Damage Evaluation of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) by High Power Laser Cutting

Abstract

The effect of several laser cutting process on the static tensile or fatigue was evaluated for carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) which is most attractive materials for automobile or airplane. The method of conventional laser cutting (CO₂ gas laser, fiber-laser with continuous wave (CW)) produced heat affected zone. The micro-focus X-ray CT was very useful to evaluate the heat affected zone. The laser cutting specimens exhibited a linear dependency of the tensile strength on the heat affected zone. The thermo-elastic stress analysis was indicated that the main effect resulted from thermal destruction stress loading does not occur in there of CFRP within the heat affected zone.