Laser cutting tobacco slice experiment: Effects of cutting power and cutting speed

Due to their low melting point, low strength, uneven thickness, and sugar and moisture content, tobacco slices are very sensitive to the requirements of cutting parameters. In this article, the CO2 laser is used to study the specific process parameters in the cutting process of tobacco slices with a moisture content of 13%. The cutting powers and cutting speeds are varied to investigate the effects on the cutting quality of tobacco slices. The result reveals that the lower the cutting speed, the more conducive to the cutting of tobacco slices. And cutting speeds less than 2.5 m/s are preferable to the cutting of tobacco slices. But lower cutting speed means lower cutting efficiency. Meanwhile, the larger the cutting power, the more conducive to the cutting of tobacco slices. However, larger cutting power means larger energy consumption and higher requirements for the laser. Therefore, there is a compromise between cutting speed and cutting power. The preferable cutting power and speed parameters are summarized. The results obtained provide practical guidance for cutting high-quality tobacco slices.