Laser Micro-machining & Laser MicroJet

Process Definition & Working Principle

Laser micro-machining is a state-of-the-art subtractive manufacturing method dedicated to material removal at the micron and sub-micron scale using highly concentrated, coherent laser radiation. The fundamental physical mechanism is laser ablation, a process where a solid material is rapidly transformed into liquid, gas, or plasma phases under high-intensity photon flux.

In modern micro-manufacturing, two main approaches are utilized:

Kinematics, Axes, & Machine Configuration

The kinematic architecture of laser micro-machining centers is designed for maximum dynamics, thermal stability, and sub-micron positioning resolution. To achieve these extreme tolerances, traditional ball screws and mechanical linear guideways are replaced by:

Tooling & Cutting Geometry

In dry laser micro-machining and Laser MicroJet cutting, there are no physical cutting tools. Instead, the cutting geometry is governed by the properties of the electromagnetic radiation and the guiding media.

Process Parameters & Optimization

Achieving high-quality micro-machined features requires precise parameter optimization. The objective is to exceed the ablation threshold fluence ($F_{th}$) of the workpiece while maintaining target throughput and edge quality.