The general characteristics of laser cutting compared with other cutting methods are good quality, high efficiency, and high speed. This is widely used in petrochemical, painting, metallurgy, food, and other industries. In order to let users know more about laser cutting, this article specifically describes the role of different auxiliary gases in laser cutting.
Auxiliary gas refers to the gas emitted from the cutting nozzle of the cutting machine. Commonly used are compressed air, nitrogen, and oxygen. The role of auxiliary gas in laser cutting is very large. It can blow away the parts that the cutting part is melted and vaporized, and can also blow away the smoke produced during the cutting process, thereby reducing the obstacles of workpiece cutting. Different thicknesses and materials of different materials require different pressures and flow rates for auxiliary gas. Cutting carbon steel generally selects oxygen, while cutting stainless steel selects nitrogen.
When cutting carbon steel, the purity of the auxiliary gas oxygen is generally required to be above 99.5%, and the pressure and flow rate are determined according to the type of cutting nozzle and the thickness of the plate. Under normal circumstances, the pressure requirement is 0.3-0.8Mpa. The flow requirements are compared. Complex, for example cutting 22mm thick carbon steel, some manufacturers must require 10M3/h. Oxygen in the carbon steel cutting process is to help and blow off the cutting melt.
When cutting stainless steel, the purity of the auxiliary gas nitrogen is required to be over 99.999%, and the pressure requirement is also relatively large. Above 1 Mpa, if it is a stainless steel plate with a thickness of more than 12 mm, the pressure value is required to be even greater than 2 Mpa. The flow rate requirement depends on the thickness of the plate. When cutting a 3mm stainless steel plate, only a flow rate of 50m3/h or less is required. When cutting a 12mm stainless steel plate, 150m3/h is required. The role of nitrogen in the stainless steel cutting process is to eliminate the oxidation reaction. And blow off the melt.