The laser reinforces the light by absorbing and irradiating energy. Energy is directed to a glass rod (laser body) or a special gas mixture (laser gas). This energy is produced through light (ray lamps or laser diode), or through an electrical discharge.

In this way, the glass rod or gas, previously activated by the laser, is directed between two mirrors, producing a light resonator. This phenomenon gives the laser beam a certain direction. A proportion of the laser light passes through a partially translucent mirror and remains available for machining the material. The laser beam erodes the material in several layers, thus obtaining the required geometry and depth.

The high energy density and high temperature of the beam at the focus point or focal point allow elimination to occur, causing the material to fuse and vaporize, with protection of the machining area with an inert gas supply being almost always necessary.

A laser beam equipment is necessary, equipped with a power source and a cooling system.

The lasers commonly used are CO2, among the gaseous ones (gas laser), and the Nd-YAG laser (neodymium laser with a garnet (mineral) crystal "Garnet (mineral)") of yttrium and aluminum with a fixed body pumped by diodes), among the solid state ones. These allow an average laser power of 100 watts, with peak power of 20 kilowatts.

It is also necessary to accompany laser beam machining with a gas flow that eliminates excess material and protects the focusing lenses.

Normally this gas is usually air, for non-metallic materials, since there is no danger of oxidation. For metallic materials, inert gases such as argon are usually used.

Laser machining is used to machine any type of material regardless of its hardness or machinability, such as: hard and soft metals, heat-resistant alloys, ceramics, silicon, composite, leather, cardboard, fabrics, wood, plastics, etc...

Some materials absorb the beam radiation exceptionally well, but others much worse.

Uncoated aluminum or brass has a weak absorption degree. In these cases, a powerful laser system is therefore necessary.

It is also very common to use this process for machining polymer matrix composite materials.

Hole drilling

They can reach up to 0.1 millimeters in diameter and depth-diameter ratios of 20:1, allowing drills to be made with a certain degree of inclination with respect to the entry surface.

However, the drills tend to be slightly tapered, preventing great depths, and stepped holes cannot be obtained.

laser cutting

Laser cutting is a non-contact machining of the material and free of forces that allows cuts of any geometry.

laser engraving

When this machining process is carried out, the base material is vaporized by the radiation of the laser beam, therefore, the intensity of the laser radiation must exceed a limit value. This is called the threshold value.

The intensity of the threshold value is very large in materials that have high electrical conductivity.

Due to the beam profile and the thermal conductivity in the material, a conical deepening of the beam occurs.

This method is the fastest of laser machining.

Abrasion

With this method, a small surface layer of the material is volatilized. Thin surface layers, such as anodizing or paint layers, are suitable for laser engraving.

Laser radiation is usually very well absorbed by these layers. A very low laser power is capable of producing high contrasts.

Quenched (tempered)

If the metal is heated, it is colored by the tempering effect, which is produced by changes in the texture of the outer layer. The coloring or tinting depends on the maximum temperature achieved.

With laser technology, surfaces can be heated in a controlled manner, thus creating light and dark tempering colors.

burned

Metals can be labeled much better by insert burning the outer layers of the material with ceramic powder.

A spraying procedure is applied to the surface layer and is removed again after engraving.

This process causes oxidation on the surface of the metal.

foamed

When certain plastics are laser machined, foaming occurs.

The laser beam melts the surface layer of the plastic, producing gas bubbles that remain closed when the material cools.

Thanks to the enclosed gas, the volume is formed and the points that have been machined by the laser beam are visible in relief.

Color change and whitening

This effect can only be achieved with plastics and depends on the wavelength of the laser radiation.

Laser radiation penetrates the material and is absorbed into pigments. If these are chemically modified, a change in the coloration of the material occurs.

laser marking

This process is used to mark materials such as metal, plastics and leather using a laser marking system. These labeling systems are suitable for applying barcodes, serial numbers and manufacturing dates to individual products and parts.

The advantages of this subprocess are security, cost-effectiveness and speed of marking.

Since the laser radiation penetrates the plastic, the surface is virtually defect-free.

laser ablation

Laser Ablation is a process used to remove or clean material from the surface of a solid by irradiating it with a laser beam.

laser welding

Laser beam welding is a fusion welding process that uses the energy provided by a laser beam to melt and recrystallize the material or materials to be joined.

There is no contribution of any external material.

Laser machining makes it possible to machine small figures and pieces, allowing sharp corners and small diameter holes to be obtained, that is, complex geometric shapes that are not possible or very expensive to obtain by conventional processes.

It allows the creation of cavities for applications as diverse as precision technical moulds, medical technology, electronics, semiconductor moulds, microtechnology, prototype construction, micro-injection moulds, micro-inserts for die-making, superficial and deep engravings and replacing electro-erosion operations in specific cases.

Some typical applications of laser drilling are perforation of cigarette filter paper, perforation of rubber irrigation pipes, perforation of baby bottle nipples and cardiovascular catheters.

