rus
LASYS is clearly focused in the system solutions in the area of material laser treatment. The special emphasis is placed on innovation processes, which have been already tested and checked in the course of manufacturing.
LASYS is the congress and exhibition event in Stuttgart (Germany), which is organized once every two years by Messe Stuttgart starting from 2008. The exhibition gathers experts using lasers in their work in the capacity of tools. LASYS is clearly focused in the system solutions in the area of material laser treatment. The special emphasis is placed on innovation processes, which have been already tested and checked in the course of manufacturing.
In earlier years, the lasers for metal working in large-scale industrial applications (automobile construction, watch and jewelry industries, marking and engraving) were exhibited. And before the decline in production, which struck the large automobile industry, it seemed that laser metal-working machines were quite conservative goods. They are less liable to big changes because they are intended for manufacturing of specific products with specific tolerances. Competition between the manufacturers of laser machines followed the path of increase of laser power with energy saving, efficiency enhancement using process automation, introduction of robots, utilization of galvanic scanners.
But the tendency, which was manifested two years ago when almost all manufacturers of laser machines for cutting, welding, soldering, overlaying followed the path of formation of reserved models for the creation of new products with the use of new materials of glasses, powders, ceramics, reinforced plastics, continues intensifying.
The development of 3D technologies entailed the demand for transformers of distribution of laser radiation power density in beam cross-section. Introduction of lasers with ultrashort pulses (USP lasers) into the industry compelled attention to the danger of occurrence of industrial workshops of aerosol particles reduced to the size, which is hazardous for personnel health. As a result, the rapid development of studies of the systems of laser safety took place. Exhibition of 2016 demonstrated to a greater degree its position as the exhibition of intellectual system solutions and applications for laser treatment of materials where the parameters of operations of welding, cutting, overlaying depend on the absorption properties of materials.
In exhibition 2014, the majority of exhibits were represented by the systems and components for laser technological treatment of large parts and their surfaces, the group of lasers for security marking stood apart. In exhibition 2016, the larger share was held by the laser systems intended for treatment of thin-film elements, cutting and drilling in microelectronics, drilling of deep openings, treatment of nano-capillaries, surface bonding, systems intended for the production of items with lower mass-dimensional characteristics. The emphasis was placed not on the lasers with greater power but on the devices for control of process operating parameters, duration of laser pulses for treatment of material compositions (copper, glass fiber and resin), on the devices for transformation of power density distribution (beamshaper), on the improvement of technological laser heads for material treatment, on the lasers for specific dedicated applications, for example, for cutting of ceramic sheets. Engineers see the new fields of application of special optics: VUV range, material treatment using short pulses and ultrashort pulses of lasers, visualization methods in medical and research areas, computer vision in industrial quality control.
The company AdlOptica (www.adloptica.com) is well-known developer and manufacturer of beamshapers – devices intended for the transformation of laser beams of pulse radiation and continuous radiation. In case of non-use of such transformers, during the laser technological operations only third part of beam energy would be used. Transformers of collimated laser beam with Gaussian distribution of power density into homogeneous distribution – πShapers – are intended for high-power lasers used for welding, hardening and overlaying (in such case they are equipped with the systems of water cooling) or for high-power pulse lasers in the tasks of amplification (MOPA) and optical pumping of USP lasers. At the expense of redistribution of radiation intensity it is possible to enhance the efficiency of amplification and reduce the effect of formation of thermal lens in laser crystal (Fig.1). Other device – Focal πShaper – is used in order to obtain the homogeneous distribution of radiation density in focus (Fig.2). These transformers are needed in objectives, for 3D printers. For example, the fiber lasers are actively used in SLM machines (Selective Laser Melting) but they have Gaussian intensity distribution (the fiber in lasers is quartz doped by ytterbium ions, radiation wavelength is 1.07 µm). In case of high radiation power (400 W and higher, up to 1 kW), the intense evaporation of treated material occurs in the center of focal spot. Or vice versa, the material does not have enough time to melt at the edges of focal spot. Then, the layer with inhomogeneous thickness is formed, and as a result there is high porosity of workpiece even if the step of poured powder is small (up to 20 µm). For objectives in the similar 3D machines, the task of generation of homogeneous distribution of radiation power density in focus is solved with the help of focal shapers. These devices combine the functions of beam shaper and collimator, which is connected directly to fiber laser, and they operate within the range of 1020–1100 nm. Thanks to them, the lasers have high degree of repeatability of power density distribution in beam cross-section. Focal πShapers work with the objectives, which focus beam into the spot less than 100–200 µm, in other words with restricted diffraction limit. Laser beam with generated quality is used in the industry of photovoltaic cells (Fig.3).
