2.0S	0	0.5
	4	20-25			12	2.5S	0	0.5
	5	18-20			14	2.5S	0	0.5
	6	15-18			14	3.0S	0	0.5
	8	10-15			14	3.0S	0	0.5
	10	8-10			14	5.0B	-1	0.3
	12	5-8			14	5.0B	-2	0.3
	14	3-5			16	5.0B	-3	0.3
	16	1.5-2			18	5.0B	-3	0.3
	18	1.2-1.5			18	5.0B	-4	0.3
	20	0.8-1			18	6.0B	-5	0.3
Copper	1	25-30	30000	O2	5	2.0S	0	1
	2	25-30			5	2.0S	0	0.5
	3	20-25			6	2.0S	0	0.5
	4	18-20			8	2.5S	-1	0.5
	5	15-18			8	2.5S	-1	0.5
	6	10-15			8	3.0S	-2	0.5
	8	6-10			10	3.0S	-3	0.5
	10	2-3.5			12	3.5S	-4	0.5
	12	2-2.5			12	3.5S	-5	0.5

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are answers to some frequently asked questions:

What are the essential parameters for laser cutting machines?

The essential parameters for laser cutting machines include power output, wavelength, beam quality, cutting speed, pulse frequency, focus position, beam diameter, assist gas and nozzle diameter, drive system, software and material specifications, and cooling method and energy efficiency. These parameters are crucial for ensuring optimal performance, precision, and quality of the cuts across various materials and thicknesses. Adjusting and optimizing these parameters allows users to achieve high precision, quality, and efficiency in laser cutting applications.

How do I optimize laser cutting parameters for different materials?

Optimizing laser cutting parameters for different materials involves several key considerations: laser power, cutting speed, pulse frequency, assist gas, and beam focus.

Firstly, laser power needs to be adjusted based on the material’s type and thickness. Thicker and denser materials like metals require higher laser power (usually 80-100% of the maximum power) to ensure clean cuts, while thinner materials such as wood or plastics need lower power settings to prevent burning or warping. It is advisable to start with a lower power setting and increase it gradually until the desired cut quality is achieved.

Cutting speed also varies with material thickness. Thicker materials generally need slower cutting speeds (1-10 mm/s for metals) to ensure proper penetration and minimize incomplete cuts. Faster speeds can be used for thinner materials but may compromise cut quality. Balancing speed and power is essential to avoid excessive energy loss and to maintain a small heat-affected zone (HAZ).

Pulse frequency impacts the smoothness and precision of the cut. Higher frequencies offer smoother cuts but can increase the risk of thermal damage, while lower frequencies can speed up the process but might degrade edge quality. For metals with high thermal conductivity, higher pulse frequencies (20,000 to 50,000 Hz) are often necessary.

The type and pressure of the assist gas are crucial. Oxygen is typically used for ferrous metals due to its reactivity, whereas nitrogen is preferred for non-ferrous metals to prevent oxidation. Gas pressure should be adjusted to effectively clear molten material from the cut zone, usually ranging from 3 to 6 bar.

Proper beam alignment and focus are critical for optimal cutting. The focal position relative to the material surface must be finely adjusted to ensure maximum energy delivery to the cutting area. Misalignment can lead to inefficient cuts and material waste.

For specific materials, metals require high power and slower speeds, with high frequency settings to maintain cutting temperature. Oxygen is used for ferrous metals, and nitrogen for non-ferrous metals. Wood power settings vary by type and thickness; for instance, 1/4″ plywood may need 50-60% power at 10-15 mm/s speed, while hardwoods like oak may require slightly higher power due to their density. Acrylic usually needs lower power and higher speeds, and the lens type can affect beam quality and cutting precision. Plastics generally use lower power and faster speeds, with high pulse frequency and low power for engraving.

Testing and fine-tuning are essential. Perform preliminary tests on sample materials, document effective settings for future reference, and adjust parameters incrementally, testing one at a time to understand their individual effects.

Modern laser cutting machines often come with pre-set parameters for various materials in their software database, which can serve as a starting point. These settings can be manually adjusted to achieve the desired cutting quality.

By carefully adjusting these parameters, you can optimize the laser cutting process for different materials, ensuring high-quality cuts and efficient operation.

What specific parameters should I use for cutting stainless steel?

When cutting stainless steel, it’s crucial to consider several parameters and techniques to achieve optimal results. Here are the guidelines for different cutting methods:

For milling and turning, use high-quality tools, preferably cemented carbide, as they offer faster cutting speeds and a better finish compared to high-speed steel tools. Ensure the tools are sharp to prevent tool breakage and damage to the workpiece. To mitigate work hardening, particularly in austenitic stainless steels, use coolants and maintain optimal feed rates. Using larger depths of cut and feed rates can help in evacuating heat from the cutting zone, reducing the number of cutting passes and minimizing work hardening. Ensure that the tool connections and machine setup are extremely rigid to avoid tool chatter and vibration, which can result in poor machining.

When laser cutting, adjust the laser power based on the material and thickness of the workpiece, typically ranging from 80-100W for stainless steel. Optimize the pulse frequency within the range of 5000Hz to 200Hz for the best cut section quality, with lower frequencies resulting in smoother cuts. Use nitrogen with a purity of 99.995% to prevent oxidation on the cut edge, or oxygen with a purity of 99.999% for thicker sheets. Select the right nozzle type and size, and ensure it is clean and undamaged. Maintain a distance between the nozzle and workpiece of around 0.5mm to 1.5mm to avoid collisions and maintain cut quality. Ensure the laser beam is properly aligned with the nozzle center, and for manual focus adjustment, measure the actual zero focus as a base to test and analyze the cutting process parameters.

