On the laser scarfing of epoxy resin matrix composite with copper reinforcement

Abstract This paper explores the effects of the scanning strategy and several fundamental process parameters, like laser power, scanning speed and frequency, on the quality of a carbon-fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) component processed by laser scarfing. Specifically, the composite consisted of an epoxy resin matrix with woven carbon fibers reinforced with copper wires. Particular attention was paid to the ablation depth and to the quality of the scarfing area. The integrity of the copper fibers is intrinsically correlated to the functionality of the material after the scarfing process, which was assessed in the paper.