There is one more field of beamshaper application, which consists in the creation of synthesized hologram optical elements (SHOE) or Computer Generated Holography (CGH). The needs in extension of operating spectral range of CGH use in optoelectronic equipment grow. Reducing the dimensions and weight of control and diagnostic equipment CGH fulfill the functions of exemplary optical elements and compensators or load-bearing optical elements and correctors of chromatic aberrations in laser optics.
The company TOPAG Lasertechnik (www.topag.de) offers diffraction beamshapers with the size of spot in focus of 1; 1.5–10 mm, which withstand the radiation power up to 4 J/cm 2 at the wavelength of 532 nm. The company also offers diffraction beam splitters for division of laser radiation by two first orders for different tasks. Beam splitters are rated at the wavelengths 355/343, 532, 515 and 1064/1030 nm. Also the company offers diffraction variation attenuator for flexible attenuation of laser radiation power (Fig.4).
But the widest choice of operations with microobjects is offered by the company WOP (Workshop of Photonics) (www.worphotonics.com). In addition to beamshapers, the company WOP solves instrumentation tasks of laser industry in the field of microengineering – creation of technologies of laser microdrilling, scribing of heat-sensitive materials, surface structuring, development and design of devices for interdisciplinary studies, production of devices for radiation input-output with the help of photon-crystalline and plasmonic lenses, fabrication of microcapillaries with apertures, marking of transparent materials, creation of phase plates with the variation of optical thickness for phase modulation of laser radiation. The operation secret consists in the technology of production of computer-synthesized holograms with binary, multilevel and continuous profile. WOP positions its leadership qualities in super-precision treatment of transparent material surface and development of solutions in relation to different tasks in this field (Fig.5).
It is impossible to work without scanators which provide high speed of laser treatment. Having vast experience in the area of development and production of galvanometric scanners the company SCANLAB (www.scanlab.de) finds new application areas. SCANLAB intently studies the market tendencies manifested at early stages in order to determine the new applications for laser scanning (Fig.6). The company’s task is to turn laser into the universal tool adding the complementary functionally to emitter. This is how the development of system Blackbird Robotics for 2D scanning in laser welding (Fig.7) and system of computer vision SCANalign for monitoring and calibration of results of the operations performed by USP lasers (Fig.8) took place. Blackbird Robotersysteme is the system, which is optimized for the operations of fiber-coupled disk or fiber lasers with the power up to 8 kW. The system quickly positions beam for the welding of 2D contours. Scanning head has compact construction, gives opportunity to work straight or at angle, and simplifies the direct integration into equipment operating under conditions of restricted space. It is developed for welding of batteries into blocks or for welding of contacts in automobile production of electronic components.
SCANalign system (Camera Enhances Laser Processing Quality) performs the correction of image field and detects the workpiece orientation. The device uses high-precision calibration plate for calibration of laser coordinate; the error is lower than the size of laser spot in focus. For example, for f = 255 mm and wavelength 1064 nm the positioning precision reaches 10 µm. Such systems play significant role in the laser applications, which require the observation of very strict tolerances by dimensions and precise positioning of treated parts.
Newson NV is a technology group specializing in high precision measuring and control engineering. The company introduced its new product Smart Deflectors. Newson designed an adaptable scan solution for laser beam steering (Fig.9).
