OF LASER CUTTING WITH THE SIMULATION TOOL...1 Simulated cutting fronts for different beam...
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122 Annual Report 2015 Subject to alterations in specifications and other technical information. 06/2016. Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT, www.ilt.fraunhofer.de DQS certified by DIN EN ISO 9001, Reg.-No.: DE-69572-01 1 Simulated cutting fronts for different beam distributions. 122 Task The market for laser cutting systems has seen particularly dynamic development for nearly 10 years. Meanwhile, almost all of the cutting machine manufacturers provide systems with fiber-coupled laser sources. Their market share has already risen to over 50 percent of the total annual sales of flatbed cutting systems. While CO 2 lasers are the second choice for thin sheets, for the cutting of thick stainless steel sheets, they remain unbeatable in terms of the high cut edge quality they achieve. If, however, the development of fiber laser cutting is to advance further, more than just empirical parameter variations are required. To develop new process technologies and beam forming concepts and to successfully implement them with the customer, Fraunhofer ILT has been using the simulation software »CALCut« for a long time. Method Since »CALCut« can factor in a unique scope of physical sub- processes, it can be used to calculate the three-dimensional steady-state cutting front geometry and the resulting kerf geometry while also allowing for the following parameters: material, material thickness, laser wavelength, beam quality, beam power and distribution, polarization, raw beam diameter, focusing optics, focal length, focus position, type and pressure of cutting gas, as well as the cutting speed. »CALCut« identifies the spatial distribution of the absorbed laser power density, the temperature, the expansion and flow velocity of the melt film as well as the evaporation rates and pressures. The maximum cutting speed is determined by automatic iteration. Result The process model underlying the simulation software »CALCut« describes the stationary solution as a function of the selected process parameters. Recent studies now show that even the cut edge quality, for example, its degree of roughness and dross formation, can be predicted from »CALCut« calculations. Applications An issue currently much discussed concerns the influence of different laser beam distributions on the quality of the cut. Simulations with »CALCut« provide sound guidelines for deve- loping optimized, beam distributions adapted to the cutting job and that can be used in future laser cutting systems. Contact Dr. Dirk Petring Telefon +49 241 8906-210 [email protected] 1 PROCESS OPTIMIZATION OF LASER CUTTING WITH THE SIMULATION TOOL »CALCuT«
Transcript of OF LASER CUTTING WITH THE SIMULATION TOOL...1 Simulated cutting fronts for different beam...
122 Annual Report 2015 Annual Report 2015 123
Sub
ject
to
alt
erat
ion
s in
sp
ecifi
cat
ion
s an
d o
ther
tec
hn
ical
info
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2016
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Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT, www.ilt.fraunhofer.de
DQS certifi ed by DIN EN ISO 9001, Reg.-No.: DE-69572-01
Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT, www.ilt.fraunhofer.de
DQS certifi ed by DIN EN ISO 9001, Reg.-No.: DE-69572-01
Sub
ject
to
alt
erat
ion
s in
sp
ecifi
cat
ion
s an
d o
ther
tec
hn
ical
info
rmat
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. 06/
2016
.
1 Simulated cutting fronts
for different beam distributions.
122
Task
The market for laser cutting systems has seen particularly
dynamic development for nearly 10 years. Meanwhile, almost
all of the cutting machine manufacturers provide systems with
fi ber-coupled laser sources. Their market share has already
risen to over 50 percent of the total annual sales of fl atbed
cutting systems. While CO2 lasers are the second choice for
thin sheets, for the cutting of thick stainless steel sheets, they
remain unbeatable in terms of the high cut edge quality they
achieve. If, however, the development of fi ber laser cutting
is to advance further, more than just empirical parameter
variations are required. To develop new process technologies
and beam forming concepts and to successfully implement
them with the customer, Fraunhofer ILT has been using the
simulation software »CALCut« for a long time.
Method
Since »CALCut« can factor in a unique scope of physical sub-
processes, it can be used to calculate the three-dimensional
steady-state cutting front geometry and the resulting kerf
geometry while also allowing for the following parameters:
material, material thickness, laser wavelength, beam quality,
beam power and distribution, polarization, raw beam
diameter, focusing optics, focal length, focus position, type
and pressure of cutting gas, as well as the cutting speed.
»CALCut« identifi es the spatial distribution of the absorbed
laser power density, the temperature, the expansion and
fl ow velocity of the melt fi lm as well as the evaporation rates
and pressures. The maximum cutting speed is determined
by automatic iteration.
Result
The process model underlying the simulation software
»CALCut« describes the stationary solution as a function
of the selected process parameters. Recent studies now
show that even the cut edge quality, for example, its degree
of roughness and dross formation, can be predicted from
»CALCut« calculations.
Applications
An issue currently much discussed concerns the infl uence
of different laser beam distributions on the quality of the cut.
Simulations with »CALCut« provide sound guidelines for deve-
loping optimized, beam distributions adapted to the cutting
job and that can be used in future laser cutting systems.
Contact
Dr. Dirk Petring
Telefon +49 241 8906-210
1
PROCESS OPTIMIZATION OF LASER CUTTING WITH THE SIMULATION TOOL »CALCuT«
