Product Code: ICA12_404

Influence of Different Ambient Media on the Laser Ablation Process of CFRP
Authors:
Christian Freitag, Graduate School of Advanced Manufacturing Engineering GSaME, Univ. of Stuttgart; Stuttgart Germany
Volkher Onuseit, Institut für Strahlwerkzeuge IFSW, Univ. of Stuttgart; Stuttgart Germany
Rudolf Weber, Institut für Strahlwerkzeuge IFSW, Univ. of Stuttgart; Stuttgart Germany
Thomas Graf, Institut für Strahlwerkzeuge IFSW, Univ. of Stuttgart; Stuttgart Germany
Presented at ICALEO 2012

Although laser processing of carbon reinforced plastics (CFRP) has gained large attention in the past few years, a large number of open questions concerning the basic process mechanisms remain. In order to investigate the laser ablation process of CFRP, ablation experiments in different ambient mediums were performed. A nanosecond laser system was used to ablate grooves in atmospheres of air, argon, helium and nitrogen as well as in vacuum. By ablating in vacuum, any influence of the ambient gas can be suppressed. The created grooves were investigated with respect to their width and depth, as well as to the extension of the area where the carbon fibers are laid open which is considered to be the heat affected zone (HAZ). By comparing these characteristic attributes, conclusions on the laser ablation process of CFRP can be made. It is shown that a reduction of up to 26% of the HAZ can be reached when ablating in vacuum instead of air. When ablating in air, combustion of the carbon fibers seems to be a major issue regarding the ablation process and especially the HAZ.