For waterjet cutting, use high-pressure water for material erosion and cutting. This method can cut thick sheets of stainless steel but may have adverse effects on grades with low corrosion resistance.

When grinding, start with a grit of P60 or P80 and progress in steps (e.g., P80-P160-P320) to achieve the desired surface finish. Avoid using very coarse grits like P36 as they can cause deep surface defects. Use quality abrasives and change them before they are completely worn out to avoid smearing the surface. Tools used for carbon steels should not be used for stainless steels to prevent extraneous rust.

For general cutting parameters, maintain a clearance of below 10% for austenitic stainless steel grades during punching and shearing to minimize burr height. Tool wear, cutting forces, and cutting speed also influence burr formation. For high-speed cutting tools, maintain slower speeds (below 70 fpm) to avoid excessive heat generation and tool wear. Using oily tapping compounds can also be beneficial.

By following these specific parameters and techniques, you can optimize the cutting process for stainless steel, ensuring high-quality results while minimizing tool wear and workpiece damage.

How can I troubleshoot common laser cutting issues like dross and burning?

To troubleshoot common laser cutting issues like dross and burning, you need to systematically identify and address the root causes. For dross formation, start by adjusting the laser power and cutting speed to optimize them for the material being cut. Increasing the laser power or decreasing the cutting speed can help prevent dross. Additionally, ensure that the assist gas pressure is sufficient to blow away molten material; increasing the gas pressure can help reduce dross formation. Regularly inspect and replace the nozzle if it shows signs of wear or damage to maintain proper gas flow and focus. Make sure the material is flat and level on the cutting table to avoid inconsistent cuts and dross.

For burning or charring, improve air assist by using a more powerful air compressor and adjusting the air pressure to an optimal level, ensuring the air nozzle is properly aligned and has the right flow pressure/speed. Perform a focus test to ensure the laser is properly focused and regularly check and realign the laser optics following the manufacturer’s guidelines. Optimize the laser power and cutting speed for the specific material; high speeds can lead to overheating, while low speeds can cause inefficient cutting. For materials with high thermal conductivity, adjust the settings to prevent excessive heat buildup. Ensure the material surface is clean and free from oil, grime, or other contaminants that can affect the cutting process and lead to burning.

Regular maintenance is crucial. Clean and inspect the laser-cutting nozzle regularly to prevent debris buildup and damage. Ensure the focus lens is clean, dirt-free, and well-maintained, as any obstruction can affect the laser focus. Regularly check and adjust the alignment of the laser beam and focus lens to maintain optimal cutting performance. Lubricate moving parts as necessary to ensure smooth operation and prevent mechanical issues.

Finally, check the software settings to ensure the machine’s software is up-to-date and free from glitches. Verify that the power supply is stable and providing the correct voltage, and ensure the cooling system is functioning correctly to prevent overheating. By following these steps, you can effectively troubleshoot and resolve common issues such as dross and burning in laser cutting, ensuring higher quality cuts and improved efficiency.

What role does processing gas play in laser cutting quality?

Processing gases, or assist gases, play a vital role in laser cutting by significantly enhancing the quality and efficiency of the process. One of their primary functions is to remove molten material and debris from the cut zone. This action prevents the re-deposition of molten metal, which can lead to rough edges and an uneven finish. Maintaining a clean cutting area is essential, especially when working with intricate designs or delicate materials.

Additionally, assist gases help dissipate the intense heat generated during cutting. By controlling heat buildup, they minimize the risk of material deformation, which is particularly important for heat-sensitive materials. This contributes to more precise and controlled cutting.

Certain gases, like nitrogen and argon, are used specifically to prevent oxidation during the cutting process. Oxidation can create unwanted oxides on cut edges, negatively affecting the quality and appearance of the final product. These inert gases create a protective environment that ensures clean, oxide-free edges.

Assist gases can also enhance cutting speeds. For instance, oxygen reacts exothermically with carbon steel, generating additional heat that facilitates faster cutting. This increased efficiency can lead to higher productivity and shorter production times.

Moreover, assist gases contribute to improved cut quality by ensuring smooth edges and minimal burrs. They help control the melting and vaporization processes of the material, which is critical for achieving precise cuts. The selection of the appropriate assist gas and its specific settings can greatly impact the cutting performance and kerf width.

Certain gases, like nitrogen, also act as cooling agents, reducing the heat-affected zone and ensuring a smoother surface finish, particularly when cutting metals like stainless steel, aluminum, and titanium. This cooling effect is important for minimizing oxidation and distortion.

Furthermore, assist gases protect the laser system itself by preventing combustion products from contaminating the optical lens and other components. This protection helps maintain the integrity and longevity of the laser equipment.

In summary, the selection and use of assist gases are crucial for optimizing the efficiency, quality, and precision of laser cutting processes. The choice of gas depends on the material being cut and the desired characteristics of the final product.

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Author

Shane

Founder of MachineMFG

As the founder of MachineMFG, I have dedicated over a decade of my career to the metalworking industry. My extensive experience has allowed me to become an expert in the fields of sheet metal fabrication, machining, mechanical engineering, and machine tools for metals. I am constantly thinking, reading, and writing about these subjects, constantly striving to stay at the forefront of my field. Let my knowledge and expertise be an asset to your business.