I. Causes and Solutions

1. Laser Focus Position Deviation

Misalignment of the laser beam focus (e.g., deviation from the positive, zero, or negative focus) can result in inaccurate energy concentration, leading to excessively wide or narrow kerfs and slag accumulation, forming burrs. Solution: Refocus the laser beam to the correct position. This should be performed by an experienced operator.

2. Insufficient Laser Output Power

Insufficient power prevents sufficient vaporization of the metal material, preventing complete slag removal and potentially leading to burrs. Solution: Check the equipment's operating status. If abnormal, repair it. If normal, adjust the output power (e.g., 2500W-3000W for 10mm carbon steel). If necessary, replace the laser with a higher power.

3. Improper Cutting Speed

Excessively slow cutting speeds can lead to over-melting, resulting in a rough cut surface and slag accumulation. Excessively fast cutting speeds can lead to incomplete melting of the material, leaving unmelted metal and forming burrs. Solution: Adjust the cutting speed according to the material thickness and type (e.g., 10mm carbon steel: 1m/min-1.2m/min is recommended) to ensure a dynamic balance between energy and speed.

4. Assist Gas Issues

Insufficient gas purity (e.g., nitrogen purity below 99.9%) or insufficient pressure (e.g., oxygen below 0.6MPa) prevents effective slag removal. Solution: Use high-purity gas (99.99% nitrogen for stainless steel), adjust the pressure to the appropriate range (0.8MPa-1.2MPa for oxygen), and check the air line seals.

5. Excessive Equipment Operation

Continuous operation for more than 5 hours may cause equipment instability, laser attenuation, or sluggish response, affecting cutting quality. Solution: Rest the machine for a period of time before restarting it to avoid prolonged continuous operation.

II. Other Maintenance Recommendations

Inadequate equipment maintenance (e.g., nozzle wear, lens contamination) can lead to turbulent gas jets or energy attenuation. Regularly check the cutting nozzle for wear (replace if the aperture expands by more than 0.3mm), clean the lens (maintain a transmittance of at least 95%), and adjust the cutting nozzle height to 1mm-1.5mm to ensure the gas jet angle is perpendicular to the cutting surface. In summary, adjusting focus, power, speed, gas parameters, and maintaining the equipment can effectively reduce or eliminate the problem of cutting slag.