High Metal Removal Rate Process for Machining Difficult Materials

Technical Report · Wed Jun 29 00:00:00 EDT 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1275741· OSTI ID:1275741

Bates, Robert ^[1]; McConnell, Elizabeth ^[1]

---

1. Delphi Automotive Systems, LLC, Troy, MI (United States)

Machining methods across many industries generally require multiple operations to machine and process advanced materials, features with micron precision, and complex shapes. The resulting multiple machining platforms can significantly affect manufacturing cycle time and the precision of the final parts, with a resultant increase in cost and energy consumption. Ultrafast lasers represent a transformative and disruptive technology that removes material with micron precision and in a single step manufacturing process. Such precision results from athermal ablation without modification or damage to the remaining material which is the key differentiator between ultrafast laser technologies and traditional laser technologies or mechanical processes. Athermal ablation without modification or damage to the material eliminates post-processing or multiple manufacturing steps. Combined with the appropriate technology to control the motion of the work piece, ultrafast lasers are excellent candidates to provide breakthrough machining capability for difficult-to-machine materials. At the project onset in early 2012, the project team recognized that substantial effort was necessary to improve the application of ultrafast laser and precise motion control technologies (for micromachining difficult-to-machine materials) to further the aggregate throughput and yield improvements over conventional machining methods. The project described in this report advanced these leading-edge technologies thru the development and verification of two platforms: a hybrid enhanced laser chassis and a multi-application testbed.

• Research Organization: Delphi Automotive Systems, LLC, Troy, MI (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Energy Efficiency Office. Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO)
• Contributing Organization: Microlution, Inc.; Raydiance, Inc.
• DOE Contract Number: EE0005752
• OSTI ID: 1275741
• Report Number(s): DE-EE0005752
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English