Module-3: ADVANCED MATERIAL REMOVAL PROCESSES

Lecture No-12

Laser Beam Machining (LBM)

Laser machining is a technology that uses a laser beam (narrow beam of intense
monochromatic light) to cut required shapes or profile or pattern in almost all types of
materials. Some of the examples include metals, ceramics, food products, leather etc. In
this process, the output of a high power laser beam is directed in a programmed manner
towards the material required to be cut. The high amount of heat thus generated either
melts, burns, or vaporizes away the material at the focused region. The process can be
used to make precise holes in thin sheets and materials. The laser beam cutting finds its
applications in a variety of fields. The fields where laser beam has been successfully used
are cloth and plastic cutting, laser marking, laser welding, laser drilling, cleaning and
surface treatments.

Principle of Laser

The word laser is an acronym for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of
Radiation. When an atom absorbs a quantum of energy from a light source, the orbital
electron of an atom jumps to a higher energy level. The electron later drops to its original
orbit and emits the absorbed energy. If the electron, which is already at high energy level,
absorbs the second quantum of energy, it emits two quanta of energy and after emitting
the energy it returns back to its original orbit. The energy that is radiated has the same
wave length as the simulating energy. The laser material when placed in an optical cavity
and exposed to light energy keeps storing the energy. The energy initially builds up in the
laser material and finally gets emitted in the form of a highly amplified light beam. The
basic mechanism of energy transfer in laser beam is shown in Fig. 3.12.1 and laser beam
generation is schematically shown in Fig.3.12.2
Attributes
A off Laser Beam
m

The
T attributess of laser ligh
ht are as folllows:

 It is coherent i.e. all photons that make up the beam are in phasee with each oother.
This optical
o propeerty of lightt that mostlyy distinguishhes the laserr from other light
sourcee is ‘cohereence’. The laser is reggarded, quit correctly aas the first truly
cohereent light sou
urce. Other liight sources,, such as thee sun or a gass discharge llamp,
are at best only paartially coherrent.
 It is highly
h collim
mated; i.e. a parallel beeam is prodduced. Lightt rays are allmost
perfecctly parallel
 It is monochrom
matic means the light iss of one coolor, or of one waveleength.
Differrent media used
u to stimu
ulate the phootons generaate different wavelengthss, but
each type
t of laser has a speciffic wavelenggth.
Classificcation of Laser Beams

Laser beaams can be classified

c in two ways ass Continuouss mode and P
Pulse mode..

 Continuous
C mode: Thiss mode is geenerally preeferred whilee cutting strraight and m
mildly
co
ontoured patths (the cuttiing is fastestt).

 Pulse
P mode: This mode is preferred
d for cutting thin materiaals, as it enabbles tight coorners
an
nd intricate details
d to be cut without excessive bburning.

The rep
presentation of
o continuou
us and pulsed
d beam is shhown in Fig. 3.12.3

Types
T of Lasser

There
T are two
o types of lassers used forr cutting: thee gaseous CO
O2 laser and the soolid-
state Neodymium
m-doped Yttrrium Alumin
num Garnet (Nd: YAG) laser. The propertiess of
the ab
bove two typ a given below:
pes of laser are

 Co2 Laserrs: these laseers can be op

perated contiinuously andd on a pulsedd basis

6 m
• Wavelengths: 10.6
• Powerr up to 100 kW
k
• Pulsed
d and contin
nuous wave
 Nd: YAG Lasers: (Neodymium-doped, Yttrium-Aluminum-
Garnet (Y3Al5O12))
• Wavelengths: 1064 nm
• Power up to 5 kW
• Pulsed and continuous wave

The Co2 laser is more powerful amongst these lasers and is primarily used for cutting and
profiling. It is capable of cutting up to 25mm thick carbon steels. This laser beam,
because of the spread after its focal point, tends to create a tapered cut.

The Nd: YAG laser is suitable for drilling small holes (2-3 microns) to a depth
approximately six times diameter. It can also be used for engraving and etching. A
significant advantage of the Nd: YAG laser is that the beam can be transmitted through
fiber-optic cables. This property/characteristic makes it useful for welding applications.

