UV-laser Ablation of Fibre Reinforced Composites with Ns-Pulses☆

Abstract Within this work the ablation behaviour of both carbon and glass fibre reinforced epoxy resin was assessed when ablated by a nanosecond-pulsed laser source emitting radiation in the ultra-violet spectrum. The investigation focussed on the influences of pulse overlap, focus spot diameter and resulting fluence on process quality and machining time.Results showed that ns-pulsed UV-lasers are capable of machining both types of fibre reinforced composites, while achieving good quality surfaces without burn marks or otherwise heat-damaged areas.