When cutting carbon steel, laser cutting machine usually uses auxiliary gases to assist the operation, the common auxiliary gases are oxygen, nitrogen and air. What is the difference between these three gases when cutting carbon steel?

In order to understand the influence of each auxiliary gas on the cutting process, it is necessary to clarify the principle of the auxiliary gas. The advantages of using air cutting first are obvious, and there is no cost. When using air, only the electricity costs of the air compressor and the equipment themselves need to be considered, eliminating the high cost of auxiliary gas. The cutting efficiency of thin plate can be compared with nitrogen cutting, which is an economical and efficient cutting method. But air cutting also has obvious disadvantages in cross section. First, the section will produce burrs, which require secondary processing to clean up, which is not conducive to the entire product production cycle. Second, the section will be black, affecting the quality of the product. Laser processing itself has the advantage of efficiency and quality accuracy, and the disadvantages of air cutting have led many customers to give up this cutting method.

Secondly, oxygen cutting is used, which is the most common and traditional way of cutting. The use of oxygen fiber laser cutting machine its advantages are mainly reflected in the cost of gas, carbon steel based sheet metal processing, do not often replace the auxiliary gas, increase cutting efficiency, convenient management. But the disadvantage is that after oxygen cutting, there will be a layer of oxide film on the surface of the cutting surface, if the product with oxide film is welded directly, over a long time, the oxide film will naturally peel off, and the product will form a virtual welding, affecting the welding quality.

Finally use nitrogen cutting, when using oxygen as an auxiliary gas, the cutting surface will form an oxide film, the use of nitrogen can prevent the appearance of oxide film, the formation of no oxidation cutting. No oxidation cutting surface is generally white, can be directly welding, spraying and other processing. The characteristics of strong corrosion resistance also make it widely used.

In summary, when cutting carbon steel plates above 6mm, only oxygen cutting is supported. When cutting less than 6mm, if there are clear requirements for cutting quality accuracy, it is recommended to use nitrogen cutting, which has high cutting efficiency and can be directly carried out the next processing process, and the oxygen cutting speed is slow. When cutting less than 6mm, if only cutting or no clear process requirements are considered, air cutting is recommended, and the gas is zero cost.