Titanium is used in many areas due to its excellent mechanical, biological and corrosion-resistant properties. Implants often have thin and filigree structures, providing an ideal application for laser fine cutting. In literature, the main focus is primarily on investigating and optimizing the parameters for titanium sheet thicknesses greater than 1 mm. Hence, in this study, the basic manufacturing parameters of laser power, cutting speed and laser pulsing of a 200 W modulated fibre laser are investigated for 0.15 mm thick titanium grade 2 sheets. A reproducible, continuous cut could be achieved using 90 W laser-power and 2 \(\frac{\text{m}\text{m}}{\text{s}}\) cutting-speed. Pulse pause variations between 85–335 µs in 50 µs steps and fixed pulse duration of 50 µs show that a minimum kerf width of 23.4 µm, as well as a minimum cut edge roughness Rz of 3.59 µm, is achieved at the lowest pulse pause. An increase in roughness towards the laser exit side, independent of the laser pulse pause, was found and discussed. The results provide initial process parameters for cutting thin titanium sheets and thus provide the basis for further investigations, such as the influence of cutting gas pressure and composition on the cut edge.

Titanium is used in many areas due to its excellent mechanical, biological and corrosion-resistant properties. Implants often have thin and filigree structures, providing an ideal application for fine cutting with laser. In the literature, the main focus is primarily on investigating and optimizing the parameters for titanium sheets with thicknesses greater than 1 mm. Hence, in this study, the basic manufacturing parameters of laser power, cutting speed and laser pulse of a 200 W modulated fiber laser are investigated for 0.15 mm thick grade 2 titanium sheets. A reproducible, continuous cut could be achieved using 90 W laser-power and 2 mm/s cutting-speed. Pulse pause variations between 85 and 335 μs in 50 μs steps and a fixed pulse width of 50 μs show that a minimum kerf width of 23.4 μm, as well as a minimum cut edge roughness Rz of 3.59 μm, is achieved at the lowest pulse pause duration. An increase in roughness towards the laser exit side, independent of the laser pulse pause duration, was found and discussed. The results provide initial process parameters for cutting thin titanium sheets and thus provide the basis for further investigations, such as the influence of cutting gas pressure and composition on the cut edge.