The Use of Lasser in Industrial Applications

1. Identify a product that has been manufactured using laser processing (Cutting, welding, etc.)

and describe what laser process has been used in it (4)

2. How was this part manufactured before lasers were used (2)?

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using lasers instead the previous process in the case of this particular item (4)?

4. Identify a company that manufactures this item or does the mentioned laser processing part.

Briefly describe the operations of the company with a focus on its laser operations. Are there any other advanced manufacturing process carried out on this item or component? What are they (5)?

5. How can the company benefit more through applying innovation in its manufacturing process? What innovation do you recommend? Please describe the pros and cons of your idea (5).

Assessment Task Comments:

If needed, add any comments you wish to make to the assessor about this assessment task.

1. Introduction

 LASER is an abbreviation to Light Amplification by Simulated Emission of Radiation. Laser emits light at a particular wavelength by simulating atoms or molecules. It produces a narrow beam of radiation which is limited to ultraviolet, infrared and visible wavelength ranges only. [1]

 The use of laser in industrial applications has been rapidly increasing as an alternate to the traditional or conventional manufacturing processes. [1]

 Many manufacturing processes are performed using laser which includes

• Laser Cutting • Laser Welding

• Laser Drilling • Laser Cladding

• Laser Marking • Laser Forming

Product and Process

 Laser Drilling is a process of making holes using short pulses of laser at high density, which results in melting and vaporizing of material. [2]

 Laser drilling presently covers 5% of industrial laser processing applications. [3]

 One of the main applications of laser drilling is drilling cooling holes in gas turbines for aircraft and power plants. [3]

Fig (a) - Ceramic coated gas turbine Fig (b) – Stator Blade of stationary

blade with 500 cooling holes [3] gas turbine (Siemens Power Generation) [4]

 In turbine engine laser drilling is used to produce cylindrical holes for cooling system. It is done through melting and vaporization of material by absorption of focused laser beam energy.

 Here the energy is transferred in the direction of laser deep into the material by a process called heat conductivity using a power of about 200-400 W.

 Flash-lamp pumped Nd: YAG lasers are used for pulse generation.