Product Code: PIC2008_101

Current Challenges to Laser Cutting Application (Invited Paper)
Authors:
Takeji Arai, Chuo University ; Tokyo Japan
Presented at PICALO 2008

The laser cutting application is used widely in the world industrial field. Especially in Japan, the ratios that the application of the laser cutting occupies exceed 90% in the whole. Currently, the laser cutting technology for sheet metal cutting was developed instead of punching. Although it becomes the main technology, this technology is still in a stage of the middle of development and the technology is still improved rapidly.
For the new challenges are always necessary for mature technology. In industry, nowadays, more high-speed cutting and accurate cutting are demanded to laser cutting.
Therefore, lots of studies that improvement of beam mode, laser simulation of dross formation and behavior of the assisted jetting gas were accomplished.
From the viewpoint of technical development, this paper describes the current situation and recent advanced technical trend of the laser cutting process including some big challenges, such as precision cutting, improvement of surface roughness, thick plate cutting.