Process designing for laser forming of circular sheet metal

Laser forming is a new type of flexible manufacturing process that has become viable for the shaping of metallic components. Process designing of laser forming involves finding a set of process parameters, including laser power, laser scanning paths, and scanning speed, given a prescribed shape. To date, research has focused on process designing for rectangular plates, and only a few studies are presented for axis-symmetric geometries like circular plates. In the present study, process designing for axis-symmetric geometries-with focus on class of shapes-is handled using a formerly proposed distance-based approach. A prescribed shape is achieved for geometries such as quarter-circular and half-circular ring plates. Experimental results verify the applicability of the proposed method for a class of shapes.     

A study of the effect of laser beam geometries on laser bending of sheet metal by buckling mechanism

Laser beam forming has emerged as a new and very promising technique to form sheet metal by thermal residual stresses. The objective of this work is to investigate numerically the effect of rectangular beam geometries, with different transverse width to length aspect ratio, on laser bending process of thin metal sheets, which is dominated by buckling mechanism. In this paper, a comprehensive thermal and structural finite element (FE) analysis is conducted to investigate the effect that these laser beam geometries have on the process and on the final product characteristics. To achieve this, temperature distributions, deformations, plastic strains, stresses, and residual stresses produced by different beam geometries are compared. The results suggest that beam geometries play an important role in the resulting temperature distributions on the workpiece. Longer beam dimensions in the scanning direction (in relation to its lateral dimension) produce higher temperatures due to longer beam–material interaction time. This affects the bending direction and the magnitude of the bending angles. Higher temperatures produce more plastic strains and hence higher deformation. This shows that the temperature-dependent yield stress plays a more dominant role in the deformation of the plate than the spread of the beam in the transverse direction. Also, longer beams have a tendency for the scanning line to curve away from its original position to form a concave shape. This is caused by buckling which develops tensile plastic strains along both ends of the scanning path. The buckling effect produces the opposite curve profile; convex along the tranverse direction and concave along the scanning path.     

Statistical analysis of parameter effects on bending angle in laser forming process by pulsed Nd:YAG laser

In recent years, laser application has been introduced for bending and forming as new processes in manufacturing. The capability of laser bending demands more studies to recognize parameters influencing bending angle of sheet metals. In this study the effects of parameters such as material, laser power, beam diameter, scan velocity, sheet thickness, pass number and pulse duration on bending angle were studied by FEM initially and then followed by experiments. Furthermore, the Taguchi experimental design method was employed to pin point parameters, which significantly affect the bending process of laser bending of St12 and 304 alloy steels, which have a wide range of applications in products manufacturing. A regression analysis was conducted and a closed form equation was derived. The closed form equation can be used in industry to determine which process parameters (factors) enhance the bending angle in laser bending process.     

3D laser-forming strategies for sheet metal by geometrical information

Forming sheet metal by laser-induced thermal stress (laser forming) is considered to offer great potential for rapid prototyping and flexible manufacturing. Accordingly, many studies have been carried out in different areas of laser forming. However, in order to apply the laser-forming process to real 3D products, a method that encompasses the whole process planning is required, including the laser irradiation patterns, laser power, and travel speed, when the target shape is given. In this work, a new method for 3D laser forming of sheet metal is proposed. This method uses geometrical information rather than a complicated stress–strain analysis. Using this new method the total calculation time is reduced considerably while affording strong potential for enhanced accuracy. Two different target shapes were formed by laser irradiation with the proposed procedure to validate the algorithm.     

Short pulse laser microforming of thin metal sheets for MEMS manufacturing

Continuous and long-pulse lasers have been used for the forming of metal sheets for macroscopic mechanical applications. However, for the manufacturing of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), the applicability of such type of lasers is limited by the long-relaxation-time of the thermal fields responsible for the forming phenomena. As a consequence of such slow relaxation, the final sheet deformation state is attained only after a certain time, what makes the generated internal residual stress fields more dependent on ambient conditions and might make difficult the subsequent assembly process for MEMS manufacturing from the point of view of residual stresses due to adjustment.The use of ns laser pulses provides a suitable parameter matching for the laser forming of an important range of sheet components used in MEMS that, preserving the short interaction time scale required for the predominantly mechanic (shock) induction of deformation residual stresses, allows for the successful processing of components in a medium range of miniaturization but particularly important according to its frequent use in such systems.In the present paper, a discussion is presented on the specific features of laser interaction in the timescale and intensity range needed for thin sheet microforming with ns-pulse lasers along with relevant modelling and experimental results and a primary delimitation of the parametric space of the considered class of lasers for the referred processes.     

