Product Code: ICA11_701

Modeling of Real Temporally Variant Beam Shapes in Laser Materials Processing
Authors:
Jonathan Griffiths, University of Liverpool; Liverpool Great Britain
Stuart P. Edwardson, University of Liverpool; Liverpool Great Britain
Geoff Dearden, University of Liverpool; Liverpool Great Britain
Ken G. Watkins, University of Liverpool; Liverpool Great Britain
Presented at ICALEO 2011

The ability to incorporate real, temporally variant intensity distributions is key to improving the accuracy of Finite Element (FE) models of laser processes. The work presented in this paper uses Laser Forming as a process example. Laser forming (LF) offers the industrial promise of controlled shaping of metallic and non-metallic components for prototyping, correction of design shape or distortion and precision adjustment applications. In order to fulfill this promise in a manufacturing environment the process must have a high degree of controllability, which can be achieved through a better understanding of its underlying mechanisms and FE modeling can be used to gain this understanding.