The addition of ultrashort pulse laser processing ensures jobshop can continue to provide the best technological laser cutting, drilling and marking solutions for its customers.
The industrial fs Laser in its Workstation Being Unloaded at ES Precision
ES Precision completed its seventh year in business and has again reinvested profits in more laser technology, increasing its laser plant list to 9 industrial workstations. These comprise the new fs system, two fibre lasers, two vanadate, a frequency-tripled YAG and three CO2 (galvo, flatbed and reel-to-reel). All bar one of the systems operates by galvo beam steering and such a wide range of technologies means that virtually all materials can be marked, engraved, drilled and, in the case of sub-millimetre thicknesses, cut.
The femtosecond laser represents the latest technology to mature from the laboratory to industry and its unique capabilities stem from the extremely short duration of the pulses of energy it produces, resulting in brief peak power outputs of hundreds of megawatts. But what is really special about femtosecond lasers is the remarkable speed at which such pulses interact with any material the pulse of energy encounters. This laser’s minimum pulse duration is 300fs or 300 x10 -15 s – a moment so mind-bogglingly short that even light only travels 90 microns (roughly the diameter of a human hair) in that time!
One can envisage the interaction of such a pulse of energy rather like an ultra high speed camera flash: the intense, focused beam of light is absorbed by its target, which vaporises before adjacent molecules or atoms in a crystal lattice (in the case of metals) have a chance to move. This means that heat is not transmitted to adjacent areas through thermal conduction via molecular collisions or vibration and can result in largely thermal damage free microprocessing.
ES engineers are just beginning to determine the capabilities of the new laser in subcontract processing of organics, metals, glass and ceramics. Trials are addressing fine processing of thin materials that require minimal heat-affected zones initially.
ES welcomes all enquiries from manufacturers who seek to try out lasers for engraving, etching, drilling or cutting of components or subassemblies. Pre-production volumes through to millions of parts per year can be handled from our Oxfordshire premises.
More information on fine laser processing at www.esprecision.co.uk