If the companies announce about the launch of new product at the market, then it means that this new product is the laser for specific application area. Thus, for the creation of pulse stretchers based on diffraction Bragg gratings with variable period (CFBG), which are used in industrial ultrafast lasers for compensation of compressor dispersion, the lasers generating radiation within UV spectral range are required. The lasers generating radiation within green and UV spectral region are presented by the French company Amplitude Systems. These tools are the most beautiful lasers, design of the lasers of SATSUMA and TANGOR series performed in orange-golden colors looks overwhelmingly (Fig.10).
The laser systems intended for encoding of medicinal products and foodstuffs are based on the laser marking by СО2 laser. Compact small-size laser, which is developed by the company Iradionlaser (www.Iradionlaser.com) has ceramic core (Fig.11). Aluminum oxide Al2O3, argil is crystalline non-organic material. It is electric insulator but as opposed to the majority of electric insulators it has very high heat conductivity. Aluminum oxide has relatively low coefficient of thermal expansion. This property turns it into the excellent material for the components of laser tube. But everybody knows about the problem of ceramics interaction with gas medium. Iradion technology turns the laser construction inside out. Ceramics is not used as the component inside laser, it is turned into laser tube and plate for the mounting of other necessary components, and it is the part of laser electric circuit. Electrodes are installed inside and outside relative to the gas vessel of resonator. This innovation concept grants the excellent long service life, operation reliability and stability to the laser. Iradionlaser develops the range of new products leaving the concept of laser use only in laser marking and laser encoding. The company has produced 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 Watt lasers, which can be used for cutting, welding, drilling of medical and semiconductor materials.
The company EKSPLA specializes in the development of laser systems based on Nd: YAG, Nd: YLF and Nd: Glass for studies and industrial applications. The wide range of picosecond and nanosecond lasers presented by EKSPLA, long spectral range of emitter wavelengths from 193 nm to medium IR range and low thickness of radiation band turn the laser into convenient instrument for the solution of various tasks. High frequency of pulse repetition up to 1 MHz with high peak power provides the ablation of material without its damage (Fig.12). Such properties are important in case of laser drilling, one of few production methods, which grant the opportunity to make deep apertures, in which the depth turns out to be more than ten in relation to diameter. Laser drilling of prolonged openings is used in many applications, including design of cooling systems in aerospace turbine engine. Fast growing market of organic electronics and organic light-emitting devices and thin-film solar batteries stimulates the development of universal technologies for formation of thin-film structures on hard and flexible substrates. Thin transparent films of conducting oxides and metals are used for the production of contacts, conductors and active elements. Laser structuring with the use of pico – and nanosecond pulses is used for the formation of thin films deposited on polymer and glass substrates. Laser radiation wavelength is corrected depending on the optical properties of film and substrate. UV laser radiation with picosecond pulse duration can be used in the production of microsystems for various technical applications.
The company ALPHALASER designed mobile lasers for repair, welding and overlaying of material on wearing parts, which belong to large-size machines working under special conditions (Fig.13). Use of mobile laser eliminates the operation dependence on specific repair location; maintenance can be performed without dekitting of large-size equipment and spending time on transportation. The range of distances, which can be reached by the lever of mobile laser ALFlakMax, is almost 2.80 m: the highest operating point is 2 m and the deepest point – distance 80 cm.
TRUMPF has specially announced new picosecond laser TruMicro 2000 at the exhibition (Fig.14). This laser used for structuring of metallic surfaces - suitable for opalescent marking of surface as well as coupling of plastic and metal. Moreover the coupling area of metal and plastic becomes quite strong. TRUMPF also demonstrated 3D printer TruPrint 1000 (Fig.15) designed for building objects using metal powder. Such objects are dental, hip and other implants, prototypes of small products with a complex structure and their serial production. It is also used for producing of jewelry and difficult technical products from precious metals, components of bio-design, which are used in airplane construction, aircraft engine construction for producing of elements of gas-turbine engine. TruPrint 1000 was developed in the shortest possible time in cooperation with Italian company SISMA. The laser fiber excitation generator used in the TruPrint 1000 is produced by TRUMPF company. Development of the system took 2 years which is quite a short period to create such sophisticated equipment.
