ceramic laser cutting

Laser cutting of thin film ceramic is also possible using a CO2 laser, producing a clean edge with little discoloration. 

Two types of lasers are ideal for cutting ceramic. Bright fiber lasers (1064-nm wavelength) and high-powered CO2 lasers (10600-nm wavelength) work well with ceramic and provide fast cutting. You can also use femtosecond lasers, which offer superior cut quality and precision.

The two most common cutting techniques are:

• Full ablation cutting. The focused laser spot cuts the ceramic completely through—fully separating the two cut edges. Full ablation is preferred when cutting patterns aren’t centered or when the material is sensitive to extra force. You can use on-axis gas assist with this method to achieve cleaner full ablation cuts with minimal recast on the back side.

• Scribe-and-break technique. This technique scribes the ceramic surface enough to weaken the part at the cut line. Then, an applied force breaks the two cut edges apart. Scribe-and-break is faster than full ablation but requires extra force that may not work well for fragile parts.