Abstract
Cross-ply carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP), which is expected to reduce the weight of transportations, was cut by a CW (continuous wave) fiber laser (λ=1.06μm, 2.0kW or 3.3kW) and machining with milling. Although the high-power laser cutting processes make it possible to improve cutting rate of CFRP, the laser-cut specimens clearly showed a thermal damage with a heat-affected zone (HAZ) identified by a micro X-ray CT analysis and infrared thermography. These specimens were lower tensile strength and fatigue strength than milling-cut specimens. In laser-cut specimens, specimens cut by the 2.0 kW fiber laser exhibited the lowest strength of all processes because of large HAZ extension. While, the 3.3 kW CW fiber laser (6 m/min), which is the highest cutting speed, was minimized the HAZ extension. It could be resulted of preventing the degradation and reduction of strength.