The company Rofin-Sinar Laser (German branch of American company Rofin Sinar Technology) presented the range of milli-, micro-, femto – and picosecond lasers (Fig.16). The company does not focus on the creation of lasers with certain pulse duration, it studies the current needs of manufacturers. For example, if we speak about the efficiency of cutting, the low-temperature cutting (cold process) is efficient for ceramics or glass because this method allows avoiding the cracking inside material. And the company Rofin-Sinar presented machine for marking of plastics with complex surface at the exhibition; UV laser with scanning head is installed inside this machine and it has capability to program the words or symbols on computer in order to apply them on item surface. The machine is equipped with monitor, which displays the whole process of marking. This device grants the opportunity to customer to optimize the process of plastics marking and obtain the treatment with high quality.
Integrators of laser equipment also presented their solutions. The company Erlase designs the laser systems for overlaying and hardening and for these purposes it uses standard modules of other manufacturers. In order to produce the systems of laser treatment, the company uses robotized complexes combining them with diode lasers and devices for positioning. The company is well-known for its ability to integrate units and design finished systems of laser treatment. The company Erlase also assembles individual units: laser heads, fasteners and clamps for part fixation, system of part positioning into the treatment area, systems of testing and packaging.
Sometimes the company Erlase uses the standard components of other laser manufacturers but in some cases it produces the special heads with certain characteristics by itself and builds them into the finished system of laser treatment. For example, the company Erlase built the sensor of temperature measurement into the laser head intended for hardening and overlaying (Fig.17).
Japanese corporation FANUC participated in the exhibition for the first time. The company presented new fiber lasers of FF series and their connection to the robot systems FANUC.
A number of companies presented the laser heads for laser welding, cutting and overlaying. Their dimensions depend on application and their constructions are more complicated. If the former laser heads were equipped with optical elements only for transportation and focusing of laser beam into operating area, the new laser heads are equipped with the special devices for monitoring of treatment process parameters.
Occurrence of new technologies of laser treatment is accompanied by the occurrence of contaminations, which are unusual for the classical safety methods. In case of use of USP laser in the processes of formation of the structures of silicon wafers for solar batteries or industrial production of high-efficiency accumulator batteries, the substance ablation causes the formation of small aerosol particles and their release into environment. Their reduction in size is proportional to the decrease of focal spot and increase of pulse frequency. The new materials and technological processes of their treatment require use of the special filtration systems. Thus, the treatment of ceramics and silicon causes the formation of greater amount of particles in comparison with the treatment of alloy steel.
The efficiency of air filtration is impeded by the particle deposition in the form of "nano-cotton"; due to the presence of bonding force between individual particles, their "sintering" takes place and lumps in the form of particle deposition in filter pores occur. This fact greatly impairs the filtration efficiency, and therefore in addition to the automatic filter cleaning the replaceable cartridge filters are required. Equipment for the cleaning of operational space was presented by the firms ULT, BOFA and TEKA at the exhibition.
The difference in technological applications of lasers is reflected in the selection of materials of protective elements for operators working with lasers. The most common protective device includes goggles. The goggles with polycarbonate glass are produced for the industry where high-power lasers are used. And plastic goggles are intended for the protection of the operators of laser equipment intended for medical purposes: dermatology, cosmetology, surgery and dentistry. The goggles are always in demand, and the market of such items has not been saturated yet. On the basis of the rate of volume increase of released protective equipment, especially for cutting, overlaying operations and medical applications, we can draw conclusion on what laser technologies are rapidly expanding.
When developing the laser construction, researchers often work with uncased lasers (free lasers). The company JUTEC is involved into the development of protective suits and shields. It presented the solutions providing complete user safety during operations with laser systems (Fig.18). The company JUTEC has developed and patented the material for protection against laser radiation. It consists of several layers and has special coating, and as a result 70% of radiation is reflected. The wavelength operating range is 200–11000 nm. The protection against direct and scattered laser radiation in the premises where one or two persons work was presented at the exhibition.