The laser reinforces the light by absorbing and irradiating energy. Energy is directed to a glass rod (laser body) or a special gas mixture (laser gas). This energy is produced through light (ray lamps or laser diode), or through an electrical discharge.

In this way, the glass rod or gas, previously activated by the laser, is directed between two mirrors, producing a light resonator. This phenomenon gives the laser beam a certain direction. A proportion of the laser light passes through a partially translucent mirror and remains available for machining the material. The laser beam erodes the material in several layers, thus obtaining the required geometry and depth.

The high energy density and high temperature of the beam at the focus point or focal point allow elimination to occur, causing the material to fuse and vaporize, with protection of the machining area with an inert gas supply being almost always necessary.

A laser beam equipment is necessary, equipped with a power source and a cooling system.

The lasers commonly used are CO2, among the gaseous ones (gas laser), and the Nd-YAG laser (neodymium laser with a garnet (mineral) crystal "Garnet (mineral)") of yttrium and aluminum with a fixed body pumped by diodes), among the solid state ones. These allow an average laser power of 100 watts, with peak power of 20 kilowatts.

It is also necessary to accompany laser beam machining with a gas flow that eliminates excess material and protects the focusing lenses.

Normally this gas is usually air, for non-metallic materials, since there is no danger of oxidation. For metallic materials, inert gases such as argon are usually used.

Laser machining is used to machine any type of material regardless of its hardness or machinability, such as: hard and soft metals, heat-resistant alloys, ceramics, silicon, composite, leather, cardboard, fabrics, wood, plastics, etc...

Some materials absorb the beam radiation exceptionally well, but others much worse.

Uncoated aluminum or brass has a weak absorption degree. In these cases, a powerful laser system is therefore necessary.

It is also very common to use this process for machining polymer matrix composite materials.

Hole drilling

They can reach up to 0.1 millimeters in diameter and depth-diameter ratios of 20:1, allowing drills to be made with a certain degree of inclination with respect to the entry surface.

However, the drills tend to be slightly tapered, preventing great depths, and stepped holes cannot be obtained.

laser cutting

Laser cutting is a non-contact machining of the material and free of forces that allows cuts of any geometry.

laser engraving

When this machining process is carried out, the base material is vaporized by the radiation of the laser beam, therefore, the intensity of the laser radiation must exceed a limit value. This is called the threshold value.

The intensity of the threshold value is very large in materials that have high electrical conductivity.

Due to the beam profile and the thermal conductivity in the material, a conical deepening of the beam occurs.

This method is the fastest of laser machining.

Abrasion

With this method, a small surface layer of the material is volatilized. Thin surface layers, such as anodizing or paint layers, are suitable for laser engraving.

Laser radiation is usually very well absorbed by these layers. A very low laser power is capable of producing high contrasts.

Quenched (tempered)

If the metal is heated, it is colored by the tempering effect, which is produced by changes in the texture of the outer layer. The coloring or tinting depends on the maximum temperature achieved.

With laser technology, surfaces can be heated in a controlled manner, thus creating light and dark tempering colors.

burned

Metals can be labeled much better by insert burning the outer layers of the material with ceramic powder.

A spraying procedure is applied to the surface layer and is removed again after engraving.

This process causes oxidation on the surface of the metal.

foamed

When certain plastics are laser machined, foaming occurs.

The laser beam melts the surface layer of the plastic, producing gas bubbles that remain closed when the material cools.

Thanks to the enclosed gas, the volume is formed and the points that have been machined by the laser beam are visible in relief.

Color change and whitening

This effect can only be achieved with plastics and depends on the wavelength of the laser radiation.

Laser radiation penetrates the material and is absorbed into pigments. If these are chemically modified, a change in the coloration of the material occurs.

laser marking

This process is used to mark materials such as metal, plastics and leather using a laser marking system. These labeling systems are suitable for applying barcodes, serial numbers and manufacturing dates to individual products and parts.

The advantages of this subprocess are security, cost-effectiveness and speed of marking.

Since the laser radiation penetrates the plastic, the surface is virtually defect-free.

laser ablation

Laser Ablation is a process used to remove or clean material from the surface of a solid by irradiating it with a laser beam.

laser welding

Laser beam welding is a fusion welding process that uses the energy provided by a laser beam to melt and recrystallize the material or materials to be joined.

There is no contribution of any external material.

Laser machining makes it possible to machine small figures and pieces, allowing sharp corners and small diameter holes to be obtained, that is, complex geometric shapes that are not possible or very expensive to obtain by conventional processes.

It allows the creation of cavities for applications as diverse as precision technical moulds, medical technology, electronics, semiconductor moulds, microtechnology, prototype construction, micro-injection moulds, micro-inserts for die-making, superficial and deep engravings and replacing electro-erosion operations in specific cases.

Some typical applications of laser drilling are perforation of cigarette filter paper, perforation of rubber irrigation pipes, perforation of baby bottle nipples and cardiovascular catheters.