Laser Beam Machining (LBM)

Sun rays and a lens

burn a piece of paper

HARDEST MATERIAL
CAN BE MACHINED

MATERIAL REMOVAL BY MELTING

OR MELTING & VAPORIZATION Laser beam machining
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LASER: Applications APPLICATION OF LASER MATERIAL PROCESSING

Involving Change of Involving No

Phase/State Phase Change

Solid  Vapour Solid  Liquid Solid  Solid

Machining (Cutting, Drilling, etc.) Joining (Welding/Brazing) Surface Hardening

Deposition/Coating Surface Alloying/Cladding Bending or Forming
Laser Spectroscopy Rapid Prototype Semiconductor annealing
Laser-assisted Purification Reclamation Shocking/Shot-Peening

Forming Joining Machining Surface Engineering

Bending/Straightening Welding Cutting Surface Alloying/Cladding

Manufacturing Brazing Drilling Surface Melting/Remelting
Colouring/Deposition Soldering/Sintering Scribing/Marking Surface Amorphization
Rapid Prototyping Repair/Reclamation Cleaning Surface Hardening/Shocking
LBM: Fundamentals
• Laser beam can very easily be focused
• As laser interacts with the material, the energy of the photon is absorbed by the work
material
• Leading to rapid substantial rise in local temperature
• Results in melting and vaporization of the work material and finally material removal

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Laser Beam Machining (LBM)

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Laser Beam Machining (LBM)

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 LBM: Parameters
The quality characteristics in LBM are –
• MRR Kentry: kerf width at entry side;
• Machined geometry (kerf width, hole Kexit: kerf width at exit side;
diameter, taper), Ra: surface roughness;
• Surface quality (surface roughness, S: thickness of material;
surface morphology), 1: oxidized layer;
• Metallurgical characteristics (recast 2: recast layer; and
3: heat affected zone (HAZ).
• layer, heat affected zone, dross inclusion)
• Mechanical properties (hardness,
strength, etc.). Geometry of LBM drilled hole

Variation in ablation rate with fluence Variation in surface roughness with feed rate Variation in kerf width with laser power
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Dubey, A. K., & Yadava, V. (2008). Laser beam machining—a review. International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture, 48(6), 609-628.
Electron Beam Machining (EBM)
• EBM gun – provides high velocity electrons
• Medium – vacuum
• Tool – beam of very high velocity electrons
• Beam spot size – 10 – 100 μm
• Max MRR – 10 mm3/min Vacuum
• Air
Specific power consumption –
450 W/mm3/min Electron beam in different medium
• Materials application – all materials
• Shape application – drilling fine holes,
cutting contours in sheets, cutting narrow slots
• Limitations – very high specific energy
consumption, necessity of vacuum, expensive
machine

Electron and material interaction

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Electron Beam Machining (EBM)

Figure. Schematic illustration of the electron-beam machining process.

Unlike LBM, this process requires a vacuum, so workpiece size is limited to the size of the vacuum chamber.
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 Electron Beam Machining (EBM)

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 EBM: Process details and Parameters
• Mechanics of material removal – melting & vaporization
Critical parameters –
• The accelerating voltage
• The beam current
• Pulse duration
• Energy per pulse
• Power per pulse
• Lens current
• Spot size
• Power density

Geometry of EBM drilled hole Variation in speed with volume of material removal Variation in temperature with distance
from surface at different pulse durations 10
Plasma Arc Machining (PAM)
• Plasma is high temperature ionized gas

Electrode Formation of plasma

High velocity
electrons -
Gas Collision of electrons Dissociation of Highly conductive mixture of ions,
with molecules molecules or atoms electron and atoms (Plasma State)

+
• A high speed jet of plasma is used as tool for machining
• Generation of energy: due to high velocity electrons and
recombination of ions and electrons
• Mechanics of materials removal: heating, melting and
blasting
• Material application: all conductive materials
• Limitation: low accuracy PAM process 11
Plasma Arc Machining (PAM)

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PAM: Process details and Parameters
Transferred Arc
With out and • Power is transferred between
with constriction electrode and workpiece
• High efficiency
• Conductive material cutting
possible

Non-transferred Arc
• Power is transferred between
electrode and nozzle
• Low efficiency
• Non-conductive materials can
Different temperature zones of plasma be cut Cost comparison of PAM and Oxy/Fuel cutting processes

Critical Parameters Advantages: faster than oxy/fuel,

• Voltage cutting of up to 200 mm thick plate,
• Current easy automation
• Electrode gap
Disadvantages: large HAZ, presence of
Types of Plasma Arc • Gas flow rate
burr, taper, smoke and noise, difficult to
• Nozzle dimensions produce sharp corners,
• Melting temperature
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Ion Beam Machining (IBM)
IBM process

• Molecular manufacturing process based on the

sputtering off phenomenon
• Sputtering off: knocking out atoms from a surface
by transferring the kinetic energy of incident ions
to the target atoms
• Material removal: occurs when the actual energy
transferred exceeds the usual binding energy
• Applications: ultra-fine precision parts of
electronic and mechanical devices

Incidence of ion with the workpiece surface Mechanism of material removal 14

IBM: Process details and Parameters

Ion sources: liquid metal and gas

Critical Parameters
• Type of workpiece material
• Type of atoms and their lattice energy
• Angle of incidence
• Type of ion (or gas),
• Ion energy
• Gas pressure
Effect of Ion Energy on Sputtering Yield Effect of Incident Angle on Sputtering Yield
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