In the next issue we plan to publish the review on technological equipment intended for the production of optical parts on the basis of materials of OPTATEC exhibition, which was held in Frankfurt am Main in summer 2016.
In earlier years, the lasers for metal working in large-scale industrial applications (automobile construction, watch and jewelry industries, marking and engraving) were exhibited. And before the decline in production, which struck the large automobile industry, it seemed that laser metal-working machines were quite conservative goods. They are less liable to big changes because they are intended for manufacturing of specific products with specific tolerances. Competition between the manufacturers of laser machines followed the path of increase of laser power with energy saving, efficiency enhancement using process automation, introduction of robots, utilization of galvanic scanners.
But the tendency, which was manifested two years ago when almost all manufacturers of laser machines for cutting, welding, soldering, overlaying followed the path of formation of reserved models for the creation of new products with the use of new materials of glasses, powders, ceramics, reinforced plastics, continues intensifying.
The development of 3D technologies entailed the demand for transformers of distribution of laser radiation power density in beam cross-section. Introduction of lasers with ultrashort pulses (USP lasers) into the industry compelled attention to the danger of occurrence of industrial workshops of aerosol particles reduced to the size, which is hazardous for personnel health. As a result, the rapid development of studies of the systems of laser safety took place. Exhibition of 2016 demonstrated to a greater degree its position as the exhibition of intellectual system solutions and applications for laser treatment of materials where the parameters of operations of welding, cutting, overlaying depend on the absorption properties of materials.
In exhibition 2014, the majority of exhibits were represented by the systems and components for laser technological treatment of large parts and their surfaces, the group of lasers for security marking stood apart. In exhibition 2016, the larger share was held by the laser systems intended for treatment of thin-film elements, cutting and drilling in microelectronics, drilling of deep openings, treatment of nano-capillaries, surface bonding, systems intended for the production of items with lower mass-dimensional characteristics. The emphasis was placed not on the lasers with greater power but on the devices for control of process operating parameters, duration of laser pulses for treatment of material compositions (copper, glass fiber and resin), on the devices for transformation of power density distribution (beamshaper), on the improvement of technological laser heads for material treatment, on the lasers for specific dedicated applications, for example, for cutting of ceramic sheets. Engineers see the new fields of application of special optics: VUV range, material treatment using short pulses and ultrashort pulses of lasers, visualization methods in medical and research areas, computer vision in industrial quality control.
The company AdlOptica (www.adloptica.com) is well-known developer and manufacturer of beamshapers – devices intended for the transformation of laser beams of pulse radiation and continuous radiation. In case of non-use of such transformers, during the laser technological operations only third part of beam energy would be used. Transformers of collimated laser beam with Gaussian distribution of power density into homogeneous distribution – πShapers – are intended for high-power lasers used for welding, hardening and overlaying (in such case they are equipped with the systems of water cooling) or for high-power pulse lasers in the tasks of amplification (MOPA) and optical pumping of USP lasers. At the expense of redistribution of radiation intensity it is possible to enhance the efficiency of amplification and reduce the effect of formation of thermal lens in laser crystal (Fig.1). Other device – Focal πShaper – is used in order to obtain the homogeneous distribution of radiation density in focus (Fig.2). These transformers are needed in objectives, for 3D printers. For example, the fiber lasers are actively used in SLM machines (Selective Laser Melting) but they have Gaussian intensity distribution (the fiber in lasers is quartz doped by ytterbium ions, radiation wavelength is 1.07 µm). In case of high radiation power (400 W and higher, up to 1 kW), the intense evaporation of treated material occurs in the center of focal spot. Or vice versa, the material does not have enough time to melt at the edges of focal spot. Then, the layer with inhomogeneous thickness is formed, and as a result there is high porosity of workpiece even if the step of poured powder is small (up to 20 µm). For objectives in the similar 3D machines, the task of generation of homogeneous distribution of radiation power density in focus is solved with the help of focal shapers. These devices combine the functions of beam shaper and collimator, which is connected directly to fiber laser, and they operate within the range of 1020–1100 nm. Thanks to them, the lasers have high degree of repeatability of power density distribution in beam cross-section. Focal πShapers work with the objectives, which focus beam into the spot less than 100–200 µm, in other words with restricted diffraction limit. Laser beam with generated quality is used in the industry of photovoltaic cells (Fig.3).
