A study on UV laser drilling of PEEK reinforced with carbon fibers

This paper deals with the application of Nd-YAG laser emitting at 355 nm to the drilling process of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polyetheretherkethone (PEEK-CF) laminates. The combination of a modern UV-laser source with a scanning technology enabling speeds up to 4 m/s, suppresses heat affected zones (HAZ) and consequently detachment of fibers from the polymer matrix. A removal technique based on the ablation of superimposed layers of composite material is proposed and analyzed in detail as a function of energy density delivered to the surface, hatch strategy and thickness of the laminate to be drilled. The hatching technique discussed in the paper is compared with conventional laser trepanning and percussion drilling through holes for the realization of 2 mm and 0.1 mm diameter, respectively. In both the cases benefits were noticed in terms of extension of HAZ and quality of the cut edges.