面曝光选区激光熔化成形形状精度研究

主要研究面曝光选区激光熔化单层成形时,激光光斑搭接率和电流对形状精度的影响。实验通过控制变量法研究搭接率、曝光时间、电流等工艺参数对激光光斑、熔道、圆环、尖角等成形形状精度的影响。实验结果表明:一定范围内,电流越大,激光光斑更均匀,成形一致性更好;搭接率38.4%能够获得最低的形状误差的熔道;搭接率一定,圆环成形误差随电流的增加而增加;尖角成形误差随着电流增加,呈现先增后减的趋势;搭接率为46.1%、38.4%时,零级衍射带来的形状误差降低。     

Feedback control for 2D free curve laser forming

Forming sheet metal by laser-induced thermal stress (laser forming) is considered to have a great potential for rapid prototyping and other flexible manufacturing. However, the previous researches have mainly focused on analyzing the phenomena of the forming process. In 2D free curve laser forming, a feedback control scheme for each single bending angle was suggested in this study by incorporating a statistical method and the effect of the remaining errors was discussed. Methods of compensating for the remaining errors were proposed and analyzed by computer simulations. Experiments verified the applicability of the proposed methods.     

Unipolar resistive switching in high-resistivity Pr<Subscript>0.7</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.3</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> junctions

We report the first demonstration of laser forward transfer using a real-time reconfigurable mask based on a spatial light modulator. The ability to dynamically change the projected beam shape and size of a coherent light source, in this case a 355-nm pulsed UV laser, represents a significant technological advancement in laser direct-write processing. The application of laser transfer techniques with adaptive control of the laser beam pattern is unique and represents a paradigm shift in non-lithographic processing. This work describes how the size and shape of an incident laser beam can be dynamically controlled in real time with the use of a digital micromirror device (DMD), resulting in laser-printed functional nanomaterials with geometries identical to those of the projected beam. For applications requiring additive non-lithographic techniques, this novel combination, which relies on the laser forward transfer of variable, structured voxels, represents a dramatic improvement in the capabilities and throughput of laser direct-write processes.     

Development of irradiation strategies for free curve laser forming

Although forming sheet metal by laser-induced thermal stresses (laser forming) has been extensively studied, the research has mainly focused on a single angle forming process. The task of free curve laser forming of sheet metal is to determine a set of process parameters such as laser scanning paths, laser power and scanning speed that will make a given shape. Two methods were used for generating the laser scanning paths and the bending angles of each path. Each method was analyzed by computer simulation and the two methods were compared. Experiments verified the applicability of the proposed methods.     

Test mass ring dampers with minimum thermal noise

Advanced laser interferometers gravitational wave detectors may need to substantially reduce the Q-factor of test mass normal modes to eliminate parametric instability. In this Letter we investigate various ring damper configurations for two different laser beam geometries. We show that there is a well-defined location near the mid point of a test mass where the thermal noise degradation from the ring damper is minimised. A Q-factor reduction by a factor of 5 can be obtained for at least 30% of the investigated normal modes at the cost of a 1% increase in thermal noise as seen by a 5 cm diameter incident laser beam. Ring dampers can be up to about 10 mm wide while maintaining minimum thermal noise effect contribution. Of the remaining modes, 30% are very weakly damped.     

Fluorescence lifetime imaging with a low-repetition-rate passively mode-locked diode-pumped Nd:YVO4 oscillator

We report a wide-field fluorescence lifetime imaging microscope based on a low-repetition-rate (3.7-MHz) passively mode-locked diode-pumped laser source. This inexpensive and compact laser source operating in the visible and UV range can excite a wide range of fluorophores of biological interest. We demonstrate that the power of this laser source is highly sufficient for studying biological systems with low quantum yields (autofluorescence of tissues and stained living cells). The maximum measurable lifetime is also strongly increased with this laser source, as fluorescence intensity measurement can occur 250 ns after the excitation pulse.     

