Process Development of Laser Machining of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic Composites

Z.L. Li, P.L.Chu, H.Y. Zheng and G.C. Lim, Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech),
Singapore
L. Li, S. Marimuthu, R. Negarestani and M. A. Sheikh, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of
Manchester, United Kingdom

been often proposed for machining of composites

Abstract over past 30 years. Most previous studies on
polymeric composites were conducted by CO2 and
The growing use of Carbon Fibre Reinforced
Nd:YAG laser systems concentrating on materials
Polymer, CFRP, composites as high performance
removal mechanism [1, 2], operation parameters
material in aerospace and automotive industry has
optimizing [3] and prediction model for optimum
prompted studies in developing technologies for
working conditions [4, 5]. Process qualities, such as
machining of these composites in recent years. Use
heat affected zone (HAZ), charring, delamination
of laser for cutting and drilling composites is
and resin recession due to intense thermal damages,
attractive due to its flexibility and no tool wear.
are major obstacles for industrial applications of
However, large difference in material properties of
laser machining for composites [6]. Due to large
the carbon fibre and the epoxy resin present serious
differences, e.g. one or two orders [7], in
challenges to the laser-based process. The issues
vaporisation temperature and thermal conductivity
related to Heat Affected Zone HAZ, causing
between the two constituents, a challenge in laser
charring and potential delamination have been the
processing is to minimize thermal damage to the
major obstacles for its industrial applications. This
resin and retaining high processing speed
paper studies the process in machining CFRP using
simultaneously. Denkena and co-works recent
a 10W Diode Pumped Solid State DPSS, Q-
study [8] successfully demonstrated low HAZ and
switched UV laser operation at the wavelength of
delamination free machining of CFRP composites
355nm. HAZ, charring, material removal
using UV-solid state laser. In this paper, we report
efficiency, and microstructure were investigated.
the results of process development of drilling
Finite Element analysis on heat transfer phenomena
CFRP composites using UV laser. Effects of
in a 3D composite mesh at similar process
spacing between laser scanning traces on material
situations is also presented.
removal rate are also discussed and micro-
structural evolution during laser process is
1. Introduction
analysed. Process parameters are optimised for
Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer, CFRP, drilling of thick laminates.
composite materials are consisted of two
constituents namely carbon fibre and polymer 2. Experimental
matrix. Although each of the constituents retains
CFRP composites with thicknesses of 0.3 mm to 7
its own chemical, physical and mechanical
mm were used for the study. About 50 m thick
properties, in combination the two constituents give
protect layer was laminated on the composite
the composite unique properties, such as high
surface. The Avia-X high power Q-switched third-
strength and light weight remarkably superior
harmonic Nd:YVO4 DPSS laser system was used
compared to metallic alloys. Inhomogeneous and
for the experiments. The laser is operated at
anisotropic nature of the composites however,
wavelength of 355 nm and repetition rate ranging
makes them more prone to damage during
from 10 kHz to 100 kHz. The pulse duration of the
machining than conventional metals. Delamination,
output beam is 20 to 35 ns depending on the
fibre pulling out, matrix chipping, heat damage and
repetition rate. The maximum average output
tool wearing generally represent the main concerns
power is 10 W. The output beam profile is
during mechanical machining on composites. The
Gaussian shape. The laser beam was delivered to
difficulties of the mechanical machining inspire
the CFRP composite substrate using galvanometric
applying other machining technologies for
scanner with an f-theta lens achieving a spot size of
achieving high speed process and product
reliability. 25 m (1/e2). The sample was mounted on a CNC
Lasers as non-contacting and abrasion-less X-Y-Z controlled table. The focus depth of the lens
machining tool exhibit unique advantages in was measured as 0.3 mm. The focal plane was set
materials processing, e.g. it eliminates tool wear, at sample surface for sample thickness of 0.3 and 1
vibrations and cutting forces while high speed and mm. Thicker sample is drilled by periodically
automation are attainable. Therefore, lasers have moving focal plane. The drilling quality was

