The optimum process parameter when cutting of thin plate made of stainless steel 316L using CO2 laser

This study investigated the effect of CO2 laser cutting parameters on the quality of 316L stainless steel used for metal mesh implants. The Taguchi method was selected as the design of experiment with three factors: laser power (360-480 W), cutting speed (4-6 mm/min), and material thickness (0.3-1 mm). Dimensional deviation and heat-affected zone (HAZ) of the cut were analysed using the Taguchi and Taguchi-Grey Relational Analysis (T-GRA) methods. The results of Taguchi's analysis identified the optimal parameters for minimizing dimensional deviations as 360 W, 5 mm/min, and 0.6 mm, and for HAZ of 480 W, 5 mm/min, and 1 mm. Analysis of variance showed that the power of the laser significantly affected both dimensional deviation (50.49%) and HAZ (19.91%). T-GRA optimization estimates the optimal parameters as 360 W, 4 mm/min, and 0.6 mm, confirmed through validation experiments with a Gray Relational Grade (GRG) of 1,000. The study concluded that laser power was the most important parameter, followed by the cutting speed and the material thickness used, providing a comprehensive optimization strategy for cutting 316L stainless steel lasers for medical implants.