Paper
18 March 2016 Can fiber laser improve high speed multi-pulse drilling of aeronautic alloy?
M. Nguyen, C. Loumena, A. Bussière, R. Kling, C. Delor, E. Freysz
Author Affiliations +
Abstract
Processing of helicopter engines faster, better and more reliably is the triptych which binds LOMA, ALPhANOV and TURBOMECA. In current production machines, flash lamp pumped lasers are employed to drill thousands of cooling holes with specific geometries and diameters to ensure a homogeneous air flow over the surface. However we aim to enhance the production process. Therefore, the three partners started an initiative to identify and overcome the shortcomings of the current process, where the laser source is a key element for improvement.

In this paper, we report on the latest developments in multi-pulse drilling using an IPG fiber laser. The latter delivers, at a tunable repetition rate (from single shot up to 2 kHz), laser pulses whose width and peak power are adjustable in between 0.2 - 10 ms and 0 - 12 kW respectively. We have focused our work on drilling of thick sheets of metal alloys with different geometries and different processing strategies. We will show that using such laser system it is possible to decrease the processing time while limiting the heat affected zones and collateral effects. Finally, the impact of the different physical processes in play during the drilling on the geometry of the holes will be discussed.
© (2016) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
M. Nguyen, C. Loumena, A. Bussière, R. Kling, C. Delor, and E. Freysz "Can fiber laser improve high speed multi-pulse drilling of aeronautic alloy?", Proc. SPIE 9741, High-Power Laser Materials Processing: Lasers, Beam Delivery, Diagnostics, and Applications V, 974107 (18 March 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2211834
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Cited by 1 scholarly publication.
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KEYWORDS
Laser drilling

Lamps

Fiber lasers

Head

Nd:YAG lasers

Pulsed laser operation

Laser sources

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