COURSE: MECHATRONIC ENGINEERING
UNIT: MANUFACTURING PROCESS PLANNING
UNIT CODE: EMT 2546
5TH YEAR SEMESTER 2
PROJECT 2
GROUP 7 – AHAMD HUSSEIN – ENM221-0194/2019
ALI KARIM – ENM221-0081/2019
MUIRURI ALEX – ENM221- 0191/2019
NELLY NDUNG’U – ENM221- 0045/2019
MANUFACTURING PROCESS PLANNING
PROJECT 2
A report detailing the process assigned, the process principles and then review research papers
that contain the latest trends and current technology on the said process.
LASER CUTTING
Laser cutting is a technology that uses a laser to vaporize materials, resulting in a cut edge.
Laser cutting works by directing the output of a high-power laser most commonly through
optics. The laser optics and CNC (computer numerical control) are used to direct the laser beam
to the material. The laser beam is generally focused using a high-quality lens on the work zone.
The quality of the beam has a direct impact on the focused spot size. The narrowest part of the
focused beam is generally less than 0.0125 inches (0.32 mm) in diameter. In order to be able to
start cutting from somewhere other than the edge, a pierce is done before every cut. The parallel
rays of coherent light from the laser source often fall in the range between 0.06–0.08 inches
(1.5–2.0 mm) in diameter. This beam is normally focused and intensified by a lens or a mirror to
a very small spot of about 0.001 inches (0.025 mm) to create a very intense laser beam. In order
to achieve the smoothest possible finish during contour cutting, the direction of the
beam polarization must be rotated as it goes around the periphery of a contoured workpiece.
The process principle involves, the laser beam hits the surface of the material and heats it so
strongly that it melts or completely vaporizes. Once the laser beam has completely penetrated the
material at one point, the actual cutting process begins. This is done when the cutting is not on
the edge. The laser system follows the selected geometry and separates the material in the
process. The laser beam is created by the stimulation of lasing materials through electrical
discharges or lamps inside a closed container. The lasing material is amplified by being reflected
internally via a partial mirror until its energy is enough for it to escape as a stream of coherent
monochromatic light. This light is focused at the work area by mirrors or fiber optics that direct
the beam through a lens which intensifies it.
Types of laser cutting
It can be broken down into three techniques:
1. Carbon (IV) oxide laser- For cutting, boring and engraving
2. Neodymium (Nd)
3. neodymium yttrium-aluminium-garnet (ND:YAG)
Nd is used for high energy low repetition boring and ND:YAG used for very high power boring
and engraving. All types of lasers can be used for welding.
CO2 lasers involve the passing of a current through a gas mix (DC-excited) or using the newer
technique of radio frequency energy (RF-excited). The RF method has external electrodes and
thereby avoids problems related to electrode erosion and plating of the electrode material on
glassware and optics that can occur with DC, which uses an electrode inside the cavity.
Another factor that can affect laser performance is the type of gas flow. Common variants of
CO2 laser include fast axial flow, slow axial flow, transverse flow, and slab. Fast axial flow uses
a mixture of carbon dioxide, helium and nitrogen circulated at a high velocity by a turbine or
blower. Transverse flow lasers use a simple blower to circulate the gas mix at a lower velocity,
while slab or diffusion resonators use a static gas field which requires no pressurization or
glassware.
Different techniques are also used to cool the laser generator and external optics, depending on
the system size and configuration. Waste heat can be transferred directly to the air, but a coolant
is commonly used. Water is a frequently used coolant, often circulated through a heat transfer or
chiller system e.g laser microjet system. The water also offers the advantage of removing debris
and cooling the material.
Materials to be machined
Metal- materials including stainless and mild steel, tungsten, nickel, brass and aluminium. Lasers
are ideal for cutting metal as they provide clean cuts with a smooth finish.
Wood- can be used with wood, with MDF and birch plywood among the most common
substances chosen as they can be manufactured in large sheets. The harder the wood, the greater
the laser power required, with dense hardwoods needing more power than softer woods.
Advantages
Reduced contamination and easier workholding.
High precision as the beam does not wear down during the cutting process.
Less wastage of material
Disadvantages
There is high power consumption
Laser cutting of plastics creates toxic fumes
Without proper care the materials to be cut can be burnt
High machinery cost
Latest trends
1. Laser cutting with ultrashort pulsed lasers (USP) – A high performance ultrashort laser to
create micro and nano structured surfaces textures. The pulse range of the lasers is of 100
femto-seconds to 10 picoseconds. 1 femto-second is 1x10^-15 seconds. With ultrashort
pulse the material barely registers that energy being applied hence there is no significant
generation of heat. It also saves power due to the pulses [1]. Glass can be machined using
this method.
2. Laser microjet ablation- Liquid assisted laser ablation is a combination of a laser beam
and low pressure water jet. Water is supplied in the laser coupling which goes through a
nozzle whose size is less than a human hair together with the laser beam. The laser beam
is fully captured inside the water jet due to internal reflection inside the water jet [2].
REFERNCES
[1] Max Kahmann, Myriam Kaiser et al, Cutting glass with photons, 2022 Wiley-VCH.
[2] Yang Guo et al, Laser-induced microjet-assisted ablation for high-quality microfabrication,
International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing.
