Investigating the effect of dynamic laser beam oscillations in remote fusion cutting process

The latest research on laser beam fusion cutting has revealed significant improvements in process productivity and cut quality through the use of dynamic beam shaping techniques. While many studies have investigated dynamic beam shaping for proximity cutting, the influence of laser beam oscillations on the remote fusion cutting process remains unexplored. The present work aims to study the effect of dynamic beam shaping on the remote fusion cutting process through analytical modeling, experimental investigations, and in situ high-speed monitoring. Initially, an analytical model based on thermodynamic analysis was developed to assess the influence of circular oscillations on the process zone. This model facilitates the evaluation of process performance from an energetic perspective, providing an estimate of the maximum achievable cutting speed for the remote fusion cutting process across various operating conditions. A significant increment in process productivity could be achieved through beam oscillations. Furthermore, based on theoretical findings, the effect of circular laser beam oscillations superimposed on the processing feed direction was experimentally investigated using a 1 mm thick AISI304 stainless steel material. A 6 kW fiber laser was utilized, alongside a high-speed camera-based system for in situ process monitoring. The experimental results demonstrate a significant increase in the process productivity under dynamic beam shaping conditions, consistent with theoretical findings. Specifically, the maximum achievable cutting speed could be increased from 0.13 to 0.20 m/s. Furthermore, the cut quality of produced samples was evaluated in terms of kerf morphology and profile.