1
examined using optical microscope and Scanning
Electron Microscope SEM. The laser drilled hole
wall surface was gently wiped with solvent to
remove loose powders deposited during laser
process for SEM examination.
3. Results and Discussions
3. 1. Drilling of 0.3 mm thick CFRP composite
An array of nine holes with diameter of 2 mm was
drilled to eliminate the possible effects from
nonuniformity of fibre distribution and orientation
in the material. There is a process window for
drilling such array i.e. the scanning speed was
between 50 to 800 mm/s. The hole spacing was 4
The time t drill through one hole was calculated
based on: t = n D V , where n is number of
passes drilling through the laminate, D(m) is hole
diameter and V(m/s) is laser beam scanning speed.
This time is also plotted in Figure 2. Although
more numbers of passes were needed to drill
through the laminate at higher laser beam scanning
speed the total time drilling through one hole
actually decreases with increasing scanning speeds.
50 1.2
45

Number of passes drilling through

mm as shown in Figure 1 and the drilling 1

Time of drilling through (s)

40
strategy was multi-pass circumferential scanning.
Laser power was 10 W and repetition rate was 40 35
0.8
kHz for all experiments. Laser beam scanned at 30
outline of each hole and multi passes were needed 25 0.6
to drill through the laminate. The drilling was 20 drilling
stopped every four passes for 1~2 second to avoid through 0.4
15
heat accumulation. The nine holes were drilled without serious
through at different number of passes. When each 10 not
damage 0.2
5 drilling
of the nine holes were drilled through, the number throug
burning
of drilling passes was recorded. The final numbers 0 h 0
of passes drilling through were averaged by four -100 400 900
experimental results. Scanning speed (mm/s)
.
Laser beam start firing point
Figure 2: Numbers of passes needed drilling
through 0.3 mm thick composites

4 mm

2 mm

V= 50 mm/s
Figure 1: Drilling pattern of 3x3 array

Figure 2 shows the number of passes drilling

through 0.3 mm thick laminate as a function of
scanning speeds. The number of passes drilling
through the nine holes increases with laser beam
scanning speed. Enormous heat was accumulated in
the interaction interface with scanning speed below
V=200 mm/s
50 mm/s, which results in material burning after
few laser scans. At laser beam scanning speed of
1000mm/s or above, after few holes drilled
through, it could not get all nine holes drilled
through. The experiments were stopped after 500
passes. This can be explained with the minimum
overlap rule between consecutive pulses, see
Equation 3(b), which gives the maximum speed of
1000mm/sec for 25m beam spot diameter at V=800 mm/s
40kHz frequency and 25ns pulse duration.

Figure 3: Holes drilled at different scanning

speeds.

