Laser cutting Inconel 718 sheet

[LoubyLou]

thread31-442859
I'm looking at how to form a 3.5" x 36" x .0125" Inconel 718 strip and cut slots approx. .025" wide in it.
Having looked at the previous post on laser cutting and the associated replies, I'm wondering if this is the best way of doing it?
Also, depending on cutting method, would you cut first and form second or vice versa?
And is hydro-forming feasible for a piece this long?

Thanks for any words of wisdom,

Lou

 

[rb1957]

Apologies, but Y, oh Y ? Why use a very high grade of steel, presumably high strength, then cut slots in it ?

What are the slots for ? ventilation ? would holes do it for you ??

Why Inconel, which is probably hard to form ? Why not some cheap and nasty Aluminium, or some plastic ?? or Carbon fiber ??

But to delve into your question ... how much forming ? a straight bend ? across or along the slots ? or have the strip formed over a surface ?? how many slots (or distance apart) ?
how important is finish ? (laser cutting is quite messy)
could you 3D print something ??

"Hoffen wir mal, dass alles gut geht !"
General Paulus, Nov 1942, outside Stalingrad after the launch of Operation Uranus.

 

[btrueblood]

0.025 wide through .125 thickness? That's going to have significant taper if it matters.

Waterjet would be cleaner and not create a HAZ. EDM would minimize taper.

 

[rb1957]

"0.0125" ...

"Hoffen wir mal, dass alles gut geht !"
General Paulus, Nov 1942, outside Stalingrad after the launch of Operation Uranus.

 

[btrueblood]

Ah, thanks rb. Eyes not working well this morning.

 

[LoubyLou]

Thanks for the comments and sorry for the lack of details in the original post.
rb1957 here are some answers to your questions.

The material is probably appropriate since the application is hot.
The sheet is folded up (R .1") along its length at the root of the slots to an angle of approx. 30 degrees, and then the end of the bent up piece is curved back down (R .5"). (So the slotted side is folded up and then curved back down). Slots are about an inch apart.
In use, two pieces of material are offset so the slots don't align.
The finished assembly is attached to a curved surface and forms a flexible seal.

Questions:
Conventional or hydroforming for the bending?
Slots cut with a laser or waterjet?
What order for the operations?

 

[rb1957]

is the piece "flat", or formed onto a curved surface ?

are the slots on a bend ? that'll be hard to control.

do you care about strength or finish ?

Laser cutting would have the advantage to you could form (and stress relieve) the sheet then position it relative to the laser and cut and move and cut ...

If this gets "hot" will the slots impact whatever is going on ? but maybe you've thought of this with ... "two pieces of material are offset so the slots don't align".

What is the function of the slots ?

I'd probably try on a sample and assess the outcome.

"Hoffen wir mal, dass alles gut geht !"
General Paulus, Nov 1942, outside Stalingrad after the launch of Operation Uranus.