Laser machining with a high-power CW fiber laser

Abstract. We investigate the CW fiber laser - aluminum 1050 alloy interactions. The manufacturing processes of laser marking, engraving, and cutting are studied by experiments and numerical simulations. The laser head Precitec LightCutter 2.0 motorized 3D is mounted on a 3-Axis CNC milling machine, assembled with the Pipa-Q connector and the powerful CW 2kW Trumpf fiber optic laser. The fiber laser beam interacts with the aluminum samples for varying laser flux and laser scanning speeds. The temperature distribution is monitored by a thermal camera, while thermocouples are used to measure the temperature at specific locations on the sample. A white light interferometric technique is applied for measuring the marking and engraving depths of the irradiated samples. A thermostructural finite element method model, accounting for elastoplastic effects and phase changes, is developed to simulate the laser machining processes, providing key insights into the thermomechanical behavior. A satisfactory agreement between experiments and simulations demonstrates the great potential of high-power fiber lasers in manufacturing.