Investigating the technology of UV nanosecond laser milling for cutting CFRP laminates

An enhanced ultraviolet (UV) nanosecond laser milling cutting method is innovatively adopted to cut carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites. This paper aims to achieve a more efficient and facile way to cut the thicker sheet cutting mode. The technology of UV nanosecond laser milling cutting is studied in detail. The effects of milling mode and filling spacing on the cutting effect are explored in milling mode cutting. Cutting with the milling method can obtain a smaller heat-affected zone at the slit entrance and a shorter effective processing time. When the longitudinal milling method is adopted, the machining effect of the lower side of the slit is better when the filling spacing is 20 µm and 50 µm, with no burr or other defects. Additionally, the filling spacing below 50 µm can obtain a better machining effect. The coupled photochemical and photothermal effects of UV laser cutting CFRP are elucidated, and the experiments verify this phenomenon successfully. Overall, it is anticipated that this study can offer a practical reference for UV nanosecond laser milling cutting CFRP composites and make contributions to military fields.