The influence of different auxiliary gases on laser cutting

Laser cutting has been widely used in industrial fields. Do you know the influence of different auxiliary gases on laser cutting? 

Commonly used auxiliary gases are oxygen, nitrogen and argon. Next, let us analyze their performance in laser cutting. 

1. Oxygen 

Using oxygen as the auxiliary gas, the slit width is much higher than nitrogen and argon. Because the oxidation reaction will provide more heat to participate in cutting the workpiece. Compared with nitrogen and argon, overburning and slagging caused by oxygen combustion is more serious. The oxygen provides enough power to cut, so the best process parameters are selected on the side of the lower laser power density of the defect-free area.

2. Nitrogen

Compared with argon, nitrogen is easier to cut the workpiece. Nitrogen has no combustion-supporting effect. Among the three gases, the slit in nitrogen is the narrowest. Its cutting defects are less than oxygen. When the laser power density is enough to cut the workpiece, slit width of nitrogen cutting is the narrowest, which means that the cutting quality will be the best. 

3. Argon

Among the three auxiliary gases, argon has the least cutting defects. The slit width of argon cutting is similar to nitrogen. Both of them are narrow. Compared with nitrogen, argon is less likely to cut through workpiece.

Conclusion : 

Oxygen as auxiliary gas has the sufficient cutting energy under its combustion-supporting effect. Its processing speed is the fastest, but the slit is the widest and the cutting quality is the worst.

Nitrogen doesn't  have combustion-supporting effect, the processing speed is faster than argon. Because the cutting energy is higher than argon and second to oxygen. The narrowest slit  contributes to the cutting quality higher than oxygen and second to argon. 

Argon as inert gas can prevent oxidation and nitration. It has the least cutting energy, so the processing speed is slow.