Measurement of thermal expansion coefficient of nonuniform temperature specimen

A new technique is developed to measure the longitudinal thermal expansion coefficient of C/C composite material at high temperature. The measuring principle and components of the apparatus are described in detail. The calculation method is derived from the temperature dependence of the thermal expansion coefficient. The apparatus mainly consists of a high temperature environmental chamber, a power circuit of heating, two high-speed pyrometers, and a laser scanning system. A long solid specimen is resistively heated to a steady high-temperature state by a steady electrical current. The temperature profile of the specimen surface is not uniform because of the thermal conduction and radiation. The temperature profile and the total expansion are measured with a high-speed scanning pyrometer and a laser slit scanning measuring system, respectively. The thermal expansion coefficient in a wide temperature range (1000 - 3800 K) of the specimen can therefore be obtained. The perfect consistency between the present and previous results justifies the validity of this technique.     

Direct observation of the temperature field during ablation of materials by multiple femtosecond laser pulses

We report a direct observation of the temperature field on a steel specimen during ablation by multiple femtosecond laser pulses using an infrared thermography technique. From the experimental results and simulation study of the temperature field, we quantified the deposited thermal power into the specimen during the ablation process. We found that more than two thirds of the incident laser power was deposited in the steel specimen when ablated by multiple femtosecond laser pulses. This result provides further understanding of the heating effect in materials processing by ultrashort laser pulses.     

Finite element simulation of laser tube bending: Effect of scanning schemes on bending angle, distortions and stress distribution

Laser forming has received considerable attention in recent years. Within laser forming, tube bending is an important industrial activity, with applications in critical engineering systems like micro-machines, heat exchangers, hydraulic systems, boilers, etc. Laser tube bending utilizes the thermal stresses generated during laser scanning to achieve the desired bends. The parameters to control the process are usually laser power, beam diameter, scanning velocity and number of scans. Recently axial scanning has been used for tube bending instead of commonly used circumferential scans. However the comparison between the scanning schemes has involved dissimilar laser beam geometries with circular beam used for circumferential scanning and a rectangular beam for the axial scan. Thermal stresses generated during laser scanning are strongly dependent upon laser beam geometry and scanning direction and hence it is difficult to isolate the contribution made by these two variables. It has recently been established at the Corrosion and Protection Centre, University of Manchester, that corrosion properties of material during laser forming are affected by the number of laser passes. Depending on the material, the corrosion behaviour is either adversely or favourably affected by number of passes. Thus it is of great importance to know how different scanning schemes would affect laser tube bending. Moreover, any scanning scheme which results in greater bending angle would eliminate the need for higher number of passes, making the process faster. However, it is not only the bending angle which is critical, distortions in other planes are also extremely important. Depending on the use of the final product, unwanted distortions may be the final selection criteria. This paper investigates the effect of scanning direction on laser tube bending. Finite-element modelling has been used for the study of the process with some results also validated by experiments.     

超快脉冲激光辐照金属薄膜热-力效应的模拟研究

基于双曲双温两步热传导和热电子崩力模型,考虑到超快脉冲激光辐照金属薄膜材料过程中的热-力耦合效应,得到了完全耦合的、非线性的超快热弹性模型.运用具有人工粘性和自适应步长的有限差分算法,以脉宽为100 fs的脉冲激光辐照200 nm厚金膜为例,对薄膜体内的电子-晶格温度及温度梯度、热应力和电子热流进行了数值模拟研究.结果表明：脉冲辐照早期为明显的非平衡加热阶段,同时形成较大的热电子崩力;电子热流出现双峰现象;超快加热引起的热应力是导致薄膜力学损伤的主要原因.     

An optimal process of femtosecond laser cutting of NiTi shape memory alloy for fabrication of miniature devices

The mechanical properties of NiTi shape memory alloy (SMA) components are sensitive to thermal influence during laser machining. To make the femtosecond laser cutting of NiTi material meet the strict fabrication requirements for miniature SMA devices with high precision, complex patterns and minimal heat affected zone (HAZ) along with high throughput, we report an optimal process of sideways-movement path planning in this article. Femtosecond laser processing of NiTi SMA using the fundamental wavelength of 775 nm from a Ti:sapphire laser along with its second and third harmonic irradiations were systematically investigated. We observed that the main impact of ultrashort laser pulse induced air breakdown on materials processing was beam widening. The laser beam at fundamental wavelength suffered less widening than its harmonic wavelengths. Femtosecond laser machining of metals is still basically a thermal mechanism. High ablation rates at higher laser fluences causes significant recast formation, while lower fluences resulted in better cutting quality at the expense of efficiency. The optimal process involving the method of sideways-movement path planning enables recast-free high-precision features at higher laser fluences with better throughput.     

