Laser Edge Modification for Ultra-Thin Glass Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Achieving high-quality cutting of ultra-thin glass plates without chipping, as conventional mechanical and laser cutting methods fail to remove chippings effectively, and mechanical polishing can break the glass.
Innovation Solution
A cutting method for multilayer structures involving cutting to form a cut edge, removing non-brittle layer material along the edge, and modifying the brittle layer edge using a laser beam with a controlled spot size and scanning path to peel off chippings, ensuring the laser beam strikes the edge to minimize chipping width and enhance edge quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If mechanical polishing is used to remove chippings from glass plates, then cutting quality is improved for thicker glass, but the glass plate breaks when it is ultra-thin
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical polishing system with a laser-based system. The laser beam melts and vaporizes chippings from the glass edge through thermal processing, eliminating mechanical contact that causes breakage in ultra-thin glass while effectively removing chippings to achieve high cutting quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the processing parameters from mechanical force and abrasion to laser energy density, pulse duration, and scanning speed. By controlling these laser parameters, the system can precisely remove chippings from ultra-thin glass without applying mechanical stress that would cause breakage
2Productivity
If conventional laser cutting is used on ultra-thin glass, then cutting speed is maintained, but chippings cannot be effectively removed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic pulsed laser action instead of continuous laser processing. The pulsed laser delivers repeated short-duration energy bursts that progressively melt and eject chippings while allowing heat dissipation between pulses, preventing thermal damage to the ultra-thin glass and enabling effective chipping removal
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous laser scanning with overlapping pulses to maintain processing continuity. The laser beam continuously scans along the cut edge with properly overlapped pulses, ensuring uninterrupted chipping removal while maintaining high cutting speed and consistent edge quality throughout the processing
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
The method achieves a bending strength of 500 MPa or more in the multilayer structure, preventing breakage and improving cutting quality by effectively removing chippings, thus overcoming the limitations of existing cutting techniques.
Implementation Method 1
modifying an edge of the brittle layer remaining after removing the material of the multilayer structure other than the brittle layer by a laser beam
Implementation Method 2
causing a laser beam to strike an edge of the brittle layer adjacent to the cut edge so as to peel off a layer of chippings at the edge of the brittle layer
Data Source
AI summary
A cutting method of a multilayer structure containing a brittle layer is provided. The cutting method includes: cutting the multilayer structure to form a cut edge; removing a material of the multilayer structure other than the brittle layer along the cut edge, wherein the material of the multilayer structure other than the brittle layer has a width ranging from 1 micron to 2 millimeter; and modifying an edge of the brittle layer remaining after removing the material of the multilayer structure other than the brittle layer by a laser beam.