Advanced Manufacturing (AM) has the potential to improve existing technologies and applications in terms of performance, light-weighting and costs. In the context of the SME4ALM initiative, launched by DLR and ESA, the company Kampf Telescope Optics GmbH (KTO) in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology (IWS) have assessed the feasibility of AM to build a high-performance optical mirror for space applications.
For the assessment of the AM potentials, a mirror design concept for cryogenic instruments for observations in the IR and NIR range was baselined. In a second step, Nickel-Phosphorus (NiP) was selected as optical coating. The combination of coating and mirror material is a primary design driver for optical performance. Both materials must have a very similar CTE as well as be compliant to modern optical manufacturing (diamond turning, polishing). As a promising candidate for NiP coating the AlSi40 was selected for the mirror structure.
The potential advantages of AM for optical mirrors in terms of mechanical performance, cost, and manufacturing time were exploited. The achievement of those objectives was / will be demonstrated by:
1. verifying AM material properties and manufacturability of AM mirrors by material sample tests and subcomponent tests
2. designing AM mirror demonstrator by structural, thermal, and optical performance analysis
3. applying and elaborating AM specific design methods (topology optimization, sandwich structures with internal microstructures, monolithic design, etc.)
4. manufacturing, assembling, and testing AM mirror demonstrator to verify manufacturability and optical performance
5. comparing optical and mechanical performance of the AM mirror demonstrator to a conventional mirror by numerical analysis to exploit potential advantages of AM
The fundamentals of laser remote cutting will be introduced as well as a comparison to the conventional laser fusion cutting process. The opportunities and limitations of this alternative laser cutting technology will be discussed in detail by means of recent application examples. Here to name cutting of typical punching and bending parts, battery foils, metals foams and electrical steel sheets. Questions that are concerning the cutting thickness, the cutting quality, the cycle time, and the impact on the material will be answered. Finally, conclusions and an outlook on future developments will be presented.
Direct Laser Interference Patterning (DLIP) has shown to be a fabrication technology capable of producing large area periodic surface patterns on almost any kind of material. The produced structures have been used in the past to provide surfaces with new enhanced properties. On the other hand, the industrial use of this technology is still at the beginning due to the lack of appropriate and affordable systems, especially for small and medium enterprises. In this paper, the use of DLIP for the fabrication of periodic structures using different structuring strategies and optical concepts is discussed. Different technological challenges are addressed.
Periodic patterned surfaces can be used to provide unique surface properties in applications, such as biomaterials, surface
engineering, photonics and sensor systems. Such periodic patterns can be produced using laser processing tools, showing
significant advantages due to a precise modification of the surfaces without contamination, remote and contactless
operation, flexibility, and precise energy deposition. On the other hand, the resolution of such laser based surface
structuring methods, like direct laser writing, is generally inversely proportional to the fabrication speed. Therefore, the
development of new laser structuring technologies as well as strategies offering both high speed and resolution is
necessary. In this study, the fabrication of spatially ordered structures with micrometer and submicrometer lengthscales
at high surface processing fabrication speed is demonstrated. The procedures shown here are applied to process both
planar surfaces and also three dimensional components. Different application examples of structured surfaces on
different materials are also described. The applications include the development of thin film structured electrodes to
improve the efficiency of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) as well as the direct fabrication of decorative elements
on technological steels. Finally, an example of fabrication at high fabrication speed is shown.
Periodic patterned surfaces do not merely provide unique properties, but act as intelligent surfaces capable of selectively
influencing multiple functionalities. One of the most recent technologies allowing fabrication of periodic arrays within
the micro- and submicrometer scales is Direct Laser Interference Patterning (DLIP). The method permits the direct
treatment of the material's surface based on locally induced photothermal or photochemical processes. Furthermore,
DLIP is particularly suited to fabricate periodic patterns on planar and non-planar surfaces offering a route to large-scale
production. In this paper, the fabrication of spatially ordered structures on different materials such as polymers, metals
and diamond like carbon films is discussed. Several application examples as function of the processed material are
introduced, including bio functional surfaces for cell guidance on polymers, wear resistant properties for structured
diamond carbon like coatings and metals, as well as micro-patterned flexible polymers with controlled optical properties.
