Laser sculpting

Detailed work

Who

The Welding Institute (TWI) has developed a process that enables material surface features to be sculptured using laser beams.

Technology

The process, called laser beam-induced surface modification, uses a power beam to melt and displace a material, which creates a surface feature on a range of substrates, such as metals, polymers and ceramics. How the material moves and the shape of the features produced can be determined by precisely controlling the beam path and its speed over the surface. The process is useful on metals including titanium, stainless steel and aluminium. 

Recent developments in laser materials processing have been utilised, including high-brightness fibre-delivered laser beams. Because of their high beam qualities these can be focused on small spots of high-power density, while still using a beam-focusing lens of long focal length.     

Application

There are a number of emerging applications for fine-feature surface manufacture. This includes biomedical devices and implants, where the integration of implants into the body is highly dependent on the surface. Specific small-scale features are required to promote bone growth, for example. These features are also difficult and expensive to produce by other methods. 

The process is also relatively fast, allowing close control of the feature shapes and ensuring surface features are firmly bonded, so that they do not detach from the implant. 

Other examples of applications include composite to metal joining, heat exchangers and to aid in the application of ultra-thick coatings.