Laser-drilling systems from Prima Power Laserdyne can precision-drill aircraft turbine engine components with shaped holes on shallow angles to 10º from the surface.
Photos courtesy Prima Power Laserdyne
achieved by adjusting pulse repetition rate with two important caveats. The allowable adjustment is fi nite, in that pulse repetition rate will change the laser aver- age power, and the beam quality of many lasers can change negatively with increased pulsing. Secondly, pulse repetition rate can change the substrate tempera- ture through sidewall conduction and cause degrada- tion in hole quality and time. In addition to the primary laser characteristics, there are multiple factors to consider for achiev- ing a stable process. Beam quality, in conjunction with lens focal length and input beam diameter, will determine the focal spot size and the depth of focus, essentially the “drill bit” diameter and length. Assist gases are also used for multiple reasons. One primary reason is to protect the lens or cover slide from eject- ed matter, but gas can also infl uence the drilling rate. Gases can also assist in removal (O2
) or help reduce
oxides (n). Pressure/fl ow will have to be balanced to protect the lens without suppressing the expelled material. Gases should be free of any moisture.
Laser Cutting
Laser cutting is a mature technology, and thou- sands of laser cutting systems are now making great parts for companies large and small in every corner of the globe. Most are safe, reliable, productive, accurate, serviceable and easy to use. Although this part of the industry is mature, improvements are constant. If one uses a modern
LF6
AdvancedManufacturing.org
cutting laser today, it will likely perform better than a similar machine just a few years old. The most recent innovations are the use of solid- state lasers that deliver the laser energy directly to the cutting head with an optical fi ber. Three different laser technologies are available: fi ber, disk and direct diode. Fiber lasers can be delivered using a small- diameter fi ber core with high beam quality. The laser energy can be focused to a very small spot providing high-power density at the workpiece. Disk lasers are similar in performance. Direct-diode lasers do not have the same beam quality as fi ber or disk, but this is improving and they are also starting to be used for laser cutting. All three forms of solid-state lasers start by generating energy using laser diodes. Fiber and disk lasers use diodes to excite another laser medium that generates a specifi c wavelength of light. Direct- diode lasers generate laser light directly from the diodes. All three solid-state lasers are more reliable and affordable to run than CO2
lasers. For a fiber laser, the focusability and
wavelength allow machines to cut very small kerf widths in thin material. Cutting with a small kerf requires less energy, and so, for a given power level, fiber lasers can cut thin material much faster. If you purchased a 2000-W CO2
laser in
2007 to clean cut 20-gage steel, the feed rate is about 290 ipm (7 m/min). A 2000-W fiber laser using air assist gas can cut the same material
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