Determination of corresponding temperature distribution within CFRP during laser cutting

Laser cutting of carbon fiber reinforced plastics as a thermal process results in a thermal load on the material. Due to the high thermal conductivity of carbon fibers, residual heat is conducted along the fibers, away from the laser interaction zone. Common temperature measurement techniques, such as pyrometry and infrared thermography only allow for observation of the temperature development on the surface of the material. In order to achieve information about the temperature distribution within the material during the cutting process, thermochromes and thermocouples were implemented during the laminating process of CFRP. The cutting tests were performed with a single mode fiber laser emitting a continuous wave and at a wavelength of lambda = 1080 nm. (c) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the German Scientific Laser Society (WLT e.V.)