2

Figure 3 compares the holes drilled at scanning
speeds of 50, 200 and 800 mm/s. As it can be seen,
the protection layer recession was observed for all
scanning speeds between 50 to 800mm/s. However,
the protection layer recession areas significantly
reduced as laser beam scanning speed increased.
3.2. Drilling of 1 mm thick CFRP composite
3.2.1 Effects of spacing of laser scanning traces
Laser drilling on the same nine-hole array in 1 mm
thick composite was carried out with the laser
beam scanning on the circumferential of each hole.
The laser drilling parameters were 10 W power,
repetition rate of 40 kHz and scanning speed of 100
mm/s. It was observed that only 2~3 out of 9 holes
were drilled through after 400 passes and serious
matrix recession was obtained. This was most
likely attributed to the high aspect ratio resulted by
small laser beam and hence inadequate space for
the ablated material to escape. The laser beam
scanning trace was therefore increased to 2-ring
and 3-ring as illustrated in Figure 4. The out ring
was set to 2 mm and the spacing between the rings
was varied by changing diameters of internal
ring(s) in order to find optimal spacing. Laser
scanning speed was 100 mm/s, and 200 mm/s for
internal ring(s) and out ring respectively.
2-ring 3-ring multi-ring
spacing
Figure 4: Sketch of laser beam scanning by multi
traces
Figure 5 shows the number of passes drilling
through for the nine holes pattern with 2-, 3-ring
beam trace against spacing between laser scanning
traces. It was observed that numbers of passes
drilling through the 1 mm laminate tends
decreasing as the spacing of beam trace increasing
when the spacing was small, e.g. 75 or 100 m for
2-ring and 3-ring laser beam trace, respectively.
The decreasing tendency could be explained as
wider opening is needed for material removal in a
given thickness laminate. The wider opening
provides more room for the expanding of plume
and plasma generated in the laser ablation process.
In turn, more incident laser energy reaches the
material and leads more efficient material removal
rate. The numbers of passes increase when the
spacing between laser beam traces further increase
due to lower laser energy density delivered to the
material. It is also observed that the numbers of
passes needed drilling through the 1 mm laminate
is lesser for 3-ring than 2-ring laser beam trace. In
other words, the material removal rate of each laser
scanning pass is high for 3-ring than 2-ring. In
general assumption, wide opening may take longer
time drilling through a thick material due to more
laser scanning traces that would be required.
However, the time for the wider opening may be
compensated by the higher removal rate. Therefore,
it was then not surprising that the time needed for
drilling through the composite for 3-ring and 2-ring
were similar when spacing less than 0.1 mm as
shown in Figure 5. The time drilling through is
significantly reduced when spacing was 0.1 and
above for 3-ring compared to 2-ring drilling.
Above results suggested that the material removal
rate can be improved by widening the trench
opening. The number of rings can be reduced by
increasing spacing of laser scanning traces.
100 40
90 36
Number of passes drilling through
2-ring
80 32
Time of drilling through (s)
70 28
60 24
3-ring
50 20
40 16
30 12
20 2-ring 8
10 3-ring 4
0 0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3
Laser bream trace spacing (mm)
Figure 5: Average number of passes and time of
drilling through one holes on 1 mm thick
composites
It should be noticed that the beam spacing in above
experiments mostly were larger than the effective
beam size (35 m). In other words, the laser beam
was not overlapped scanning on the material. In
conventional bulk material, inland material M1
and M2 may be left after each scan as shown in
Figure 6 if laser effective beam is not overlapped.
The size of M1 and M2 are determined by laser
power, scanning speed and spacing between beam
traces, as well as material properties, e.g. thermal
conductivity and vaporisation/melting temperature.
Formation of M1 and M2, in fact, reduce the room
for plume and plasma expanding which reduce
incident laser energy density that reaches the
3
material. The optimal condition can be obtained by
retaining a flat ablation surface during the drilling
