*3.3. Laser Machining (FabLight Fiber Laser)*

The FabLight laser was used to cut a flexure on a 304 stainless steel sheet (0.61 mm THK). The laser was operated in the 2-pulsed mode. The cut and pierce parameters are listed in Table 1. Figure 8a,b show the back side of the as-cut and cleaned flexures. The cutting speed was too slow so that heat melted materials on the cutting edges of the workpiece. The molten metal flowed downward and re-solidified on the lower surface forming the recast or slag. The side view of the flexure would look just like that on a CO2 laser-cut parts [4]. One of the remedies was to increase the pulsation frequency from 500 Hz to 5 kHz at the sacrifice of the cutting speed.


**Table 1.** Cut and pierce parameters of FabLight laser.

**Figure 8.** Stainless steel flexure—FabLight Fiber Laser (CBA).
