Investigation on Polymer Hybrid Composite Through CO2 Laser Machining for Precise Machining Conditions

Laser machining is a technique capable of achieving extremely precise material cutting using appropriate parameters. The research proposes a new approach for producing biodegradable hybrid composites composed of Polylactic acid (PLA), bamboo particles (BP), and montmorillonite (MMT) clay using an innovative solvent-free stir-casting technique optimised for maximum efficiency. The primary objective is to evaluate the machinability of the resultant PLA/BP/clay hybrid polymer composite in-depth, emphasising important quality characteristics such as surface roughness, kerf angle, and material removal rate. The key machining parameters under consideration are laser power, scan speed, and gas pressure. This evaluation encompassed the utilisation of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to comprehend the extent of impact these process parameters have on the quality characteristics. Additionally, an interactive model was developed for forecasting and enhancing the quality parameters of laser cutting using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO) algorithm was also employed to determine the optimal values of the design parameters for machining composites. The laser power has been precisely optimised to a value of 21.40 W. A constant setting of 3 mm/s for the scan speed and 3.04 bar of gas pressure enables accurate and controlled laser machining of the hybrid polymer composite.