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.     

柔性复合薄膜成形极限曲线的视觉测定方法

针对柔性复合薄膜成形试验中极限应变难以测量的问题,提出一种基于双目立体视觉结合数字图像相关法的测量方法。首先对于薄膜材料成形过程中产生大变形或裂纹时图像难以匹配的问题,根据系列图像相邻状态变形的连续性,提出了一种图像匹配基准自适应更新的弱相关分步匹配方法;然后根据薄膜材料表面应变分布不同于钢制件的特性,提出了一种构建应变场截线来拟合薄膜材料的极限应变曲线的方法。专门组建视觉测定的软、硬件系统,通过Q235钢试件进行极限应变曲线测量并与坐标网格方法进行对比,材料极限应变精度能够提高0.02%,证明了本文方法的可行性和精确性。用7组PET/Nylon/Al foil/PP材料制备成的柔性复合薄膜试件进行实测,此方法及系统成功地完成了柔性复合薄膜材料的成形极限曲线测定。对比实验和实际测试证明,本文方法能够快速、准确地测量柔性复合薄膜材料在整个成形过程中的表面应变分布,与传统的坐标网格方法相比具有明显的优势,为测定薄膜材料的成形极限应变曲线提供了一种高可靠性、高精度的手段。     

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.     

Characteristic of energy input for laser forming sheet metal

Laser forming is a process in which laser-induced thermal deformation is used to form sheet metal without a hard forming tool or external forces. The energy input of laser beam is the key factor for the temperature and stress distribution of sheet metal. The purpose of this work is to investigate the influence of energy input condition on heat input and deformation angle for two-dimension laser forming. Variations in heat input resulting from material deformation was calculated and discussed in this paper at first. Furthermore, in laser forming under the condition of constant laser energy input, the effects of energy input mode on deformation angle and temperature field were investigated.     

A Prototype laser forming system

A non-contact laser forming (LF) demonstrator system was developed to demonstrate the process on a large primitive shape. The research that led to this development is described in this article. A fundamental study was carried out which examined the effects of laser-forming parameters on tokens of an aluminium and a titanium alloy. Energy, geometrical and metallurgical influences were investigated and are summarised here. Results of the study showed that LF of these aerospace materials is possible using a large operating envelope of laser-processing parameters. A range of metallurgical effects resulted on the titanium alloy and these are traced here. Depending on how the energy input was supplied to the plate surface, various geometrical effects resulted. These effects are discussed. Using the knowledge gathered from the fundamental study, a prototype LF system was built. The components of the system and the forming of a primitive shape on it are discussed. Conclusions from the study indicate that the future work lies in the development of the demonstrator for primitive 3-D shapes and the integration of a knowledge-based system.     

Laser-induced vibration during pulsed laser forming

In this study, the vibration phenomenon during pulsed laser forming of thin metal plates was investigated numerically and experimentally. The metal plates were made of 304 stainless steel and were heated by a CO₂ Gaussian laser beam with a long pulse duration of 0.1 s, which incited vibration due to the elastic–plastic deformation of the specimen. This uncoupled thermal–mechanical problem was solved using a three-dimensional finite element method and was subsequently satisfactorily verified with experiments. Using the superposition method with multiple laser pulses, the non-linear vibration phenomenon during pulsed laser forming has also been observed experimentally for thin plates.     

Flattening of sheet metal by laser forming

Laser forming is a thermal process for deformation of sheet metal by thermal stress. In this paper, the technique of laser forming is applied to flatten a protruded distortion on the sheet metal, and the mechanism of flattening is investigated experimentally. The protrusion of some height is intentionally produced by pressing a steel ball on a flat sheet metal. The laser beam was irradiated at the area of distortion, and as a result, the protrusion disappeared and an almost flat sheet metal could be obtained.     

Composition control for laser solid forming from blended elemental powders

Laser solid forming (LSF) from blended elemental powders is a powerful tool for the synthesis of novel materials. Accurate composition control is critical for the application of this technique. It is found that the chemical composition of as-deposited sample can be controlled the same as the premixed elemental powders by keeping the identity of the divergence angles of the elemental powder streams. A mathematical model was established to describe the powder delivery process during LSF from blended elemental powders. Based on the consistency condition for divergence angles of different elemental powder streams, the match condition among the elemental powder characteristics (including particle size and density) can be obtained, which ensures the consistency in composition between the laser deposits and the premixed elemental powders. LSF experiments were carried out using a blend of Ti, Al, and V powders and the composition analysis was performed on as-deposited samples. The experimental results demonstrate the validity of the developed mathematical model.     

激光冲击强化激光器的研制

针对近年来发展的激光冲击强化技术,采用1级谐振8级放大的系统结构和模块化设计方法,研制出了激光冲击强化用短脉宽、大能量的Nd:YAG脉冲激光器,并对激光器技术指标进行了测试分析。在预热20 min后、环境温度变化小于2 ℃的情况下,单脉冲最大输出能量高达25 J,能量不稳定度小于3%,脉宽16~20 ns可调,脉宽不稳定度小于1 ns,光束发散角小于等于2.5 mrad,重复频率达5 Hz。对TC4钛合金进行激光冲击强化实验,大幅度提高了TC4钛合金试件表面的残余压应力。结果表明,研制的激光器各项性能良好。     

