Which metal wasting process uses a focused laser beam to cut metal?

Which metal wasting process uses a focused laser beam to cut metal?

• A. Laser cutting
• B. Flame cutting
• C. Plasma cutting
• D. Oxyacetylene welding

Answer: (A)

Laser cutting works by concentrating energy into a tiny spot with a focused laser beam, heating the metal so quickly that it melts or vaporizes along a narrow path. An assist gas blows away the molten material, producing a clean, precise cut with a very small kerf. The high energy density of the focused beam is what lets it cut complex shapes accurately and with a minimal heat-affected zone. Flame cutting uses a flame to oxidize and burn away metal, which is slower and less precise and relies on preheating and oxygen. Plasma cutting uses a high-temperature plasma jet to melt metal, but the energy comes from a plasma arc rather than a focused laser, giving different kerf and edge quality. Oxyacetylene welding is a welding process, not a cutting method; cutting with an oxy-fuel torch is a separate technique and not the laser process described here.

Laser cutting works by concentrating energy into a tiny spot with a focused laser beam, heating the metal so quickly that it melts or vaporizes along a narrow path. An assist gas blows away the molten material, producing a clean, precise cut with a very small kerf. The high energy density of the focused beam is what lets it cut complex shapes accurately and with a minimal heat-affected zone.

Flame cutting uses a flame to oxidize and burn away metal, which is slower and less precise and relies on preheating and oxygen. Plasma cutting uses a high-temperature plasma jet to melt metal, but the energy comes from a plasma arc rather than a focused laser, giving different kerf and edge quality. Oxyacetylene welding is a welding process, not a cutting method; cutting with an oxy-fuel torch is a separate technique and not the laser process described here.