Diffraction-limited high power lasers represent a new generation of lasers for materials processing, characteristic traits of
which are: smaller, cost-effective and processing "on the fly". Of utmost importance is the high beam quality of fiber
lasers which enables us to reduce the size of the focusing head incl. scanning mirrors. The excellent beam quality of the
fiber laser offers a lot of new applications. In the field of remote cutting and welding the beam quality is the key
parameter. By reducing the size of the focusing head including the scanning mirrors we can reach scanning frequencies
up to 1.5 kHz and in special configurations up to 4 kHz. By using these frequencies very thin and deep welding seams
can be generated experienced so far with electron beam welding only. The excellent beam quality of the fiber laser offers
a high potential for developing new applications from deep penetration welding to high speed cutting. Highly dynamic
cutting systems with maximum speeds up to 300 m/min and accelerations up to 4 g reduce the cutting time for cutting
complex 2D parts. However, due to the inertia of such systems the effective cutting speed is reduced in real applications.
This is especially true if complex shapes or contours are cut. With the introduction of scanner-based remote cutting
systems in the kilowatt range, the effective cutting speed on the contour can be dramatically increased. The presentation
explains remote cutting of metal foils and sheets using high brightness single mode fiber lasers. The presentation will
also show the effect of optical feedback during cutting and welding with the fiber laser, how those feedbacks could be
reduced and how they have to be used to optimize the cutting or welding process.
Experimental, numerical and analytical investigations were performed to give a possible explanation of the differences in
cutting quality detected for inert gas laser beam cutting process performed with disk and CO2 laser sources. Cutting
experiments were carried out at maximum cutting speed on cold work steel test specimens with different sheet
thicknesses. The particular feature of the applied experimental setup was the similar geometry of both the CO2 and the
disk laser beam with comparable values of the focus diameter and the Rayleigh length. The thermodynamic analysis was
based on experimentally primary losses evaluation by means of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) blocks, on numerical
computation of conductive power losses and analytical calculation of the remaining terms of energy balance. Energy
balance allowed the evaluation of secondary losses and proportion of vaporized kerf volume used for justifying the lower
quality of disk laser cuts. The lower proportion of vaporized kerf volume detected for disk laser cuts results in an
increased process temperature, thus an increase of viscosity of molten material and the subsequent more difficult ejection
of the melted material from the cut kerf.
Laser beam heat treatment has been established during the last years as a complementary technology for local hardening
treatment tasks at tool manufacturing, automotive industry and many others. Especially new high power diode lasers and
a lot of process supporting systems, what have been developed in recent years, are responsible for the increase of
industrial laser hardening applications. The short course starts with information about the basics of laser heat treatment.
After that a review about suitable lasers and recommended systems for reliable and well adapted laser heat treatment
processes is given. Examples of last ten years transfer of laser beam hardening into industry are presented and discussed.
In some cases, laser fusion cutting of non-oriented electrical steel laminations for electrical machines has been
investigated for some years but with unsatisfactory success. Certainly, recent laser beam technology seems to be a
promising step forward, and opens up the manufacturer to new fields of application. In this paper, laser cutting of
electrical sheet metal applying various beam sources with regard to the magnetic property deterioration is compared with
conventionally manufactured samples. The obvious correlation of wavelength and affected magnetic parameters is
characterized by using a commercialized measurement system. Moreover, an overview about the origin of the
deterioration participating effects is given.
Remote Ablation Cutting (RAC) is a most promising process for cutting thin metal sheets in the automotive, medical and
consumer industry. Characteristically for the RAC are high cutting velocities for metal foils as well as material
processing of box structures without spatter contamination at the inner surface. Furthermore, the system technology for
RAC can also be used for other processes, like welding and marking. Thereby, the flexibility of a production unit is
increased, compared to a conventional cutting system. Despite several advantages, the RAC is not yet state of the art in
industrial production. Reasons for that are lacking knowledge in the area of process itself and in possible application
areas.
