ENERGY


objects, scabbling concrete to reduce surface contamination, reduction of fumes or secondary waste associated with some abrasive conventional cutting techniques, portability, and process repeatability. Stan Wilford, senior sales


manager at IPG Photonics UK, said: ‘Tese all point to reducing some of these projected high costs. Te high powered laser energy from an IPG fibre laser can be delivered efficiently by means of a flexible optical fibre, in conjunction with specialised robots making it possible to laser cut contaminated metal components and structures remotely,


safely and without human intervention.’ Te LaserSnake is one


contactless solution – a single fibre laser that can be configured in two different ways to carry out the two different processes of concrete scabbling and tube cutting within a nuclear decommissioning environment. Developing a tool to cover both application areas is difficult, as laser cutting demands a very high power density in the beam, whereas laser scabbling requires a relatively modest power density. An industrial fibre laser is


suitable for both roles. It is also robust, compact and appropriate for the remote work


required in a nuclear decommissioning environment. Wilford said: ‘A specially selected optical fibre, in conjunction with an IPG remotely controlled optical beam switch, can deliver the laser’s energy to a hazardous area for a process that is all remotely controlled.’ Te fibre lasers are located and


operated remotely from the hazardous environment, while the cutting head makes no mechanical contact with the decommissioned materials, making this technology a safe alternative to conventional techniques. Te LaserSnake uses an


articulated robot arm with IPG’s YLS 5000 fibre laser to cut through metal sheets and pipework. Stainless steel tubes from 25mm diameter to 170mm diameter, with a range of wall thicknesses from 1.5mm to 11mm, were cut using single pass, two pass and multiple pass techniques. In the laser scabbling process, the


laser beam hits the concrete’s surface and its energy is absorbed. Te concrete matrix and the concrete aggregate are heated and expansion of residual water vapour causes the concrete to break up in a highly energetic fashion, leaving a rough scabbled surface, consisting of matrix and aggregate. For concrete with a limestone aggregate, the 5kW laser can remove a square metre of surface to a minimum depth of 10mm in less than two hours. Te LaserSnake project is a


collaborative one, led by research company OC Robotics and involving the expertise of TWI and IPG. Te project is now working on its second iteration, LaserSnake 2.


Coherent’s direct-diode laser HighLight D-Series. The newest member of this series, the HighLight 10000D, provides up to 10kW of direct-diode power at 975nm


26 LASER SYSTEMS EUROPE ISSUE 30 • SPRING 2016


Power storage As laser manufacturers aim to meet the future needs of the energy sector, there is a key requirement to improve battery technology for renewable forms of energy. Greenwood at SPI Lasers explained: ‘You have a lot of green technology but you cannot access it when you


may want it. Te wind stops blowing, or at night there’s no solar energy, so the biggest challenge for the energy industry is finding a way to store this energy efficiently.’ Greenwood added: ‘Te next step


will be to put battery storage into houses so you can store the green energy locally to be used when you need it. I believe there will be a lot of work on distributed storage to support the energy industry. It’s the big unsolved issue of green energy.’ One focus within the battery arena is to weld dissimilar metals


remove a square metre of surface to a minimum depth of 10mm in less than two hours


The 5kW laser can


successfully. Greenwood said: ‘It may be a more expensive process compared to conventional methods, but it gives you the ability to control the amount of heat, to create welds oſten without a filler or additional material, and it’s a contactless, repeatable and controlled process.’ Lithium ion batteries are made of


thin foils that are cut with lasers and then the parts are welded together. Tis poses quite a challenge in terms of controllability as the end user demands a strong weld – but the foil must remain intact and not be cut during the process. Many forms of energy


production, both renewable and non-renewable, employ laser technology for manufacturing components like turbines or drills. Te solar industry uses lasers for numerous production steps, including solar cell edge isolation – typically achieved by scribing a groove around the perimeter of the solar cell – and marking, cutting and scribing of wafers. Te benefits of the laser and its uses are still being harnessed by the energy industry as it continues to develop the technology required to improve its vast range of application areas.


@lasersystemsmag | www.lasersystemseurope.com


Coherent


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