process. In conventional bulk material, the flat
surface has to be obtained by overlapping the
effective laser beam traces.
Laser beam trace Laser beam trace
M1 M2
Inland material left optimal condition
Figure 6: Illustration of cross-sectional view of
optimal spacing between laser beam trace
In the case of laser machining of fibre reinforced
composite, material removal can be either by laser
direct ablation or ejection of chopped small pieces
of carbon fibres. Direct ablation is commonly used
for all laser process. The detailed mechanism of
material removal by ejection of chopped fibre will
be discussed elsewhere and brief description is in
following. The fibres are chopped into small pieces
if the spacing of laser beam traces is greater than
beam effective size. Because high thermal
conductivity of the carbon fibre, the heat conducted
within the small pieces of fibres may not lead direct
carbon fibres vaporisation, but it is sufficient to
heat up surrounding polymers. The heated polymer
may vaporise or lose the capability of holding the
fibres in position. The fibre pieces are ejected.
Therefore, to obtain a flat ablation surface in
composite material, overlapping of effective laser
beam traces is not necessary. In other words, fewer
rings in Figure 4 are needed to obtain wider
trenches in laminates than bulk material with
similar vaporisation/melting temperature.
In summary, when laser drilling thick
composites, martial removal efficiency can be
optimised by selecting a beam spacing at given
laser power and scanning speed, which can retain
flat ablation surface as well as requiring fewer rings
and number of passes.
3.2.2. Microstructure analysis
Figure 7(a) and (b) show top views of samples
after laser drilling after for 4 and 14 passes,
respectively. The laser beam scanning trace was 3-
ring with 100 m spacing. In the beginning of the
drilling process, about 100 m protection layer
recession was observed. The recession at protection
layer did not further increase as drilling process
continued. The fibres between laser beam traces
were chopped and ejected immediately layer by
layer as shown in Figure 7(a). The un-ablated fibres
retained original morphologies. As the process
continued, heat accumulation resulted in fibres
melting and sticking together. The chopped fibres
were therefore trapped if surrounding fibres were
not chopped off as shown in Figure 7(b).
(a)
Laser trace
Protection layer recession
(b)
Layer removal
Melting at attached point
Figure 7: SEM micrographs of CFRP composites
drilled at (a) 4 passes and (b) 14 passes
Figure 8 (a) shows the typical SEM top-view
micrographs of sample drilled with minimum
numbers of passes in the nine holes window. It was
found that the inner wall surface was not even
along the entire circumference. Periodic strip
structure from top to bottom was observed. This is
likely etched by hot plasma and plume. Cracks
could be observed as shown in Figure 8 (b) and (c)
that are enlarged images of the cracks in Figure
8(a). Minor polymer vaporisation took place during
laser process and generated small voids or gaps
between fibres and the boundary of fibres with
different orientation, as shown in Figure 8 (b). In
this area fibres were clean cut and retained their
original morphologies. In the area as shown in
Figure 8 (c), a molten layer formed and covered on
the surface was observed. Part of the molten layer
was flaked off. In Close look of the adjacent area,
fibres are observed parallel to the surface. The
fibres were flaked off together with the molten
layer due to insufficient holding force by the resin.
The major composition of the molten layer most
likely was carbon. Further study needs to be carried
out to verify. This suggested that there are two
major surface finishings after laser drilling: clean
cut and covered by molten layer. The clean cut is
likely the area rapid cut by laser energy. The
molten layer covered area is the attached point
shown in Figure 7(b). the mechanism involved in
formation of the attached point is not very clear.
4
 (a) The workpiece stage was moved up 0.5 mm after
each 10 passes. Figure 9 and Figure 10 show
micrographs of 6 mm holes drilled in the sample
thickness of 3.1 mm and 7 mm, respectively. No
c obvious HAZ and delamination were observed.