Lasers for materials processing: specifications and trends

An overview is given of the types of lasers dominating the field of laser materials processing. The most prominent lasers in this field are the CO₂ and the Nd: YAG laser. The domain of CO₂ lasers is applications which demand high laser powers (up to 30 kW are available at present), whereas the domain of Nd:YAG lasers is micro-machining applications. In the kilowatt range of laser output power, the two types of lasers are in competition. New diffusion-cooled CO₂ laser systems are capable of output laser powers of several kilowatts, with good beam qualities, while still being quite compact. The output power and beam quality of Nd:YAG lasers has been improved in recent years, so that Nd:YAG lasers are now an alternative to CO₂ lasers even in the kilowatt range. This is especially true for applications that demand optical fibre transmission of the laser beam, which is possible with Nd:YAG laser light but not with the longerwavelength light emitted by CO₂ lasers. The main problem in solid-state lasers such as Nd:YAG is the thermal lensing effect and damage due to thermal stresses. In order to reduce thermal loading, cooling has to be enhanced. Several alternative geometries have been proposed to reduce thermal loading and, by this, thermal lensing effects. There are now slab and tube geometries which allow much higher output powers than the conventionally used laser rods. A very new scheme proposes a thin slab whose cooled side is also used as one of the laser mirrors, so that thermal gradients occur mainly in the direction of the beam propagation and not perpendicular to it, as is the case in the other geometries. As well as CO₂ and Nd:YAG lasers, semiconductor laser diodes are very promising for direct use of the emitted light or as pump sources for Nd:YAG and other solid-state lasers. When packaging together thousands of single laser diodes, output powers of several kilowatts can be realized. Major problems are collimation of the highly divergent laser beams and cooling of the laser diode bars.     

Correction of a coherent image during KrF excimer laser ablation using a mask projection

Using masks for laser ablation has proven useful in the fabrication of prototypes for the manufacturing of micro-fluidic devices. In this work, an excimer laser was used to engrave microscopic channels on the surface of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which showed a high absorption ratio for an excimer laser beam with a wavelength of 248 nm. When 50 μm wide rectangular microscopic channels were made using a 500×500 μm square mask and a magnification ratio of 1/10, ditch-shaped defects were found at both corners. The calculation of the laser beam intensity showed that a coherent image in the PET specimen caused the defects. An analysis based on the Fourier diffraction theory enabled the prediction of a coherent shape at the image plane, as well as a diffracted beam between the mask and the image plane. The analysis also showed that the diameter of the aperture was a predominant factor toward the elimination of ditch-shaped defects in the rectangular microscopic channels on the PET produced by an excimer laser ablation.     

Self-guided glass drilling by femtosecond laser pulses

Straight through-holes of high aspect ratio have been fabricated in glass by femtosecond laser pulses, utilizing unique characteristics of ultrafast lasers such as volumetric multi-photon absorption and nonlinear self-focusing. In this study, interestingly, the drilling process was initiated and progressed in a self-regulated manner, while the laser focus was fixed through the specimen at the neighborhood of the rear surface that was in contact with liquid during the entire drilling process. The deposition of laser energy along the nonlinearly extended focal range and the guided drilling along the pre-defined region are explained based on time-resolved optical transmission and emission measurements.     

Confocal optical beam induced current microscopy of light-emitting diodes with a white-light supercontinuum source

To improve the efficiency of confocal optical beam induced current (OBIC) and the non-destructive, high-resolution analysis of semiconductor media we report the application of a white-light supercontinuum laser source capable of confocal OBIC across a wide spectral range. To demonstrate the capability of this source, we performed confocal OBIC of light emitting diodes with varying absorption and emission properties in the visible spectrum. Using the wavelength flexibility afforded by the broadband laser source, we were able to determine and apply the optimum excitation wavelength range for efficient confocal OBIC instead of applying inferior fixed wavelength laser sources. PACS 87.64.Tt; 85.30.De