Laser Cutting of Tungsten

Laser	Power Demand	Pulse Width	Repetition Rate	Nozzle Stand off	Nozzle Diameter
redPOWER QUBE 2kW	200W	0.5ms	1500Hz	0.2mm	0.5mm

Tungsten is a very hard metal with great tensile strength and an extremely high melting point. It is often alloyed with other metals but in its purest form, it is commonly used in electronics applications – for example as interconnect material in integrator circuits, electron emitters and light bulb filaments.

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Tungsten Electron Emitter

Set Up

Laser: SPI 200W water cooled Fiber Laser

Machining head: Laser Mechanisms, Finekerf

Focal length: 50 mm, X2 beam expander

Process gas: Argon 0.8 MPa

Tungsten Filament

Experimental Procedure

A series of rectangular slots were made at various laser parameters. Speeds up to 6 m/min were made using oxygen, argon and nitrogen as assist gases.

Using oxygen as an assist gas, a significant Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) was observed.

When nitrogen or argon were used as an assist gas, cut speeds were slower but much cleaner with far less heat affected zone. Cut width was 25 microns.

Clean cuts can be made on Tungsten using argon assist gas at high speed using our redPOWER QUBE CW Fiber Laser

To download this Applications Postcard click here!

Experimental Procedure2