b
(a)

(b)
Voids

(b)

(c)

Figure 9: SEM micrographs of laser drilled samples

with thickness of 3.1 mm. (b) is enlarged area
Molten indicated in (a).
layer
10(a)

Figure 8: Cross-section SEM micrographs of laser

drilled sample. (b) and (c) are enlarged areas
indicated in (a)

4. Drilling of thick CFRP composite laminate

The laser process was tuned to drill thick laminate
at reduced HAZ and improved drilling speed. A
typical set of experiment parameters applied were
10 W mean power at 40 kHz frequency. The laser
beam scanning trace was similar to what described
in Figure 4; 6-ring and 8-ring for 3.1 mm and 7 mm 10(b)
thick laminates respectively. The spacing was 100
m. Laser beam scanning rate was 100 mm/s for
the out ring. The scanning speed gradually
increases at 20 mm/s interval towards internal
rings. It was observed that the surface quality was
significantly affected by the scanning speed at out
ring. The effects from the scanning speeds of
internal rings were minor. Gradual increase in the
beam scanning speed of internal rings improved the
efficiency of drilling. The focal plane was set at
sample surface at beginning of the experiments.

5

10(c)
Figure 10: Typical SEM micrographs of laser
drilled samples with thickness of 7 mm. (a) wide
view, (b) clean cut and (c) covered by molten layer.
5. Finite Element Analysis
The path towards applying FE analysis with actual
meshing of the composite structure is presented.
Current limitations on thermal analysis of
composite materials in Finite Element packages
have restricted laser process analysis on these
materials using this method. Therefore previous FE
analysis on laser processing of these materials is
based on anisotropic material properties [9]. Here,
a 3D geometry of the unidirectional fibre
reinforced polymer composites with physical
specifications of the 0.3mm thick samples of
Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer composites used
in the experiments was developed and analysed by
an educational package of ANSYS 11[10]. Figure
11 illustrates the scheme of the 3D mesh used in
analysis. Circular sections represent fibres that
surrounded by epoxy resin matrix in the structure.
59m
103m
50m
Figure 11: 3D geometry used to simulate a section
of single laminate UniDirectional fibre reinforced
composite
In the current system temperature heating and
cooling rates for the thermal penetration depth,
theoretically reach the order of magnitude 104K/sec
but the total energy of each pulse i.e. 0.26mJ is
insufficient to thermally affect the bulk material.
Due to high intensity of the beam which in the
order of 109 W/cm2 plasma formation at the
workpiece surface absorbs a significant portion of
the incoming beam energy and thus shielding the
surface. On the other hand because of high photon
energy of the UV beam i.e. 3.497eV which nearly
equals the C-H molecular bonding energy,
potentiate partial photochemical reaction. These
together with high latent heat of vaporization of the
fibres i.e. 45MJ/kg, make only a fraction of the
beam energy to be used as thermal dissociation of
the material. Therefore since only thermal analysis
of the process was of the interest for the current
study only a fraction of the beam intensity is
considered for thermal analysis. General
assumptions and strategies in the model include:

Only a fraction of the beam intensity thermally
dissociates the material. The rest has been assumed
to be spent for hiding mechanisms e.g. latent heat
of fusion/vapourization, plasma absorption and
photochemical reactions.

Direct vaporization for both epoxy and fibres is
considered as the thermal affect mechanism.

Plasma effect is not considered.

Latent heat of vaporization is not included.

The model is for a 100m long section of the
process and only as a straight line condition.

The laser beam scan direction is perpendicular to
the fibres orientation.

Beam reflection effects inside the kerf are
neglected.

Constant material removal depth is applied for
each of the process parameters and based on the
experiments.

Fibres distribution is considered to be uniform
based on their volume fraction.

The protective layer of the samples is neglected.

The modelling is symmetric based.
The material properties were considered constant
and independent of the temperature as provided in
Table1.
Table 1: Material properties applied
in the FE model[11,12,13]
Fibre Epoxy
Volume Fraction 0.65 0.35
Density(kg/m3) 1800 1200
Thermal Conductivity
50 0.1
(W.m-1.K-1)
-1 -1
Specific Heat(J.kg .K ) 710 1884
Vaporization
3600 400
Temperature (C)
5.1. Heating and cooling cycles
In pulsed laser processing with a moving beam in
order to have a continuous affected profile, the
distance travelled by the beam during the pulse off
6
time should not exceed the beam diameter i.e. there From there the cycle representing heating and
should be an overlap between consecutive pulses. cooling time on the same position of the beam spot
The schematic view of the overlap phenomenon is can be shown as in Figure 13, where to(s), is
depicted in Figure 12; where r is the beam spot overlap duration for the pulses attacking a very
radius, d(m) is the beam spot diameter and x(m) is same position of the beam and can be determined
the distance travelled during the pulse-off time. by:
n
to = (5)

In scanning a circle with the radius of Rc(m) the
time elapsed before the beam hits the first position
of the beam spot under analysis in consecutive
passes will follow Equation 6 denoted as te(s):
Figure 12: different overlap phenomena in moving
beam pulsed laser process;(a) overlapping, 2Rc
te = ta (6)
(b)minimum overlap and (c)no overlap. V
The distance travelled can be determined according Power
to the scanning speed V(m/s), and pulse-off time (Watt)
toff(s), by:
st th
Peak 1 2nd ....n Pulse 1st 2nd ....nth Pulse
x = Vtoff (1) Power

and toff follows:

1
t off = (2)

Where (Hz) is the frequency of the pulsed beam toff Time (sec)
and (s) is the pulse-on period. Combining to te
Equations 1 and 2 one will get Equation 3(a)to
tt
satisfy the overlap phenomenon.
Figure 13: Process cycle for heating and cooling
d
V 3(a) time on a same point of the beam path, tt is total
1 time elapsed between two consecutive cycle of

pulse interacting with the first beam position under
and then the maximum speed to get the minimum analysis.
overlap i.e. Figure 2(b) situation, follows:
Considering X(m) as the distance under analysis,
and from the evident relation of speed and distance
d
V max = 3(b) the analysis time ta(s) would follow Equation 7
1 depending on the scanning speed.