In this paper a conceptual model of the ablation and the ejection mechanism is presented. It consists of the laser beam
absorption within the processing zone, the melt ejection from the kerf and the resulting spatter formation above the part
surface. Besides the model, the process boundaries and limitations are identified using empirical data.
Addressing possible applications, the following samples of different industrial areas are introduced to show the potential
of the process: Cutting of heat exchanger plates, cylinder head seals, and cathode/anode material for Li-Ion-Batteries.
Furthermore, a concept and first results of the combined processing of remote cutting and welding with one laser and one
scanner optics are presented.
Details and results of experimental investigations of a laser-supported plasma arc welding process are presented. The
particular feature of the realized experimental set-up is the coaxial arrangement of a single-mode fibre laser beam
through a hollow tungsten electrode in combination with a modified plasma welding torch. The analysis of the welding
capabilities of the combined laser-arc source comprises high-speed video recordings of the arc shape and size,
corresponding simultaneous measurements of the arc voltage as well as an evaluation of the resultant weld seam
geometries. Results of welding trials on different types of steel and aluminum alloys are discussed. The corresponding
investigations reveal that a fibre laser beam with a wavelength of 1.07 microns can have a crucial impact on the arc and
welding characteristics for both categories of materials even at very low laser power output levels. Beneficial effects are
especially observed with high welding speeds. In that particular case the arc root and therefore arc column can be
substantially stabilized and guided by the laser-induced hot spot.
The detection of specific DNA sequences for the analysis of mutations as well as the detection of proteins gains
increasing importance in the field of point-of-care diagnostics. Here, a novel low-cost lab-on-a-chip system for label-free
detection of DNA hybridization and protein-protein interaction is introduced. The platform consists of a reader with
disposable SPR chips produced by injection moulding. Micro optical elements are integrated into the chip to accomplish
a simple connection to the optical reader. Automated, software-controlled reagent handling is achieved by a temperaturecontrolled
microfluidic system comprising a syringe pump and a switching valve. The sensing area can be separated into
maximum 40 parts for parallel analysis. Patterned functionalization is achieved by inverse micro contact printing.
Several application examples, ranging from on-chip DNA hybridization up to the detection of antibodies inside diluted
human blood serum, will be demonstrated.
On the basis of a simulation model for lab-on-a-chip systems, the three approaches of sample loop, hydraulic focusing
and dielectrophoretic focusing were investigated with a view to increasing sensitivity. The bonding rate can be increased
significantly using sample loop and hydraulic focusing. Both approaches involve a considerable extension of the
measurement period, though the target bonding rate can be achieved more quickly with sample loop than with hydraulic
focusing. By using suitable analytes which can be deflected using dielectrophoresis, the bonding rate can be significantly
increased without any extension of the measurement period.
Cracking in laser cladding caused by inhomogeneous thermal expansion and/or phase transformations restricts the feasible feed rates and the use of high-strength coating materials. In order to better understand the physical reasons of thermal stress and cracking and to reduce the restrictions mentioned, the formation of beads and the evolution of the temperature and stress fields in laser cladding are simulated with and without inductive pre- or post-weld heating. The results of a semi-analytical analysis of the cladding process are transferred to a finite element model which calculates the temperature field, the phase transformations, and the residual stress and strain. These results show that both the danger of cracking due to high residual stress and strain and the distortion of the workpiece by irreversible plastic and thermo-metallurgical strain may be reduced by pre- or post-weld heating using inductors which can be directly integrated into the cladding process.
With the new industrial high power fiber lasers we have already stepped into a new generation of laser applications. These lasers are smaller, better, more cost-effective, and offer a processing "on the fly."
Of utmost importance is their excellent beam quality which enables us to reduce the size of the focussing head including the scanning mirrors. With the reduced mass of the mirrors we can reach scanning frequencies up to 1.5 kHz and in special configurations up to 4 kHz. Using such mirrors with this high beam quality we can shape the key hole geometry, and thus it is possible to decrease the keyhole spiking, which always occur in the case of deep penetration welding.
We can generate very thin and deep welding seams, which we have only experienced with electron beam welding. The excellent beam quality of the fiber lasers offers us a lot of new applications from deep penetration welding to high speed welding. By using beam scanning we are able to easily change the beam and the seam geometry.
