Eventos Anais de eventos
COBEM 2023
27th International Congress of Mechanical Engineering
THE USE OF LOW-POWER BLUE LASERS IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING OF SMALL STRUCTURES
Submission Author:
Tiago Borsoi Klein , Berlin
Co-Authors:
Tiago Borsoi Klein, Ralf Förster, Ulrike Siemer, Andreas Loth
Presenter: Tiago Borsoi Klein
doi://10.26678/ABCM.COBEM2023.COB2023-2384
Abstract
Common wavelengths λ of diode lasers are 1064 nm (infrared), 532 nm (green) and 355 nm (ultraviolet). For processing (additive manufacturing, cutting, welding) metals with laser beams, wavelengths of around λ = 1000 nm are currently used. There are two important exceptions where shorter wavelengths have clear advantages. These are for processing of gold and copper, which have absorptions A up to 60 % at λ = 450 nm (blue). For these metals, the use of blue light provides significant benefits in comparison with wavelengths near infrared light. Currently, mainly frequency-doubled green Nd:YAG lasers are used for laser processing of copper. Due to the resonator-internal frequency doubling, however, this is a comparatively complex, susceptible and expensive laser system. The solution approach of directly using low-power laser diodes with a blue wavelength simplifies the overall system decisively. Particularly interesting applications are generative manufacturing processes (e.g. Laser Powder Bed Fusion Process for Metals, PBF-LB/M) of copper, for the production of complex 3D microstructures. The aim of this work is to verify the possibility of processing copper powder with a blue laser system. The laser used for the investigations in this paper has a blue wavelength of λ = 450 nm and can be operated in pulsed or continuous mode. The diode laser achieves an output power of 10.8 watts at an operating temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. Basic investigations into the possibility of structuring with a blue laser were carried out using a copper powder with grain sizes of 45µm. This paper presents the first promising results of the research.
Keywords
Additive manufacturing, blue laser, copper AM