There is one more field of beamshaper application, which consists in the creation of synthesized hologram optical elements (SHOE) or Computer Generated Holography (CGH). The needs in extension of operating spectral range of CGH use in optoelectronic equipment grow. Reducing the dimensions and weight of control and diagnostic equipment CGH fulfill the functions of exemplary optical elements and compensators or load-bearing optical elements and correctors of chromatic aberrations in laser optics.
The company TOPAG Lasertechnik (www.topag.de) offers diffraction beamshapers with the size of spot in focus of 1; 1.5–10 mm, which withstand the radiation power up to 4 J/cm 2 at the wavelength of 532 nm. The company also offers diffraction beam splitters for division of laser radiation by two first orders for different tasks. Beam splitters are rated at the wavelengths 355/343, 532, 515 and 1064/1030 nm. Also the company offers diffraction variation attenuator for flexible attenuation of laser radiation power (Fig.4).
But the widest choice of operations with microobjects is offered by the company WOP (Workshop of Photonics) (www.worphotonics.com). In addition to beamshapers, the company WOP solves instrumentation tasks of laser industry in the field of microengineering – creation of technologies of laser microdrilling, scribing of heat-sensitive materials, surface structuring, development and design of devices for interdisciplinary studies, production of devices for radiation input-output with the help of photon-crystalline and plasmonic lenses, fabrication of microcapillaries with apertures, marking of transparent materials, creation of phase plates with the variation of optical thickness for phase modulation of laser radiation. The operation secret consists in the technology of production of computer-synthesized holograms with binary, multilevel and continuous profile. WOP positions its leadership qualities in super-precision treatment of transparent material surface and development of solutions in relation to different tasks in this field (Fig.5).
It is impossible to work without scanators which provide high speed of laser treatment. Having vast experience in the area of development and production of galvanometric scanners the company SCANLAB (www.scanlab.de) finds new application areas. SCANLAB intently studies the market tendencies manifested at early stages in order to determine the new applications for laser scanning (Fig.6). The company’s task is to turn laser into the universal tool adding the complementary functionally to emitter. This is how the development of system Blackbird Robotics for 2D scanning in laser welding (Fig.7) and system of computer vision SCANalign for monitoring and calibration of results of the operations performed by USP lasers (Fig.8) took place. Blackbird Robotersysteme is the system, which is optimized for the operations of fiber-coupled disk or fiber lasers with the power up to 8 kW. The system quickly positions beam for the welding of 2D contours. Scanning head has compact construction, gives opportunity to work straight or at angle, and simplifies the direct integration into equipment operating under conditions of restricted space. It is developed for welding of batteries into blocks or for welding of contacts in automobile production of electronic components.
SCANalign system (Camera Enhances Laser Processing Quality) performs the correction of image field and detects the workpiece orientation. The device uses high-precision calibration plate for calibration of laser coordinate; the error is lower than the size of laser spot in focus. For example, for f = 255 mm and wavelength 1064 nm the positioning precision reaches 10 µm. Such systems play significant role in the laser applications, which require the observation of very strict tolerances by dimensions and precise positioning of treated parts.
Newson NV is a technology group specializing in high precision measuring and control engineering. The company introduced its new product Smart Deflectors. Newson designed an adaptable scan solution for laser beam steering (Fig.9).
If the companies announce about the launch of new product at the market, then it means that this new product is the laser for specific application area. Thus, for the creation of pulse stretchers based on diffraction Bragg gratings with variable period (CFBG), which are used in industrial ultrafast lasers for compensation of compressor dispersion, the lasers generating radiation within UV spectral range are required. The lasers generating radiation within green and UV spectral region are presented by the French company Amplitude Systems. These tools are the most beautiful lasers, design of the lasers of SATSUMA and TANGOR series performed in orange-golden colors looks overwhelmingly (Fig.10).
