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LASER INDUCED PLASMA MICRO MACHINING

MOHAMMED ASHIQUE
PS
B120292ME
B BATCH

INTRODUCTION
Micro Manufacturing Products in range of m
Products like micro shafts, micro slots , micro gears etc.

Applications in Automobiles, Health & Biotech , IT , Instrumentation, MEMS


etc.
Micro Texturing Micro channels, Micro dimples and geometries ranging
from m to mm
Used for surface friction control , Improve optical absorption , Control
hydrophobicity.
Applications in Tribology, Biomedical engineering , Metal cutting etc.
Conventional processes employed Micro EDM & Laser ablation

MICRO EDM AND LASER


ABLATION
Micro EDM :Material removal by ablation via generation of plasma
generated by an electric field
Limitations : Low MRR, inability to machine polymers & ceramics , High
amount of non productive cost involved.
Laser ablation : Ablation of material due to melting and vaporization
facilitated by short pulsed lasers with high frequency.
Limitations : Inability to machine optically transparent materials,
dependence of ablation on various control factors.

LASER INDUCED PLASMA MICRO


MACHINING
It is a multi material , tool-less high precision micro manufacturing process.
Able to machine materials like ceramics , glass and polymers.
Work piece immersed in dielectric, plasma is generated by dielectric
breakdown using laser.
The plasma absorbs energy and comes in contact with work piece
Material removal is combined effect of mechanical erosion via shock and
thermal vaporization of material due to contact with plasma.

BASIC SCHEMATIC OF LIPMM PROCESS

PLASMA GENERATION
The primary process is the generation of plasma. This is achieved with the help of ultra
short high frequency pulsed laser.
These lasers have high power due to small duration . When focused in dielectric causes
high power densities.
When power density exceeds threshold ionization potential , results in plasma
generation due to optical breakdown.
Plasma absorbs energy from laser and expands.
The plasma is an opaque , highly localized thermal zone with temperature above 5600 K.

MATERIAL REMOVAL
Plasma absorbs energy from laser- plasma interaction.
Absorbed energy is partitioned into mechanical & thermal energies.
Thermal energy causes increase in temperature (>5600 K). This energy
conducted to work piece through plasma- work piece contact.
Mechanical energy causes shockwaves and cavitation, which replace
dielectric & apply pressure on work piece surface.
This holds back molten metal, but when plasma collapses dielectric gushes
back and flushes out the molten metal.

MACHINING SETUP

Nd:YVO4 laser emitting laser pulses of 8 ps duration at 532 nm wavelength and frequency range of
10-500 kHz .
The beam profile is Gaussian and beam is linearly polarized.
Workpiece immersed in dielectric is placed on five axis positioning system: 3 translation and 2
rotational DOF
Laser beam is focused using a triplet lens which can be adjusted for precise focus.
At super threshold value plasma generated near focal point and brought into contact with workpiece.

DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
Dielectric properties affect plasma generation and thus machining.
The desirable properties are:
Low absorption coefficient
Low variation in absorption coefficient with temperature
Low ionization energy
Low viscosity
Sufficiently high dielectric constant value

LASER PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS


Laser performance parameters affect plasma generation and thus
machining.
Parameters that affect plasma generation are
1. Pulse repetition rate : probability of formation of plasma depend on
peak power intensity which in turn depend of ratio of avg. power
and laser frequency.
2. Plasma discharge duration
3. Polarization state

MACHINING MICROCHANNELS

Micro channels are generated by overlapping of adjacent craters.


The degree of overlapping craters is determined by feed rate & crater
dimensions
Single pass micro channels are basic blocks in micromachining
3D features can be generated by lateral overlapping of multipass micro
channels.

ADVANTAGES OF LIPMM

Able to machine optically transparent and reflective surfaces


No degradation in machining polymers
Can machine relatively deeper microfeatures with consistency i.e offer
repeatability.
Machine hard materials like titanium.
Has high resolution and accuracy

CONCLUSIONS

LIPMM is a tool less , multimaterial micromanufacturing process.

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