Furthermore, it is possible to work with this kind of laser from a distance of some meters between focussing/scanning head and the work piece. This technique is called remote processing or processing "on the fly." The excellent beam quality also enables us to cut very precisely, and due to the small cutting widths with a very high speed. In this case the main problem is that the roughness of the cutting edge increases a little bit. One reason for this is that we cannot blow out the mold as easily as we can do it with higher cutting widths.
There are also polarized fiber lasers on the market where we can use the Brewster effect for different applications.
The presentation will cover some physical basics including different industrial applications.
The main focus of this article lies on the development of a novel joining technology for LTCC ceramic and
polymer sub-assemblies utilising laser radiation. Technical processes and the latest results are presented as
well as potential future applications. The developed joining process can be divided into two steps utilizing
the same laser system: a surface modification of the joining partners and a thermal process that is melting a
small portion of the polymer matrix that is being pressed into the roughness of the ceramic surface.
Higher and higher through-puts in marking industry are todays requirements: especially part-by-part varying markings like serial numbers, weight, date or barcodes are asked for. Taking advantage of the photosensitivity of commonly used opigments like titanium oxide marking industry is interested in turning existing excimer laser marking processes into a flexible, high-speed on-the-fly marking technique.
Current laser marking techniques like direct writing using a scanned laser beam offer flexibility but have limitations with sensitive materials like paper or plastics. Excimer laser mask projection technique is best suitable for sensitive materials but up to now has the drawback of invariability due to fixed transmittive masks.
The Fraunhofer IWS developed a marking system using excimer laser mask projection with a micro mirror device (MMD) as 'flexible mask'. With up to 2 million separate controllable micro mirrors the MMD provides variability: with every single laser pulse a new complex marking can be achieved.
To demostrate the capabilities the FhG IWS used a 308nm excimer laser and a reflective phase-shifting mask from FhG IMS. It was possible to generate free-programmable, high-contrast markings on materials like paper and plastic. Furthermore, it could be shown that the technique is also usable to generate 3D structures in PI.
Result of the studies is the development of a very fast marking technique using MMDs in combination with short wavelength and short pulse lasers. It also has high potential in 3D laser micromachining.
For more than three decades the tool "laser" is used for cutting various materials. Thanks to its high degree of flexibility the laser nowadays becomes a real competitor to existing silicon wafer separating methods in semiconductor industry like grinding with dicing saws. Presently, laser micro maching of silicon wafers is done by solid state lasers with 1064nm or 532nm, processing with 355nm is increasingly investigated [5]. Especially the influence of the gas atmosphere on cutting speed and achievable quality is to be discussed in this paper.
The article devoted to modeling of influence of thermo-capillary convection on heat transfer in melting pool during CW laser welding. An approximation of potential flow with boundary layers was used for solution of hydrodynamic problem in melting pool. A hydrodynamic problem was formulated in terms of current function. To determine a value of melt velocity circulation a condition of equality of mechanical powers of driving force (Marangoni tension) and braking force (viscous tension in boundary layer) was used. Calculations show that Marangoni convection increase an upper part and diminish a bottom part of melt pool.
Higher and higher through-puts in marking industry are todays requirements. Mainly packaging industry or cable marking companies ask for part-by-part varying markings like serial numbers, weight, date or barcodes. That gives a need to develop a flexible, high-speed on-the-fly marking technique. Current laser marking techniques like direct writing using a scanned laser beam or excimer laser fixed mask projection offer proven quality and either flexibility or detailism. Their drawbacks are limited speed (direct writing) and invariability (fixed mask projection). The Fraunhofer IWS developed a marking system using excimer laser mask projection with a micro mirror device (MMD) as computer-controlled 'flexible mask.' The idea is to generate complex markings within one laser pulse so the marking speed is only limited by the laser repetition rate. The IWS used a 308nm excimer laser and a reflective phase-shifting mask from Fh IMS to demonstrate the marking capabilities. It was possible to generate free-programmable, high-contrast markings on common materials like paper and plastic. Furthermore, it could be shown that the technique is also usable to generate 3D structures in PI. Result of the studies is the development of a very fast marking technique using MMDs in combination with short wavelength and short pulse lasers. It also has high potential in 3D laser micromachining.
