For laser, what is highly reflective material processing?
When discussing laser welding, it is often mentioned whether it is possible to weld certain highly reflective materials. Let’s first understand what is a highly reflective material? Is aluminum exactly the same as pure aluminum?
How to judge the high reflective material? Our judgment criteria are two: the first is the material with high electrical conductivity, the second is the surface is very smooth, two have one of them, that is highly reflective material.
The first judgment criteria: the main basis is its electrical conductivity, in general, the smaller the resistivity of the material, the lower the absorption rate of the laser (high anti); the higher the resistivity, the higher the absorption rate. High anti-material material conductivity is particularly good, the conductivity of stainless steel is too poor, the conductivity of carbon steel is also very poor, copper and aluminum conductivity is very good, the best conductivity of purple copper, copper wire will be better than aluminum wire, because it generates less heat. We can simply understand that the better the conductivity of the thing it is the more high anti.
The second criterion: the surface is as beautiful as a mirror, the flatness of the surface, the flatter the more high anti. The smoother the surface of the material, the lower the absorption rate of the laser; if it is smooth enough (even stainless steel), it is also high anti for laser processing. The rougher the surface of the material, the higher the absorption rate of the laser; if it is rough enough (even purple copper), it is not high anti for laser processing. Even if it is stainless steel, you tear its mirror film, it is highly reflective material, you take a piece of wood when the surface is ground very smooth, it is highly reflective material, when the surface is bright to a certain extent, and the material has no relationship.
Is aluminum a highly reflective material? High reflection also depends on the grade, different grades are very different, aluminum alloy and pure aluminum are completely different.
Materials have a number, carbon steel also has a number, our most common plate 1 series to 7 series, 1001, 3001, 4043, 5052, 6061, 6063, 7075, these are commonly used aluminum plate number, pure aluminum is quite quite high reaction, 7 series of aluminum and 8 series of aluminum high reaction is actually not strong. The same grade of high reflection is also completely different, and the difference is very large, conventional cut aluminum alloy, discreet cutting is pure aluminum, are aluminum, but the grade is not the same, the high reflection of the material difference is very large, mirror stainless steel is also high reflection material.
Nowadays fiber laser welding in the welding technology of highly reflective materials has been very mature, FANUCI POWER ON laser using 976nm laser pump source, can weld many metals, including copper.
For laser welding, the so-called high reflection is only a relative concept, can be determined by the resistivity of the material, surface structure, surface state and other comprehensive judgment whether it can be used for high-reflection material processing. If you are still not sure about the specific material, you can contact usj for consultation.
