Experimental development of a machining database for the CO2 laser cutting of ceramic tile

This paper covers the cutting of commercially-available ceramic tiles using a CO2 laser cutting machine, with the object of producing a laser beam machining database which contains the essential parameter information for their successful processing. Various laser cutting parameters were investigated that would generate a cut in ceramic tile which required minimal posttreatment. The effects of various shield gases, multipass cutting and underwater cutting were also examined.