LBM

What is laser and its
characteristics
 LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION

 Monochromatic : single wavelength
 Coherent : same phase relationship
 Directional : Low divergence , Beam spreads very little
 Intense : High density of usable photons
How LASER is Produced?
LASER Generation and its types
Schematic diagram of LBM
Material Removal Mechanism In LBM
Lasing Medium- Heart Of LASER
 Many materials can be used as the heart of the laser.
Depending on the lasing medium lasers are classified as solid
state and gas laser.
 Solid-state lasers are commonly of the following type

 Ruby which is a chromium – alumina alloy having a
wavelength of 0.7 μm
 Nd-glass lasers having a wavelength of 1.64 μm.
 Nd-YAG laser having a wavelength of 1.06 μm.
(Nd-YAG stands for neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium
garnet; Nd:Y3Al5O12)
 These solid-state lasers are generally used in material

processing.
Parameters Affecting LBM
 Machining by laser occurs when the power density of
the beam is greater than what is lost by conduction,
convection, and radiation, and moreover, the radiation
must penetrate and be absorbed into the material.
 The power density of the laser beam, Pd, is given by

4Lp
Pd = πFl2α2∆T
 The size of the spot diameter ds is

ds = Flα
3
 The volumetric removal rate (VRR) (mm /min) can be
calculated as follows:
ClLP
VRR=
Ev h
where Pd = power density, W/cm2

Lp = laser power, W
Fl = focal length of lens, cm
ΔT = pulse duration of laser, s
α = beam divergence, rad
Cl = constant depending on the material and
conversion efficiency
Ev = vaporization energy of the material, W/mm3
Ab = area of laser beam at focal point, mm2
h = thickness of material, mm
 Pulse Energy: It is recommended that the required peak
power should be obtained by increasing the pulse
energy while keeping the pulse duration constant.
Drilling of holes with longer pulses causes enlargement of
the hole entrance.
 Pulse Duration: The range of pulse durations suitable for

hole drilling is found to be from 0.1 to 2.5 millisecond.
High pulse energy (20J) and short pulse duration are
found suitable for deep hole drilling in aerospace
materials.
 Assist Gases: The gas jet is normally directed with the
laser beam into the interaction region to remove the
molten material from the machining region and obtain a
clean cut. Assist gases also shield the lens from the
expelled material by setting up a high-pressure barrier at
the nozzle opening. Pure oxygen causes rapid oxidation
and exothermic reactions, causing better process
efficiency. The selection of air, oxygen, or an inert gas
depends on the workpiece material and thickness.
 Material Properties and Environment: These include the

surface characteristics such as reflectivity and
absorption coefficient of the bulk material. Additionally,
thermal conductivity and diffusivity, density, specific
heat, and latent heat are also considered.
Process Parameters
 HAZ vs laser power.
 HAZ vs cutting speed.
 Power has more effect on kerf width but it has small
effect on surface roughness.
 Feed rate has a major effect on surface roughness and
had a minor effect on kerf width.
 Kerf width increases with decreasing cutting speed.
 If Cutting speed increases the surface roughness
decreases finally quality improves.
Laser Beam Selection Guide
LBM Application
 Laser can be used in wide range of manufacturing
applications
 Material removal – drilling, cutting and tre-panning
 Welding
 Cladding
 Alloying and Marking
 Drilling micro-sized holes using laser in difficult – to –

machine materials is the most dominant application in
industry. In laser drilling the laser beam is focused over
the desired spot size. For thin sheets pulse laser can be
used. For thicker ones continuous laser may be used.
Applications of LBM
LBM Advantages
 Tool wear and breakage are not encountered.
 Holes can be located accurately by using an optical laser
system for alignment.
 Very small holes with a large aspect ratio can be
produced.
 A wide variety of hard and difficult-to-machine materials
can be tackled easily.
 Machining is extremely rapid and the setup times are
economical.
 Holes can be drilled at difficult entrance angles (10° to the
surface).
 Because of its flexibility, the process can be automated
easily such as the on-the-fly operation for thin gauge
material, which requires one shot to produce a hole.
 The operating cost is low.
LBM – Limitations
 High equipment cost.

 Tapers are normally encountered in the direct drilling of
holes.
 A blind hole of precise depth is difficult to achieve with
a laser.
 The thickness of the material that can be laser drilled is
restricted to 50 mm.
 Adherent materials, which are found normally at the exit
holes, need to be removed.
Conclusion
 It can be used to machine almost all materials

ranging from soft materials to hard materials.
 Highest MRR compare to other unconventional
machining processes such as EDM.
 The surface formation of spatters and burrs which
is unavoidable in this machining. However spatter
formation and HAZ can be reduce by increasing
cutting speed and by adopted gas assistance.
References:
 Advanced Machining Processes By Hassan Abdel-Gawad El-

Hofy
 Non Conventional Machining By P.K. Mishra
 Laser Beam Machining :A literature review on Heat affected
zones , Cut quality and comparative study Chithirai Pon
Selvan Ram mohan and Sachidananda HK ,EJAET,2015,2(10)
 LBM- A Review by Avanish kumar Dubey ,Vinod Yadava.IJMTM
 Research and Devolopments in LBM by P.T.Pajak, A.K.M. De
silva , D.k Harrison , J.A. McGeough

LBM

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

LBM

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

LBM

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What is laser and its

 LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION

 Solid-state lasers are commonly of the following type

 These solid-state lasers are generally used in material

 The power density of the laser beam, Pd, is given by

 The size of the spot diameter ds is

where Pd = power density, W/cm2

 Pulse Duration: The range of pulse durations suitable for

 Material Properties and Environment: These include the

 Drilling micro-sized holes using laser in difficult – to –

 High equipment cost.

 It can be used to machine almost all materials

 Advanced Machining Processes By Hassan Abdel-Gawad El-

You might also like