Investigating the effects of cutting methods for aluminum metallic foams

Abstract

The quality of foam metal materials, which are commonly used in industrial applications due to their unique properties, increasingly relies on secondary processing. Metal foams are produced as plates or in the desired shape via direct or indirect foaming. Given their intended use, the primary challenge lies in determining how to cut them with the necessary precision and join them with sufficient strength. However, the most difficult aspect is cutting them in the required shapes and combining them with fixed or removable securing mechanisms. This work involved cutting two sample types: a 10 mm thick AlMgSi foam with a density of 0.5 g/cm3, using a laser cutter, and a 19 mm thick AlMgSi sandwich structure with a 1 mm thick aluminum outer plate via wire electric discharge machining (WEDM). In addition, the results of manual cutting and angle grinding, which are often utilized in production, were analyzed through scanning electron microscopy. Under certain suboptimal conditions, laser cutting caused aluminum to dissolve into the cavities and form burrs beneath the cutting edge. In contrast, when accurate and undistorted cellular architecture is essential, WEDM is very efficient, even though it is 200 times slower than laser cutting. Hand-sawing caused cellular fractures and frequent dispersion, so it is suitable for applications that do not necessitate accuracy.