Applying Equation 3(b) in the current situation X
ta = (7)
where is 40kHz, is 20ns and d is 20microns the V
maximum allowable speed would be 800mm/sec.
This can explain the reason behind the scanning From there, the number of cycles that should be
velocities beyond 0.8m/s which could not cut the included in analysis for different scanning speeds
material even after 500passes. follows Equation 8 in which it is denoted by N.

At the extreme level of speed (m/s), the beam ta

interacts with the spot area once and hence the ratio N= (8)
to
of overlapping pulses on the spot area according to
the scanning velocity, denoted by n, is determined Substituting Equations 5 and 8, Equation 6 can be
by: modified as:

Vmax 2Rc N .n
n= (4)
te = (9)
V V

7
This is the principle relation between process
parameters that was introduced in the model for
defining the heating and cooling cycles. During the
analysis time i.e. ta, and at the maximum speed
where there is only one pulse per beam spot
position, there would simply be N number of
cooling phases each with the magnitude of toff that
are applied after each heating phase which itself is
, there after, there would be a long cooling phase
that obeys Equation 9. In case of all lower
velocities there would be a number of cooling
phases. These are N repeats for n number of toff
given after relevant heating time, on one hand and
te on the other hand.
5.2. Governing equations
The transient thermal problem was solved by
changing boundary condition and time step
according to the number of pulses and the beam
geometry. The time steps are linked to each other
by taking the output of time step n as initial
condition for time step n+1. The initial temperature
of the workpiece is 293K. If the temperature at the
end of a particular step is higher than
decomposition temperature of the epoxy resin its
removal is assumed to have occurred; similarly the
vaporization of the fibres happens if the
temperature gets higher than the vaporization
temperature of fibres. Since two different
materials with different physical and thermal
properties are used in the analysis the governing
equation would depend on the material being
analysed. Therefore, the governing equation for
conduction heat transfer in the analysis follows:
1) Transient irradiated surface
T(n, t) T(n, t)
mCm = Km + Q(t)(1 R) ; If the interaction
t n n surface is on the matrix.
T
Q(t )(1 R ) = K m n
; If the interaction
surface is on the matrix.
(12)
Q(t )(1 R ) = K T
; If the interaction
f
n surface is on the fibre.
IV. At all other surfaces:
T
Kc = h(Ts T ) (13)
n
Where , C and K are density(Kg/m3), specific
heat(J.Kg-1.K-1) and thermal conductivity(W.m-1.K-
1
) respectively and indices f, m and c refer to fibre,
epoxy matrix and composite. R is the beam
reflection of the matter, Q is the heat flux and t is
time. Ts, T and h denote cell temperature, ambient
temperature and heat transfer coefficient
respectively.
5.3. Modelling results and discussions
Using the FE method, provision of reliable thermal
predictions during laser processing of composite
materials depends on various factors. Among these
is the accurate modelling of the heat propagation
into the material, which requires the adoption of
accurate modelling strategy that will, at the very
best, recognises the complexities relating to
thermal damages to these materials.
Of course, thermal diffusivity plays an important
role in the propagation of heat within a material.
For the same heating period, this seems to have
been undoubtedly observed in Figure 14, in which
the fibres, that are of a higher thermal diffusivity,
are seen to have heated up more rapidly than the
epoxy matrix, which is of a relatively lower
thermal diffusivity. This observation, as could be
seen in the figure is such that along the thermal
penetration depth, the exposed section of the fibre

C T(n , t )
= K f
T(n, t ) (10)
+ Q(t)(1 R) ; If the interaction
received more rapid heating.
f f t n n surface is on the fibre.

