Perspectives and characteristics of high-quality LASER processes

Abstract

In the final years of the twentieth century, the rapid development of high-power LASERs has certainly given increased impetus to the use of LASER technologies for welding and cutting. The early years of the twenty-first century have seen the optimization and improvement of LASER sources, which have now become the optimal tools for industrial manufacturing.

The main objective for an industrial process is primarily high-process speed and overall cost savings for the process itself. It is precisely in response to those two aspects that new concepts, such as the so-called fibre LASER or disk LASER, are applied.

Both sources are solid-state LASERs with wavelengths between 1060 and 1080 nm (depending on the doping elements), in which the side effects caused by heating of the active medium reduce the quality of the beam.

The main scope of this paper is to provide information on the possibilities and the strategies to be used when working with LASERs with high-quality sources. The development of processes using sources of this type is only in the early stages and scientific maturity, and readiness for application has only been achieved in a certain number of cases. In numerous other cases, the process is only beginning.

Keywords:

• automatic control
• CO₂ LASERs
• development
• diode LASERs
• fibre LASERs
• focal spot
• keyholing
• LASER cutting
• LASER welding
• penetration
• robots