The effects of power rippling on CO₂ laser cutting

A power rippling method was proposed in this study to improve the cut edge quality by disturbing the natural frequency of the periodic striations in high power CO₂ laser cutting. A pilot study was also designed and set up to examine the power responsibility of the laser system, which is externally controlled by a modulated analogue signal from a signal generator. Several aspects were examined in this study. The effects of different power rippling frequencies on the cut surface roughness is the first such aspect, and the different power modulation depth on cut surface roughness is another. The power rippling shape is the third important parameter examined in this study. It was found that the amplitude and frequency of the striation pattern on the cut surface were significantly affected by the characteristics of the rippling power. Cutting quality can be significantly improved by rippling the laser power.