The laser systems intended for encoding of medicinal products and foodstuffs are based on the laser marking by СО2 laser. Compact small-size laser, which is developed by the company Iradionlaser (www.Iradionlaser.com) has ceramic core (Fig.11). Aluminum oxide Al2O3, argil is crystalline non-organic material. It is electric insulator but as opposed to the majority of electric insulators it has very high heat conductivity. Aluminum oxide has relatively low coefficient of thermal expansion. This property turns it into the excellent material for the components of laser tube. But everybody knows about the problem of ceramics interaction with gas medium. Iradion technology turns the laser construction inside out. Ceramics is not used as the component inside laser, it is turned into laser tube and plate for the mounting of other necessary components, and it is the part of laser electric circuit. Electrodes are installed inside and outside relative to the gas vessel of resonator. This innovation concept grants the excellent long service life, operation reliability and stability to the laser. Iradionlaser develops the range of new products leaving the concept of laser use only in laser marking and laser encoding. The company has produced 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 Watt lasers, which can be used for cutting, welding, drilling of medical and semiconductor materials.
The company EKSPLA specializes in the development of laser systems based on Nd: YAG, Nd: YLF and Nd: Glass for studies and industrial applications. The wide range of picosecond and nanosecond lasers presented by EKSPLA, long spectral range of emitter wavelengths from 193 nm to medium IR range and low thickness of radiation band turn the laser into convenient instrument for the solution of various tasks. High frequency of pulse repetition up to 1 MHz with high peak power provides the ablation of material without its damage (Fig.12). Such properties are important in case of laser drilling, one of few production methods, which grant the opportunity to make deep apertures, in which the depth turns out to be more than ten in relation to diameter. Laser drilling of prolonged openings is used in many applications, including design of cooling systems in aerospace turbine engine. Fast growing market of organic electronics and organic light-emitting devices and thin-film solar batteries stimulates the development of universal technologies for formation of thin-film structures on hard and flexible substrates. Thin transparent films of conducting oxides and metals are used for the production of contacts, conductors and active elements. Laser structuring with the use of pico – and nanosecond pulses is used for the formation of thin films deposited on polymer and glass substrates. Laser radiation wavelength is corrected depending on the optical properties of film and substrate. UV laser radiation with picosecond pulse duration can be used in the production of microsystems for various technical applications.
The company ALPHALASER designed mobile lasers for repair, welding and overlaying of material on wearing parts, which belong to large-size machines working under special conditions (Fig.13). Use of mobile laser eliminates the operation dependence on specific repair location; maintenance can be performed without dekitting of large-size equipment and spending time on transportation. The range of distances, which can be reached by the lever of mobile laser ALFlakMax, is almost 2.80 m: the highest operating point is 2 m and the deepest point – distance 80 cm.
TRUMPF has specially announced new picosecond laser TruMicro 2000 at the exhibition (Fig.14). This laser used for structuring of metallic surfaces - suitable for opalescent marking of surface as well as coupling of plastic and metal. Moreover the coupling area of metal and plastic becomes quite strong. TRUMPF also demonstrated 3D printer TruPrint 1000 (Fig.15) designed for building objects using metal powder. Such objects are dental, hip and other implants, prototypes of small products with a complex structure and their serial production. It is also used for producing of jewelry and difficult technical products from precious metals, components of bio-design, which are used in airplane construction, aircraft engine construction for producing of elements of gas-turbine engine. TruPrint 1000 was developed in the shortest possible time in cooperation with Italian company SISMA. The laser fiber excitation generator used in the TruPrint 1000 is produced by TRUMPF company. Development of the system took 2 years which is quite a short period to create such sophisticated equipment.
