Laser Milling Ceramics

Laser milling provides a new method of producing parts in a wide range of materials including ceramics directly from cad data.

Laser milling ceramics.

With the custom integration of co2 uv and yag laser systems and more than 20 years of laser process development mlt has specialized in the laser machining of most any metal or plastic of less than. Recently due to the rapid advancement of laser technology lam was found to be a viable option for machining of some difficult to machine materials including hard and severe strain hardened metals ceramics glass plastics and composites 1 10 11. Lml can laser drill and cut all types of ceramic materials including alumina zirconia pzt materials corning macor and composite ceramics. Laser cutting ceramics ltd supplies precision profiled scribed and drilled ceramic substrates for both thick and thin film and aluminium nitride for hybrid circuits as well as laser processed ceramics for lids frames packages jigs fixtures guides wear plates cores thermal and electrical insulators spacers washers test pieces kiln supports and wave guides.

Many types of ceramics are used in the microelectronics energy and sensor industries. When cutting or dicing ceramic wafers we achieve extremely high edge quality without raised edges or chipping along the cut. Laser machiningof ceramics is the machining operation performed by a high power laser melting the material which is blown away by a supersonic gas jet. This paper considers the technical capabilities of laser milling when applied to the machining of microcomponents from alumina and silicon nitride ceramics.

This review paper aims at presenting the state of the art in the field of laser machining of structural ceramics and emphasizes on experimental and computational approaches in understanding physical nature of the complex phenomena. The laser energy density required for melting aluminaranges from 4 6 btu in2to 6 1 btu in2 750 j cm2to 1000 j cm2. As one of nontraditional machining methods laser beam machining has emerged as an effective technique for drilling of ceramics. This paper reviews the research work on laser drilling of structural ceramics from its different pulse width.

Using state of the art laser systems we have developed processes that allow us to machine precise features without cosmetic defects such as microcracks or heat affected zones. The following machining operation may be performed by laser. Laser process applications include laser drilling close tolerance routing control depth skiving part marking prototyping and micro machining. Various types of ceramic and crystalline substrates can be processed including alumina silicon nitride silicon diamond and sapphire.