Laser is one of the most accurate methods for cutting materials. Its ability to cut all sorts of material makes it a valuable equipment in machine shops all over the world. Flat laser cutting, for example, is used for fast and easy cutting of sheet materials such as metal, plastic and wood.
The lack of debris makes it all the more important in operations wherein the risk of contamination is a serious issue. Aside from cutting, an application wherein the use of laser tops all other methods is for microdrilling.
Not very long ago, the smallest hole that could be made using the conventional method was the size of a human hair. Advancements in the realm of medical, computer and electronic technology require the drilling of even smaller holes.
These holes have to be accurate, straight and have the necessary geometric details.
Non-conventional drilling technique was needed which necessitated the development of new machining tools. The ultraviolet light lasers is one of the best tools for microdrilling and other micro machining applications.
It had high peak power and repetition rates which makes quick work of machining tasks. The quality of the beam produced allowed the drilling of holes with diameters as small as 10 micrometers.
The use of laser for microdrilling has been around for quite a bit of time. The aerospace industry used this method in the production of components of the aircraft turbines. This technique, however, did not catch on quickly for other machining operations.
This is due to the fact that these types of laser systems used to require a great amount of maintenance. Plenty of replacements such as those of optics and flash lamps have to be done in order to keep the system running.
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