Removing Oxidation From Laser Cut Steel

As laser and plasma cutting are much more cost effective than die cutting it is quickly becoming the norm for part.

Removing oxidation from laser cut steel.

Ox 15 liquid descaler. The oxygen causes an exothermic reaction that creates heat which helps the laser cut through the metal. In order to effectively remove this recast a gentle electropolish is necessary. The cleaned parts clearly show the melted recast material around the cut and no gentle cleaning will remove this.

Removing the oxidised edge after laser cutting. The oxides adhere poorly to the metal when painted which then causes paint to chip and flake. Manually finishing these parts he adds is quite difficult because of high labor costs inconsistent practices and odd shapes that are not easily manipulated. Use the sponge to rub away any light oxidation from the surface of your aluminum coated furniture.

This oxidation or scale left over from thermal cutting can cause problems for metal finishers and end customers alike. Carbon oxide is formed on the edges of parts when gas is introduced during the thermal metal cutting process. By gf lasers aug 17 2017 blog. In addition not as much pressure is required to feed the oxygen to the cutting head.

Laser oxide scale removal. For manufacturers this can really result in a part of poor quality. Fabricators typically use oxygen as an assist gas during laser cutting of mild steel. Step 3 apply a quarter size amount of fine cut automotive rubbing compound designed for use on aluminum onto a terry cloth rag.

As the use of thermal cutting processes in the metalworking industry has increased substantially the need to remove the oxidation produced by those processes has also increased. Mix 1 quart of white vinegar with 1 quart of water in a bucket. Rodger talbert writes in his book paint technology handbook that sanding grinding chipping and blasting are effective means of removing the oxide layer from laser cut parts. Laser cleaning is the best solution to remove oxide from aluminum.

For example oxide can be removed before welding to strengthen the welds. Utilization of oxygen as an assist gas causes an exothermic reaction that creates heat which helps the laser cut through the metal faster. Stainless steel oxide removal. Figure 3d shows a stainless steel part that has been electropolished after laser drilling.

It can also be removed before several surface treatments such as before a coating process to prevent the paint from peeling off.