2) The remaining solid:

T (n, t ) T (n, t )
cCc = Kc (11)
t n n
Under boundary conditions of:

I. T(n,0)=293 K

II. T(,t)=293 K

III. At laser irradiated surface:

Figure 14: Heat propagation at the first heating step
at 0.8m/sec scanning speed.

8

The fibre
removed partly
Figure 15: Heat distribution around fibre after first
pulse at 0.8m/sec scanning speed.
In Figure 15 the heat profile after the first pulse is
shown. Here also, another phenomenon related to
heat transfer within CFRPs is clearly presented.
The figure is showing the effect of high thermal
conductivity of fibres which has left more HAZ
within and around the fibre, which is identified to
have been partly removed at this step. Though
qualitative at this stage of the investigation, these
capabilities enabled the models to provide
prediction on the effect of certain parameters as
described below.
5.3.1. High thermal conductivity of fibres
In laser processing of CFRPs the high difference
between the thermal properties of fibres and the
polymer is the dominant challenge in optimizing
the process. It is hence of high importance to
predict their effect on the process accurately.
Thermal conductivity of fibres showed its influence
effectively in the model. In Figure 16 it can be seen
that the high thermal conductivity of fibres has
made the propagation of heat all along the analysed
block.
Figure 16: Typical effect of high thermal
propagation along the fibre at 0.8m/sec processing
speed
As the process continued there was also a heat
accumulation effect predicted due to thermal
conductivity of fibres. This has been influencing
the process in two main aspects. First it has caused
heat accumulation around the scanning path that
has increased the HAZ, see Figure 17. This heat
accumulation can increase the removal of the
epoxy matrix around the interaction zone.
Figure 17: HAZ generated due to high thermal
conductivity of fibres
Second aspect, refers to high heat propagation on
the areas around the fibres, as shown in Figure 18.
This increases the resulting HAZ that can again
result in higher fibre recession on the samples.
Figure 18: Heat accumulation along the fibres at
0.8m/sec processing speed
5.3.2. Processing speed
In addition to the thermal conductivity of fibres the
process speed showed a notable influence on the
extent of HAZ and hence material removal. Figures
19 and 20 show the HAZ at the same position of
the beam for 0.4m/sec and 0.8m/sec, respectively.
Comparing the two figures, it can be seen that the
heat propagation along the fibres at 0.4m/sec
develops much more than what it shows for
0.8m/sec. As shown also in the zoomed sections
the heat propagation inside the kerf is also higher
for 0.4m/sec speed compared to 0.8m/sec. The
reason for this difference is the interaction time
involved as well as the heating cycles that interact
with each beam spot position. As described earlier,
9
at 0.4m/sec two pulses attack each spot, see
Equation 4. This is twice of that at 0.8m/sec hence,
predicting the pulse-off time not enough for
cooling, there is more heat at the same point
resulting in larger HAZ. This is the desired trend of
prediction for the extent of HAZ as observed in
experiments.
Figure 19: HAZ profile at 0.4m/sec scanning speed
Figure 20: HAZ profile at 0.8m/sec scanning speed
Though qualitative at this stage of investigation,
the FE predictions on the phenomena with the
process are encouraging. As the current work is
based on more simplified assumptions, further
work should be considered with the view to taking
a critical look into issues relating mainly to the
following:
Temperature dependency of material
properties.
Heat source calibration.
Relating the ablation depth to the physical
properties of the process.
Phase change and the latent heat of
vaporization.
Summary
The study has demonstrated feasibility of UV laser
clean cut of thick CFRP laminate with minimum
HAZ. Multi rings and passes are needed to cut
through a laminate. The optimal spacing between
laser scanning traces depending on scanning
drilling speed is 3~5 times larger than laser beam
effective size. This spacing strategy decreases the
effect of plasma and plume and also fibres are
chopped into small pieces and ejected layer by
layer. Apparently, two types of surface finishing
were observed: (a)large area clean cut and
(b)molten layer covered small portion. An FE
based 3D mesh was developed and applied to
predict the thermal damage. The qualitative trend
of predictions seems promising, that portray
applicability of FE analysis on laser processing of
composite structures.
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