Development of a Prototype Laser Processing System for Shaping Advanced Ceramic Materials

Laser machining has been shown to offer an increasingly attractive alternative to net shape forming processes and/or diamond grinding for producing components of advanced ceramic and ceramic composite materials. The control of machine parameters (incident power, feed, beam polarization, position of the focal plane and orientation of the beam relative to the surface) necessary for the optimization of process parameters (material removal rate and arithmetic average surface roughness) and of mechanical properties will be discussed. It will then be shown how these parameters can be incorporated into the operation of a prototype, fully automated, five axis, closed loop controlled laser shaping system (comprising a beam conditioner, high power laser scanner and noncontacting position sensor) to accurately and cost effectively produce complex shapes in advanced ceramic materials.