Slag formation during laser cutting can seriously affect the quality of your cuts. If you encounter this issue, stop the laser cutting process immediately and follow these steps to inspect and adjust your setup:
Causes of Slag:
A laser cutting machine uses a high-energy laser beam to melt the surface of the workpiece, achieving the desired cut. Ideally, the cut surface should be smooth and free of burrs. Slag often occurs because the molten material isn’t removed quickly enough and solidifies on the edge of the workpiece. This is typically related to the following factors:
Troubleshooting and Solutions:
1.Laser Power Output:
- Problem: Insufficient power to completely cut through the workpiece during laser cutting.
- Solution: Increase the laser’s power output appropriately and test. If adjusting the power doesn’t solve the problem, you might need to consider a laser cutting machine with higher power capabilities.
2.Laser Beam Focal Point:
- Problem: Focal point misalignment affects the laser cutting quality.
- Solution: Check and adjust the laser beam’s focal point to ensure it’s in the optimal position. Based on the location of the slag, determine the direction of the focal point offset and make precise adjustments.
3.Assist Gas Pressure:
- Problem: Insufficient gas pressure to effectively blow away molten material and cool the laser cutting area.
- Solution: Check the assist gas system to ensure the pressure is adequate for your laser cutting needs. Increase the pressure as needed to ensure the molten material is blown away from the cutting area promptly.
Cutting Speed:
- Problem:
Too Slow: Leads to over-melting of the material during laser cutting, resulting in a rough cut surface, a wider kerf (cut width), and slag formation.
Too Fast: The workpiece may not be completely cut through, resulting in angled cut faces and slag, especially on the lower part of the cut. - Solution: Adjust the laser cutting speed to the appropriate level based on the material type and thickness. Experiment to find the optimal speed range.
By systematically checking and adjusting the above parameters, you should be able to effectively solve slag problems during laser cutting and achieve high-quality cuts.