Laser Cutting of Austenitic Corrosion-Resisting Steels

Abstract

Cutting of thick austenitic stainless steel sheets with a disc laser is not fully developed. In this research were investigated the surface of holes made on 3.25 mm thick stainless-steel cut with CO2 laser beam and disk laser beam. Using optical microscope and electron microscope to examine the cutting surfaces, were observed that the cutting with the CO2 laser result high quality surface (cutting 3,25 mm thick plates), but holes made with solid-state laser has microcracks on the inner side. These cracks are not acceptable to the customers.