Abstract:
Laser cutting of metals has been an important application of high-power lasers for many years because of its advantages over traditional mechanical cutting. In industry today many different types of metals and alloys are being cut with laser beams. However, some materials emerge onto the industrial market that cannot fit into the traditional laser cutting methods, so new research has to be conducted to determine whether or not these materials can be cut effectively by the use of lasers. One of these unique materials being used in industry today is known as feltmetal. This material is constructed out of common alloys; however, it is manufactured to be very porous (20% dense). Feltmetal is used primarily as seal material inside turbine engines because of its abradable and temperature resistant qualities. This porous material is currently being cut by mechanical means. The results of this research demonstrate that the laser cutting of feltmetal can be a feasible and successful way to obtain high quality cuts.
