Experimental investigation of laser assisted machining of AZ91 magnesium alloy

The demand for magnesium alloys has been increasing over the past decade due to the push towards weight reduction in fuel efficient automobiles, cheap electronics, and biodegradable medical implants. However, magnesium has limited deformation systems available as a result of its HCP crystal structure which makes plastic deformation difficult. In this research, a laser is applied to heat the surface of the AZ91 magnesium alloy to activate additional deformation systems and reduce the cutting forces during machining. It has been shown that both the main cutting force and the feed force are reduced during laser assisted machining when compared with conventional (un-assisted) machining.