Heat Treatment is one of the most promising application of multi kilowatt high power diode lasers. Providing a sufficient beam quality HPDL's have the advantage of their high efficiency comparing to Nd:YAG-lasers. Application of scanning mirror optics for multi kilowatt lasers is well known at CO2- or Nd:YAG-lasers. Fraunhofer IWS has developed a special driver unit, which generates automatically an optimized scanning function to provide a stress adapted intensity profile. Know the application of this technology at multi kilowatt high power diode lasers has been implemented successfully. Using 2.5 kW diode laser power hardening tracks of 30 mm in width and a penetration of about 1 mm are possible. Applying the temperature guide laser power controller LompocPro additionally, stress adapted hardening of edges with varying cross sections became possible. Besides hardening this system allows heat treatment with a rectangular beam of 5 x 85 mm2. Some applications show the performance of this technology.
Laser Beam Hardening with High Power Diode Lasers is presented as an excellent method for local heat treatment and minimum distortion. An overview is given about several strategies for local heat treatment and different industrial applications. Precise measuring and controlling of the surface temperature makes the process very reliable and is an essential tool for industrial users. To keep a constant penetration of the hardening zone at constant surface temperatures the feed rate can be adapted to local heat flow conditions. A former postprocessor of Fraunhofer IWS generates a CNC-program for the treatment and changes the feed rate in dependence of the surface shape. The new processor additionally considers local heat flow variations of a part caused by boreholes, grooves and changing local thickness. The processing is very fast and can be applied for solving daily problems of laser beam hardening. Some examples show the performance of the new postprocessor.
Novel lightweight applications in the automotive and aircraft industries require advanced materials and techniques for surface protection as well as direct and rapid manufacturing of the related components and tools. The manufacturing processes presented in this paper are based on multiple additive and subtractive technologies such as laser cutting, laser welding, direct laser metal deposition, laser/plasma hybrid spraying technique or CNC milling. The process chain is similar to layer-based Rapid Prototyping Techniques. In the first step, the 3D CAD geometry is sliced into layers by a specially developed software. These slices are cut by high speed laser cutting and then joined together. In this way laminated tools or parts are built. To improve surface quality and to increase wear resistance a CNC machining center is used. The system consists of a CNC milling machine, in which a 3 kW Nd:YAG laser, a coaxial powder nozzle and a digitizing system are integrated. Using a new laser/plasma hybrid spraying technique, coatings can be deposited onto parts for surface protection. The layers show a low porosity and high adhesion strength, the thickness is up to 0.3 mm, and the lower effort for preliminary surface preparation reduces time and costs of the whole process.
Micro structures in silicon are applied in different fields of industry, medicine and research. Examples are micro mechanical sensors for car security systems, nozzle plates for printer, and optical elements for x-ray beam splitting. Wherever the accuracy of etched silicon structures is not required, laser processes with short pulses and small wave length can be an option with the advantage of shorter process time. In this contribution the possibilities and limits of laser machining of Si by diode pumped Nd:YAG lasers with harmonics generation will be presented by means of structures processed by application of a scanner with f- theta-optic. The result will be discussed concerning the experimental setup and the laser parameters.
Laser processing of siliceous materials becomes increasingly important. Analogous to the laser processing of conventional materials there are applications in the fields of cleaning, surface processing, cutting, etc. The present paper concerns the state of the art and new applications: (1) Laser cleaning of natural stone surfaces. The good disability allows restoration work to be carried out conveniently, as for example the complete removal of crusts or the removal to such degree that moisture is not trapped beneath. (2) Non-slip finish of polished natural stone surfaces: The excellent focusing of laser beams on spots as small as 100 micrometer and below can be exploited to produce macroscopically invisible structures on the surfaces of different materials. This permits microscopically small craters and lentil shaped depressions to be generated on the stone surface. Therefore it is possible to provide a non-slip finish to polished natural stone surfaces without noticeably impairing the gloss. (3) Concrete cutting: In Europe, and particularly in Germany, there is a growing demand for redevelopment of concrete apartment buildings, involving the removal of non-bearing walls and the cutting of openings. The temporal relocation of residents due to the noise and moisture from the use of diamond tools could be avoided by applying a laser cutting technology. With a 3 kW-Nd-YAG-laser, 70 mm concrete can be cut with rates up to 25 mm/min.
