Workable Materials

Non-metals

Metals

Various materials

Non-metal materials possess very good characteristics of absorption of the infrared light energy typical of CO2 lasers and are also generally poor conductors of heat and have low vaporization temperatures!

Most metals possess good characteristics for cutting. 
Because of the great possibilities of focalization, reaching specific powers of a million Watts per cm2, the incident laser beam causes superficial fusion and, therefore, triggers the cutting process in nearly all metals, in spite of the high levels of surface reflectivity. 

Paper materials, leather, and natural and synthetic fabrics can be cut easily with a low-power laser. Use of laser cutting in the fashion industry allows faster and more flexible production of articles of clothing of every size and shape and at the same time the processes of decoration and incision serve to personalize production.

Plastic materials

Conventional Steel

Glass materials

The laser is used extensively in the field of plastic materials, particularly because of its ability to cut complex forms at high speed and because it does not apply stress or distort the piece. Furthermore, it produces a clean cut with smooth edges on hermoplastic materials. It also produces good results with polyesters and polycarbonates, even if, at times, for a few polymers, a thin layer of carbon elements can be found at the cut edge. By paying particular attention to removal of fumes, even various types of composite materials can be cut with good results, thanks to the precision and the extremely small focalization area of the laser beam.

Conventional steel types have a considerably reduced (or practically nonexistent) heat altered zone (HAZ) compared to plasma cutting systems. Cold rolled steels give better results than hot rolled ones. High carbon content steels are cut more easily, even though they have a greater heat altered zone than conventional steels. 

Thanks to its low thermal expansion factor, quartz of thickness up to 10 mm can be cut easily with the laser at a speed which is clearly superior to that of mechanical means. However, glass has high levels of microfissures and is, therefore, less suitable for this type of cutting, with the exception of relatively thin borosilicates which can be cut with a pulsed source. 

Rubber

Carbon steel

Copper

Both natural and synthetic rubber of thickness up to 20 mm can be cut with a mid-power CO2 laser.Proper exhaust system is recommend it.

It is now known that in the metal structural work industry laser cutting of the sheets prevails. Compared to plasma cutting, laser cutting is more accurate for thickness up to 15-20 mm. The cut edges are clean, squared and free of burrs. The cut edges (kerfs) have a width of less than one-twentieth of the thickness, providing greater accuracy in assembly of the pieces with minimal tolerance.

Alloys (with the exception of brass) have poor laser beam absorption. Use of the laser with these metals is possible, but, at times, with levels of difficulty that are not industrially acceptable. 

Wood

Stainless steel

Titanium

Woodcutting is an excellent application for the high precision of laser machines. In particular, for dye cutting, the cutting system produces exact and uniform cut edges along the entire length of the worked surface. In addition to marking and cutting of inlay pieces, there are many applications in handicrafts, gift items and interior furnishings. 

The laser is applied with excellent results in the cutting of components from stainless steel sheets. The high degree of accuracy and heat control prohibit extent of the heat altered zone from the cutting groove, allowing the material to maintain its characteristics of stainlessness and resistance to corrosion. Even martensite and ferrite steels?? are easily cut at different speeds.As in the case of stainless steels, steel alloys present ideal conditions for cutting and working with the laser.Though they possess high thermal conductivity and limited laser radiation absorption, aluminum alloys and brass can be worked with powers starting at 1000 Watts.

This can be cut easily and quickly with excellent finishing quality with a beam generated by a CO2 source. If oxygen is used as booster gas, a greater cutting speed is produced, creating a thin deposit of titanium oxide in proximity of the groove.