Laser Cutting of Thick Materials Using Layered Ablation Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laser cutting methods for thick materials face inefficiencies and precision issues, particularly in achieving high-precision geometry and efficient cutting of materials thicker than 0.5 mm, with challenges including thermal damage, reduced efficiency, and difficulty in maintaining laser energy density and focal depth.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a focused laser beam that moves along a preset path, inclining to the material surface, forming two-dimensional patterns that are superimposed to create desired three-dimensional shapes, using a straight line or angular pattern motion to improve processing efficiency and precision, and adjusting the laser beam direction to adapt to changing tracks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the laser output power is increased to maintain energy density for thick material cutting, then the processing efficiency is improved, but the heat influence area increases causing thermal damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single-step ablation process into multiple sequential ablation steps. The laser beam processes the material in layers, removing thin portions in each pass. This segmentation allows efficient thick material cutting by accumulating removal over multiple passes while maintaining low power density to avoid thermal damage in any single pass.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic reciprocating motion of the laser beam along the processing path. The beam moves forward to ablate material, then reciprocates to continue removal in the next layer. This periodic action enables continuous processing of thick materials through repeated cycles of low-power ablation, achieving high productivity without sustained high thermal influence.
2Length of moving object
If the effective focal depth is increased to ablate thicker material in one pass, then the processing depth is improved, but the diameter of the focal spot increases reducing energy density
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of attempting to ablate the entire thickness in a single pass with increased focal depth, the patent segments the processing into multiple passes. Each pass removes a thin layer at the optimal focal depth, maintaining high energy density. The cumulative effect of multiple passes achieves the required total depth without sacrificing energy concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by removing only a small portion of the total required depth in each ablation pass. Rather than attempting to remove the full thickness in one excessive action that would require reduced energy density, multiple partial removals are performed, each at optimal energy density, to achieve the complete cutting goal.
3Manufacturing precision
If the laser beam is directed vertically to the material surface, then the focused spot remains concentrated, but the cut surface forms a positive taper making it difficult to obtain vertical tangent planes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetric processing by implementing reciprocating motion of the laser beam at an angle to the processing path. The beam does not follow a simple vertical trajectory but rather an asymmetric reciprocating path that allows the focused spot to scan across the surface in a controlled manner, enabling formation of vertical or inverted taper surfaces through differential ablation on forward and return passes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances processing efficiency and precision by simplifying calculations and reducing thermal damage, allowing for high-precision geometry and efficient cutting of thick materials.
Implementation Method 1
the material is subjected to a photo-thermoelectric effect in a spatial range in which the energy density of the beam is higher than the damage threshold value of the material
Implementation Method 2
Gasification evaporation, electron avalanche and so on) to ablate and remove the material
Implementation Method 3
Gasification evaporation, electron avalanche and so on) to ablate and remove the material
Implementation Method 4
The use of focused high-energy laser beams to irradiate the material is common in the field of metal processing, and the material is subjected to a photo-thermoelectric effect
Data Source
AI summary
A method for a laser to cut a material, comprising: driving a material (200) to move along preset paths (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170); and a focused laser beam (11) repeatedly moving on the surface of the material to ablate the material, thereby forming a two-dimensional pattern (320) oriented to the machining depth such that, as the material moves along the preset paths, a plurality of two-dimensional patterns are generated, the two-dimensional patterns being superposed to form a required form. The focused laser beam repeatedly moves along a straight line on the surface of the material, or repeatedly moves along the patterns. The method remarkably improves the machining efficiency of lasers ablating the materials, and focused laser spots may have higher speeds of movement along machining trajectories, thus improving the machining efficiency.