The company Rofin-Sinar Laser (German branch of American company Rofin Sinar Technology) presented the range of milli-, micro-, femto – and picosecond lasers (Fig.16). The company does not focus on the creation of lasers with certain pulse duration, it studies the current needs of manufacturers. For example, if we speak about the efficiency of cutting, the low-temperature cutting (cold process) is efficient for ceramics or glass because this method allows avoiding the cracking inside material. And the company Rofin-Sinar presented machine for marking of plastics with complex surface at the exhibition; UV laser with scanning head is installed inside this machine and it has capability to program the words or symbols on computer in order to apply them on item surface. The machine is equipped with monitor, which displays the whole process of marking. This device grants the opportunity to customer to optimize the process of plastics marking and obtain the treatment with high quality.
Integrators of laser equipment also presented their solutions. The company Erlase designs the laser systems for overlaying and hardening and for these purposes it uses standard modules of other manufacturers. In order to produce the systems of laser treatment, the company uses robotized complexes combining them with diode lasers and devices for positioning. The company is well-known for its ability to integrate units and design finished systems of laser treatment. The company Erlase also assembles individual units: laser heads, fasteners and clamps for part fixation, system of part positioning into the treatment area, systems of testing and packaging.
Sometimes the company Erlase uses the standard components of other laser manufacturers but in some cases it produces the special heads with certain characteristics by itself and builds them into the finished system of laser treatment. For example, the company Erlase built the sensor of temperature measurement into the laser head intended for hardening and overlaying (Fig.17).
Japanese corporation FANUC participated in the exhibition for the first time. The company presented new fiber lasers of FF series and their connection to the robot systems FANUC.
A number of companies presented the laser heads for laser welding, cutting and overlaying. Their dimensions depend on application and their constructions are more complicated. If the former laser heads were equipped with optical elements only for transportation and focusing of laser beam into operating area, the new laser heads are equipped with the special devices for monitoring of treatment process parameters.
Occurrence of new technologies of laser treatment is accompanied by the occurrence of contaminations, which are unusual for the classical safety methods. In case of use of USP laser in the processes of formation of the structures of silicon wafers for solar batteries or industrial production of high-efficiency accumulator batteries, the substance ablation causes the formation of small aerosol particles and their release into environment. Their reduction in size is proportional to the decrease of focal spot and increase of pulse frequency. The new materials and technological processes of their treatment require use of the special filtration systems. Thus, the treatment of ceramics and silicon causes the formation of greater amount of particles in comparison with the treatment of alloy steel.
The efficiency of air filtration is impeded by the particle deposition in the form of "nano-cotton"; due to the presence of bonding force between individual particles, their "sintering" takes place and lumps in the form of particle deposition in filter pores occur. This fact greatly impairs the filtration efficiency, and therefore in addition to the automatic filter cleaning the replaceable cartridge filters are required. Equipment for the cleaning of operational space was presented by the firms ULT, BOFA and TEKA at the exhibition.
The difference in technological applications of lasers is reflected in the selection of materials of protective elements for operators working with lasers. The most common protective device includes goggles. The goggles with polycarbonate glass are produced for the industry where high-power lasers are used. And plastic goggles are intended for the protection of the operators of laser equipment intended for medical purposes: dermatology, cosmetology, surgery and dentistry. The goggles are always in demand, and the market of such items has not been saturated yet. On the basis of the rate of volume increase of released protective equipment, especially for cutting, overlaying operations and medical applications, we can draw conclusion on what laser technologies are rapidly expanding.
When developing the laser construction, researchers often work with uncased lasers (free lasers). The company JUTEC is involved into the development of protective suits and shields. It presented the solutions providing complete user safety during operations with laser systems (Fig.18). The company JUTEC has developed and patented the material for protection against laser radiation. It consists of several layers and has special coating, and as a result 70% of radiation is reflected. The wavelength operating range is 200–11000 nm. The protection against direct and scattered laser radiation in the premises where one or two persons work was presented at the exhibition.
In the next issue we plan to publish the review on technological equipment intended for the production of optical parts on the basis of materials of OPTATEC exhibition, which was held in Frankfurt am Main in summer 2016.
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