Laser Manufacturing: Fit for the Future

There is an increasing demand across engineering sectors for advanced materials, many of which are incompatible with current manufacturing processes due to their sensitivity with heat, impact and abrasion (e.g. composites, metallic glass and intermetallics). The economic machining of these materials is essential to exploit their enhanced properties and overcome some of the 21st century's challenges, including the development of efficient zero-emissions transportation.

Transportation is the largest contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the UK, accounting for 28% of the total. The UK Government's Transport Decarbonisation Plan aims to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050, with a staged introduction from 2030. Comprehensive use of advanced composites in the structure and propulsion systems of aerospace and automotive vehicles will result in significant GHG emissions reduction. Currently, however, the lack of cost-effective and reliable manufacturing processes is limiting the pace of adoption in the aerospace and automotive industry.

This fellowship aims to develop and demonstrate next-generation laser-based manufacturing technology that will enable advanced composites to become effective solutions for application and adoption across multiple sectors. The goal will be achieved by transforming two emerging laser-based technologies into fully-fledged industrial solutions, underpinning the large scale industrialisation of advanced composite solutions.

The first of these technologies is the water-jet guided laser (WJGL); initial work performed at the MTC has proven its capability on composite cutting. However, the current generation of WJGL technology, developed for low power nanosecond lasers, is not suitable for the mass production industrial environment. To overcome this issue, this fellowship will develop a novel high-power WJGL system with a 2kW microsecond laser for cutting and drilling of composite materials, offering a 10x increase in productivity whilst maintaining component quality.

Ultra-short pulse laser (USPL) can ablate any material by cold ablation. While this extraordinary capability has been proven using low power USPL for a limited number of niche applications, its low material removal rate and its drawback of edge wall taper are currently limiting its viability in the wider manufacturing sector. To address the power limitations, the MTC together with its partners, are developing high-energy USPL with an average power of 2kW. The challenge now is to exploit the kilowatt range USPL without losing its cold ablation capability. This fellowship will develop a novel beam scanner that will facilitate stable filament-based USPL beam propagation and ultra-high-speed beam manipulation which will enable the exploitation of kilowatt range USPL for cold ablation-based machining of composites with enhanced processing rate capabilities and without edge wall taper.

Working closely with strategically vital high-value manufacturing industries, universities and the HVM Catapult centre, my fellowship aims to transform the laser-based manufacturing, manufacturability of composites, and accelerate their economic exploitation in industries, through the following:

1. Technical development: Development of novel laser-based technologies for high-volume throughput and high-quality manufacturing of composites.
2. Scientific investigation: Science-based investigations to develop the underpinning knowledge and understanding of laser-based manufacturing.
3. Industrial exploitation: Facilitate the exploitation of the laser-based composite manufacturing within the automotive and aerospace industries (both facing increased financial and environmental challenges) in the near-term and the wider manufacturing sector in the long-term.
4. Resource development: Enriching the skills base, leadership, and infrastructure for a long-term sustainable R&D competency in the UK on next-generation laser-based manufacturing.