Review of situation on technological lasers
Total world market of the laser equipment reaches 70 billions of USD by 2000. By this, a share of the laser systems
is equal to 8.8 billions of USD. A year sale growth reaches 79 % in 2000. Note, that this growth occurs against a background of a total
decrease of activities in the sphere of science intensive technologies.
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Main directions of investigations are connected with development and manufacture of powerful automated laser technological complexes
(ALTC) for solution of a number of industrial problems. Physical and technical principles of lasers with power up to 20 kW are developed,
interaction of radiation with different materials is investigated, and the technological processes of manufacture of details of different
complexity are created and developed.
Today gas CO2 lasers created in IRAM SB RAS can be used in treatment of sheet materials (cutting and welding of metals).
Such companies as TRIUMF, ROFIN-SINAR and others assimilate the production of powerful lasers with the following properties for the same aims:
- Gas CO2 lasers with power up to 3-4 kW have a high quality of radiation allowing one to use them for cutting of metals with
thickness down to 15-20 mm. They can be also used for welding.
- There are technological gas lasers with power up to 6 kW and more, manufacturing on a special order.
Their peculiar feature is a multi-mode character of a radiation beam decreasing the laser quality.
So, the laser of 6 kW is capable to cut a stainless steel with thickness down to 45 mm, but a cutting quality
(surface roughness) is unsatisfactory.
- All foreign gas lasers are operating on very pure gases: carbonic gas, nitrogen and helium that leads to high operating costs.
- Lasers include technologically complicated elements that demands a special service for their routine maintenance and repairing.
- The solid-bodied YAG lasers are produced with the power up to 6 kW. Their radiation can be transported by a flexible cable waveguide.
But radiation of these lasers is of a law quality. Such lasers can be used for cutting of steel down to 10 mm, and are mostly applied in welding.
The lasers created at ITAM have the following principle characteristics:
- They are the only in the world technological lasers having a special resonator protected by the patent, which allows one to
obtain a radiation of a good quality at any power level. It allows one to create a series of the laser systems, for example, 2; 5; 10;
and 20 kW formed a radiation close to the ÒÅÌ00 mode;
- Working gas mixture can be both carbonic acid and air that suddenly cuts operating costs;
- It is very reliable and simple to operate.
The research officers of the laboratory of laser technologies of ITAM SB RAS accumulate a great experience to introduce the
technological complexes to industrial production. A great attention is focused to investigation in the field of technology of
material processing. In particular, by laser power up to 1.5 kW the following technologies are developed:
The following directions of further scientific-technical development are priority for our laboratory:
- Creation of powerful (up to 10 - 20 kW) CO2-lasers with a good radiation;
- Development of the technology of qualitative cutting of sheet materials with a large thickness (up to 50 mm)
both of black and non-ferrous metals (aluminum, copper, titanium, and others);
- Development of the welding technology of sheet materials of a large thickness (up to 50 mm) both of black
and non-ferrous metals (aluminum, copper, titanium, and others), including the composition of materials that is
not welded using the traditional methods;
- Development of principle new technologies on the basis of the powerful lasers, for example, laser-milling;
- Creation of the technological complexes (ALTC) on the basis of the powerful lasers and technologies
developed for the problem solutions and development of some branches of industry.
Industry directions of the Automated Laser Technological Systems may be different: motor-car industry, aircraft- and electrical industry, oil-and-gas industry, englishineering and tractor-building industry, nuclear industry, and others.
At present, factually two industry branches have preference in applying of the laser englishineering. They are the electronic industry including micro-electronics, electronics and manufacturing of printed circuit boards, and the motor-car industry.
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