EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE PROCESS OF LASER CUTTING OF MATERIALS USING A MANIPULATOR

Abstract

The article presents the results of an experimental study of the effect of the laser head movement speed on the depth of cut for different materials. The relevance of the study is due to the need to optimize the parameters of laser processing to ensure high quality of the final product and increase the efficiency of production processes. The study was conducted using a robotic system that includes a 6-axis manipulator with an integrated laser head. This configuration ensured stable processing conditions and eliminated the influence of the human factor on the result. The experimental part included work with three types of materials: felt, plywood, and foamed ethylene vinyl acetate. For each material, a series of cuts were made at different laser tool traverse speeds. The results confirmed the correctness of the mathematical model describing the dependence of the depth of cut on the processing speed and physical properties of the material. It was found that the depth of cut increases with decreasing laser travel speed, and differences in the nature of the interaction of the laser beam with each of the materials under study due to their density, thermal conductivity, and structure were revealed. The practical significance of the study lies in proving the feasibility of using robotic laser systems for mass production: process automation ensures continuous operation without operator intervention, stability of processing conditions, and the ability to quickly reconfigure parameters depending on specific material properties. The obtained empirical models of the depth of cut can be used as a basis for the development of software for automatic control systems for laser installations, which will further optimize technological operations, reduce material waste and increase production productivity.