Laser + carbon fiber = ??

[theclive]

Does anybody know if lasers can cut carbon fiber? If i had to guess, from the properties of graphite, id say no...which saddens me lol

[fatmonkey]

Hi,

I work at a laser cutting job shop and we cut it. We do get some fraying but otherwise no problem.

[composites]

Hi,

I work at a laser cutting job shop and we cut it. We do get some fraying but otherwise no problem.

What size/type of laser are you cutting it with and how thick of material can you cut through?

[theclive]

i would like to know what company =) cuz i could probably use your services lol

[jmagnuson]

There have been many studies, senior projects, and thesis topics on this discussion. Try a search at www.emeraldinsight.com. From my research (it's my senior project), you're going to need 500W CO2 laser to cut around 1/8" and 1000W to cut thicker materials. Since carbon fiber has the highest heat absorbtion of the common composites, it takes much more wattage to cut. You might be able to cut 2 plies of Kevlar or fiberglass with 100W...we'll see in a month.

[fatmonkey]

What size/type of laser are you cutting it with and how thick of material can you cut through?

We cut this on our smallest machine which is a 1000 watt CO2 laser. We have cut up to 1/8" carbon fiber on that machine.

[composites]

I had contacted a couple of companies who had high powered lasers and had been turned away. I was told that the laser would char the edges of the material... Guess not.

I have a machinist handbook that has some pictures of microscopic holes cut into carbon fiber with an excimer laser, but I think that material must have only been 1/16 or 1/32 thick.

Have you cut any kevlar?

[fatmonkey]

There is some charring but none of our customers that we have cut CF for have objected. We have also cut Kevlar, same issues some fraying and some charring. Being a job shop we have had to learn how to cut a wide variety of material.