Optimization of Processing Parameters for Picosecond Laser Cutting of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers

Abstract

With the increasingly widespread use of carbon fiber reinforced polymer in aerospace and automotive fields, the problem of difficult processing of carbon fiber reinforced polymer has become more prominent. Although laser processing can achieve more ideal processing results, the existence of the heataffected zone has a negative impact on the use of the material. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to reduce the width of the heat-affected zone in laser-cut carbon fiber reinforced polymer. The effect of process parameters on the heat-affected zone and the kerf width was first investigated. After that, the heataffected zone width prediction model and the kerf width prediction model were developed based on the response surface method, and the process parameters were optimized. Finally, the excellent cutting results with almost no heat-affected zone were obtained.