Product Code: ICA13_M707

High Precision 2.5D Laser Cutting of Thin Nitinol and Polyurethane for Medical Applications
Authors:
Frank Zibner, Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ; Aachen Germany
Joachim Ryll, Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology Ilt; Aachen Germany
Jens Holtkamp, Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology Ilt; Aachen Germany
Arnold Giller, Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology Ilt; Aachen Germany
Presented at ICALEO 2013

High precision laser cutting is extensively used in many medical applications. Materials like polyurethane and nitinol operate as catheters, heart valves, stents or systems combined of both materials. Industrial cutting machines that can fulfill that range of tasks are highly expensive. Hence the objective is to design a laser machining center for less than 200k $ that is able to cut metal materials as well as non-metal materials at economic speed with a precision of less than 2µm. Therefore a cw-laser at a wavelength of 10.6 µm and a short pulsed Ytterbium fiber laser at 1.06 µm operate within the entire system. Both laser sources can be used alternately during each process. The processes take place on complex 2.5D surfaces and therefore require precise and well controlled movement of four axes simultaneously. The intention is to increase the quality of the cutting surface and to minimize HAZ in order to reduce post-processing. Particular advantages are obtained in the machining of medical products, consisting of metal and non-metal components due to the smart usage of two laser sources which meet best specifications for thin material processing.