Title
Influence of Laser Cutting Parameters on the Microhardness, Roughness, and Microstructure of AISI 304, S355J2, and AlMg3 Alloys
Authors
[ 1 ] Instytut Maszyn Roboczych i Pojazdów Samochodowych, Wydział Inżynierii Lądowej i Transportu, Politechnika Poznańska | [ P ] employee | [ S ] student
Scientific discipline (Law 2.0)
Year of publication
2026
Article type
scientific article
Publication language
english
Keywords
Abstract
EN This study provides a comparative and material-specific assessment of how laser cutting parameters affect the surface integrity of three commonly used engineering alloys, thereby extending the current knowledge beyond single-material analyses. The main objective was to quantify and relate changes in surface roughness, microhardness, and microstructure to variations in laser cutting conditions for S355J2 steel, AISI 304 steel, and AlMg3 aluminum alloy. Variable cutting parameters were applied, including cutting speed, assist gas type and pressure, as well as laser beam power, and their combined effect on the thickness of the remelted and heat-affected zones was evaluated. The results show clear material-dependent trends: S355J2 steel exhibited the lowest surface roughness but the most pronounced surface hardening, with maximum microhardness values reaching approximately 700 HV 0.1 in a relatively narrow heat-affected zone, whereas AISI 304 showed a distinct edge-hardening effect with more moderate roughness. In contrast, the AlMg3 alloy developed a clearly visible remelted layer and a refined, fine-grained microstructure, accompanied by much lower hardness levels but a more diffuse heat-affected zone. These findings provide original, comparative guidelines for selecting laser cutting parameters tailored to specific materials, enabling the optimization of edge quality and surface properties in industrial applications.
Date of online publication
07.01.2026
Pages (from - to)
240-1 - 240-14
Comments
Article number: 240
License type
CC BY (attribution alone)
Open Access Mode
open journal
Open Access Text Version
final published version
Release date
07.01.2026
Date of Open Access to the publication
at the time of publication
Full text of article
Access level to full text
public
Ministry points / journal
140
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