Abstract
We present a study on laser cutting of mild steel with oxygen as an assist gas. We correlate the cut surface quality with the melt film thickness. We estimate the optimum pressure required for melt ejection under laminar flow regime. The thickness of melt film inside the kerf is estimated using mass balance and the shear force acting on the cutting front assuming melt flow profile as linear. The dependence of melt film thickness on gas pressure, cutting velocity and work piece thickness is estimated and compared with experimental results.
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Rao, B.T., Nath, A.K. Melt flow characteristics in gas-assisted laser cutting. Sadhana 27, 569–575 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02703295
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02703295