Application of Power Diode Laser on Leather Cutting and its Optimization to Reduce Carbonization Effect

A diverse selection of animal leathers, including cow, sheep, and buffalo, are utilized for the production of leather garments and commodities such as purses, wallets, and other personalized leather items. Traditionally, laser beams are generated using CO2 and Nd-YAG lasers. The high-power diode laser offers benefits such as its compact size, energy efficiency, long lifespan, and low operating expenses. Nevertheless, the elevated heat impact during laser leather machining leads to the unwanted occurrence of carbonization. Furthermore, the energy crisis is a significant issue that should be minimized as much as possible to promote energy conservation. This study aims to design and create a laser beam machining system that is energy efficient, utilizing the principles of Mechatronics Engineering. The objective of this study is the efficient utilization of power diode-based laser beam machining to reduce the carbonization effect and to enable better levels of energy-efficient machining. In this study, a diode-based laser beam machining system was developed and constructed using diode lasers to cut vegetable chrome tanned leather with power outputs of 2.5W, 5.5W, and 20W. The enhanced performance was attributed to the customizable characteristics of the diode laser actuation, which took the form of a circular shape with a variable diameter. Higher power density may be achieved by using a high power source with a smaller spot size in pulsed mode. Higher power density results in less contact time, leading to decreased carbonization.