Mechanism of Material Removal / Cutting using Laser Beam:

The mechanism of material removal by laser beam is given in the following steps:

 Place the workpiece on the table. As there is absence of cutting forces, fewer work
holding devices are needed.
 The focal point of the laser is intentionally focused onto the surface of the workpiece
for providing the heat in a concentric manner.
 Due to the striking of laser beam, heat is generated at the work-piece surface and as a
result, the material vaporizes instantly, producing kerf in the material.
 The movement of machine-axis is through the computer control which helps to
achieve the required profiles on the workpiece. Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) is minimal
in laser as compared to flame cutting.
 To clear the molten metal that has yet not vaporized or clogged on the surface of the
workpiece, the assist gas, (inert gas or exothermic gas is used for this propose) under
pressure is passed on-to the workpiece. The use of different assist gases with different
work materials is given in table 3.12.1
 Tab
ble 3.12.1: Workpiece
W material
m and
d Correspon
nding Assist Gases

 Mild
M steel  Oxygen
O
 Sttainless steell  Oxygen
O or nitrogen ((nitrogen leeaves an
oxide
o free edge thhat can improve
 Aluminum
A weldability)
w
 Tiitanium  Nitrogen
N
 Nonmetals
N  Argon
A (an ineert gas becauuse of its reaactivity)
 Air
A or inert ggas

The
T schematiic of laser cu
utting units are
a shown inn Fig. 3.12.4 and Fig. 3.112.5. Referriing to
Figure 3.12.4
4, when pow
wer is suppliied by the P
PFN (pulse-fforming netw
work), an inntense
pu
ulse of light (photons) iss released thrrough one ennd of the cryystal rod.

The laserr light will pass

p on throu
ugh the shuttter assemblyy to the anglled mirror and down thrrough
the focussing lens to the workpieece. The laser light beam
m is cohereent and has vvery high ennergy
content. When focused on the desired surfface, laser llight createss intense heeat which caan be
further used for weld
ding, cutting and drilling
g applicationss.

Historical
H Deevelopments

 Laser cuttting is being

g used in indu
ustries sincee the 1970's.
 The first common
c app
plication wass for sign-m
making, mainly cutting accrylic.
 It was established as a manufactu
uring processs in the 80’s
 It is now become
b a sig
gnificant pro
ocess in everry manufactuuring econom
my

Advantages
A
 The ability to cut almost all materials
 No limit to cutting paths as the laser point can move in any paths.
 No cutting lubricants are required
 As there is an absence of direct contact between the tool and workpiece; thus no
forces are induced and as a result it is not necessary to provide the work holding
system to hold the workpiece.
 The fragile materials are easy to cut on a laser without any support.
 Flexibility exists in precision cutting of simple or complex parts.
 There is no tooling cost or associated wear costs due to it.
 Laser produces high quality cuts without extra finishing requirements.

Disadvantages

 Laser processes involve high capital investments and high operating costs.
 Laser holes are tapered to some extent (approximately 1% of the drill depth)
 It cannot drill blind holes to precise depths. Hence there is limitation on its thickness.
 Heat affected through the lasers may change the mechanical properties of the metallic
materials and alloys
 The processing time in larger holes is slower due to trepanning action (process)
involved in it.
 Reflected laser lights can lead to safety hazards.
 Assist or cover gases are required for safety purposes.

Applications

One of the problems associated with the conventional approach in cutting of tough
materials such as titanium alloy is that, at high cutting speeds the life of the cutting tool is
very short. As the titanium alloys are used extensively in the aerospace industry, there is
a tremendous interest and curiosity for developing this technique especially for enabling
higher cutting rates.

Laser machining is used for making very accurate sized holes as small as 5 microns in
metals, ceramics and composites without warpages. It is widely used for fine and
acccurate drilling and cu
utting of metallic
m and non-metalliic materials. Electronicc and
au
utomotive in
ndustries alsso find exteensive appliications for laser beam machining.. The
materials
m thatt can be cut by
b laser are extended woood, plasticss, leather, glaass, ceramiccs and
fiiber optics. Fig.
F 3.12.6 shows
s the scchematic of cutting glaass material through the laser
machining
m prrocess.