激光冲击强化激光器的研制

针对近年来发展的激光冲击强化技术,采用1级谐振8级放大的系统结构和模块化设计方法,研制出了激光冲击强化用短脉宽、大能量的Nd:YAG脉冲激光器,并对激光器技术指标进行了测试分析。在预热20 min后、环境温度变化小于2 ℃的情况下,单脉冲最大输出能量高达25 J,能量不稳定度小于3%,脉宽16~20 ns可调,脉宽不稳定度小于1 ns,光束发散角小于等于2.5 mrad,重复频率达5 Hz。对TC4钛合金进行激光冲击强化实验,大幅度提高了TC4钛合金试件表面的残余压应力。结果表明,研制的激光器各项性能良好。     

Cluster speckle structures through multiple apertures forming a closed curve

In this work, cluster-like speckle patterns are analyzed. These patterns are generated when a diffuser illuminated by coherent light is imaged by a lens having a pupil mask with multiple apertures forming a closed curve. We show that the cluster structure results from the complex modulation produced inside each speckle which is generated by multiple interferences of light through the apertures. In particular, when the apertures are uniformly distributed along a closed curve, the resulting image speckle cluster replicates the pupil aperture distribution. Experimental results and theoretical simulations show that cluster features depend on the apertures distribution and the size of the closed curves.     

Generalized gain-spread expressions for the free electron laser

Starting from a many electron hamiltonian model we derive general expressions for the unsaturated gain and spread of a free electron laser that are valid for arbitrary magnetic field configurations. The general validity of a well known gain-spread relation is demonstrated.     

Proposal for a Raman X-ray free electron laser

A scheme for an X-ray free electron laser is proposed, based on a Raman process occurring during the interaction between a moderately relativistic bunch of free electrons, and twin intense short pulse lasers interfering to form a transverse standing wave along the electron trajectories. In the high intensity regime of the Kapitza-Dirac effect, the laser ponderomotive potential forces the electrons into a lateral oscillatory motion, resulting in a Raman scattering process. I show how a parametric process is triggered, resulting in the amplification of the Stokes component of the Raman-scattered photons. Experimental operating parameters and implementations, based both on LINAC and Laser Wakefield Acceleration techniques, are discussed.     

Study on mechanical properties after laser forming

Laser forming is a means of processing materials in a novel manner. The mechanical properties of specimens after laser forming are investigated. By tension tests, the tension properties are analyzed to establish Ramberg–Osgood constitutive equations under different laser processing parameters. Experimental data show that the yield strength and tensile strength are improved after laser forming, while the elongation percentage is reduced. Based on the distribution of residual stresses as well as residual strains after the laser forming process, the fatigue life under different laser processing parameters is studied using low-cycle fatigue tests. The residual compressive plastic strain is the most important reason for improving the fatigue life of low carbon steel after laser forming. The fatigue fracture mechanism is shown through the analysis of macro-fracture and micro-fracture using the scanning electronic microscope.     

An experimental investigation of underwater pulsed laser forming

Laser forming is a new forming technology, which deforms a metal sheet using laser-induced thermal stresses. This paper presents an experimental investigation of pulsed laser forming of stainless steel in water and air. The effects of cooling conditions on bending angle and morphology of the heat affected zone (HAZ) are studied. It is shown that the case of the top surface in air and the bottom surface immersed in water has the greatest bending angle based on the forming mechanism of TGM. The water layer above the sample decreases the coupling energy, leading to a small bending angle. For a thin water thickness (1 mm), the water effects on the HAZ are limited. As water layer thickness increases (5 mm), the concave shape of the HAZ is more remarkable and irregular because the shock waves by high laser energy heating water are fully developed. However, the area and the depth of the HAZ become less significant when water thickness is 10 mm due to the long pathway that laser undergoes.     

THz自由电子激光波荡器工程设计

根据波荡器物理参数的要求,主要设计了磁块与磁极的尺寸公差、装配方式、永磁性能指标及永磁测量系统。束流方向上磁块与磁极尺寸公差分别为0.05 mm和0.02 mm,磁块与磁极独立装调,利用亥姆霍兹线圈和磁场积分法测量磁块性能。最后设计了机械与控制系统。其中,横梁与支架形变分别为1.5 m和7.5 m。间隙调节范围18~32 mm,调节精度和锥度分别为0.01 mm和0.015 mm。     

自由电子激光摇摆器磁测系统

根据理论分析及实际加工水平,设计了一套摇摆器磁场测量系统,同时对影响磁测系统整体性能的主要参数进行了详尽分析。摇摆器磁测装置主要由气浮运动平台、测磁设备及控制系统组成,其主要功能是对霍尔探头的位置与磁场数据进行高精度测量及同步采集。主要参数如下: z向定位精度小于5 m,重复定位精度小于2 m;霍尔探头的测量精度为0.05%,重复测量精度为0.01%,响应频率为1 kHz;数据采集卡的采样率不小于1000。     

自由电子激光摇摆器磁测系统

根据理论分析及实际加工水平,设计了一套摇摆器磁场测量系统,同时对影响磁测系统整体性能的主要参数进行了详尽分析。摇摆器磁测装置主要由气浮运动平台、测磁设备及控制系统组成,其主要功能是对霍尔探头的位置与磁场数据进行高精度测量及同步采集。主要参数如下:z向定位精度小于5μm,重复定位精度小于2μm;霍尔探头的测量精度为0.05%,重复测量精度为0.01%,响应频率为1kHz;数据采集卡的采样率不小于1000。