In Europe especially in Germany there is a growing demand for redevelopment of concrete apartment buildings. For giving the apartments a new outline, concrete walls have to be removed and openings for new doors have to be made. The construction industry was searching for a cutting technology without using water and without loud noise for avoiding the temporal relocation of residents. At Fraunhofer-Institut IWS a laser cutting technology which fulfills these conditions was developed. Using a 3 kW-Nd-YAG-laser we succeeded in cutting 70 mm concrete with up to 25 mm/min. The technology is described and the design of a cutting equipment suitable on building sites is presented.
Simultaneous laser beam welding is a modified procedure of both sided laser beam welding. Two laser beams are focused in opposite direction at the same time and place onto the workpiece. The process is characterized by the formation of a joint keyhole opened to both sides of the workpiece. The main advantages in comparison with conventional laser welding processes are higher welding speed, avoidance of angular distortion due to a symmetrical field of thermal stresses, as well as minimum porosity, especially in the middle of the seam volume, and a high degree of process stability. The advantages are depending on the joint keyhole. In the case of small adjustment of the two beam axes combined with inappropriate parameter settings this joint keyhole can collapse into two separated keyholes each having only an opening to one side of the workpiece. Therefore the process state with 'joint keyhole' has to be monitored. According to this criterion a non-destructive on- line measurement technique has been developed. The measurement technique is based on RF-frequency modulation of one of the two applied laser beams. Since the results of the measurement are available in very short time scales a usage for on-line control is possible.
The growing significance of laser technology in industrial manufacturing is also observed in case of plastic industry. Laser cutting and marking are established processes. Laser beam welding is successfully practiced in processes like joining foils or winding reinforced prepregs. Laser radiation and its significant advantages of contactless and local heating could even be an alternative to conventional welding processes using heating elements, vibration or ultrasonic waves as energy sources. Developments in the field of laser diodes increase the interest in laser technology for material processing because in the near future they will represent an inexpensive energy source.
KEYWORDS: Plasma, Argon, Laser welding, Carbon dioxide lasers, Nitrogen, Process control, Laser processing, Signal processing, High power lasers, Tellurium
The use of high power CO2 lasers in welding enables processing with high laser intensities at the workpiece which is connected with the formation of a laser induced plasma at the surface of the workpiece. Therefore the effect of deep penetration welding by formation of a plasma filled keyhole and plasma plume above the workpiece is possible, including the risk of plasma shielding, which means strong absorption of the incident laser beam above the workpiece and thus interruption of the welding process. The conditions for ignition of plasma shielding, which is determined by electron density, are mainly influenced by laser intensity, process gas and material. Variations of these parameters have been conducted in order to find limits for the appearance of plasma shielding. Experimental data are used to verify a model concerning the absorption mechanism of a stationary shielding plasma state. The dynamic behavior is treated by time resolved spectroscopic analysis of the light emitted by the plasma above the workpiece yielding monitoring signals that have a strong correlation with the formation of plasma shielding. Based on these investigations a closed-loop process control in continuous high power laser welding has been developed. Using the intensity of a spectral line of laser induced plasma as monitoring signal and the regulation of laser intensity via laser power, plasma shielding can be suppressed. From the industrial point of view increase in economy and reliability of the laser welding process combined with quality improvements which are induced by the application of the plasma shielding controller (PSC) are of great importance. For this reason three examples of PSC application are presented.
We describe the aims and some results obtained in EU 194 program and his special place among the EUROLASER issued EUREKA projects. The project management with a Steering Committee, working groups on basic problems and workshops on different application themes are explained. Their interaction with other European projects and organizations are pointed out fra* problems so as standardization and safety.
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