Title: Experimental investigations on Nd:YAG laser cutting of silicon nitride

Authors: A.S. Kuar, B. Doloi, B. Bhattacharyya

Addresses: Production Engineering Department, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032, India. ' Production Engineering Department, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032, India. ' Production Engineering Department, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032, India

Abstract: A laser beam has great ability to machine very hard conductive as well as non-conductive materials such as high speed steel, ceramics, and diamonds, etc. The present paper includes the parametric analysis on performance of CNC pulsed Nd:YAG laser cutting operation on silicon nitride ceramics. The present experimental investigations reveal that the saw cutting operation on silicon nitride can be successfully performed with a better surface finish after proper setting of the machining parameters. The cut quality of the job surface has been presented and analysed through microscopic views. Better quality of the cutting edge can be achieved during the Nd:YAG laser cutting operation when the lamp current, cutting speed and pulse frequency are set at moderate values.

Keywords: CNC Nd:YAG laser machining; silicon nitride ceramics; surface roughness; ceramics machining; CNC machining; laser cutting; surface finish; lamp current; cutting speed; pulse frequency; non-traditional machining; advanced machining.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMTM.2005.006843

International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management, 2005 Vol.7 No.2/3/4, pp.181 - 191

Published online: 17 Apr 2005 *

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