DIGITAL ASSIGMENT-2

NAME - MUKUND MISRA

REG NO.- 17BEM0134

COURSE CODE-MEE2006
MACHINING PROCESS AND
METROLOGY
LASER BEAM MACHINIG
Laser beam machining (LBM) is a non-traditional subtractive manufacturing process, a form of
machining, in which a laser is directed towards the work piece for machining. This process uses
thermal energy to remove material from metallic or non-metallic surfaces.

Working Principle
• The full form of LASER is Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

• When electrons of an atom are provided an external energy source, they absorb energy
from the external source.
• By absorbing the energy these electrons jump from their original energy level to higher
energy level.
But this is not stable condition of atoms, so this electron emits absorbed energy in the form
of photons of light and come back to its original state.
• This emission of photons by electrons is called spontaneous emission.

• The atom will emit double energy if it is already at higher energy level and it again absorbs
energy.

• The energy emitted by atom will have same frequency and wavelengths as that of.
stimulating source.
When a laser material is placed under some energy source, it absorbs energy to some extent
and release it when it reaches its absorbing limit. Thus, the highly amplified light produced is
called laser.

Schematic diagram of Laser Beam Machining

Equipment’s and Main Parts: -

These are the main equipment’s that used in laser beam machining: -
1) Power Supply: -
The power supply is used in laser beam machining to provide energy for the excitation
of electron from lower energy level to higher energy level.
2) Laser Discharge Tube: -
Laser material is filled in laser discharge tube. The excitation of electron and coming
back to its original state takes place inside this laser discharge tube.
One side of discharge tube is partially transparent and other side is 100% reflected.
It is situated between the xenon lamps.

3) Laser Material:
There are many kinds of laser materials available but in laser machining mostly CO2 and YAG is
used. Carbon dioxide is a laser material which emits light in infrared region. Carbon dioxide can
provide power up to 25 KW power in continuous wave mode. YAG is a solid-state laser which can
deliver light through optical fibre. In pulse mode it can produce up to 50 kW power and in
continuous mode it can produce power up to 1 KW.
4) Focusing lens: Focusing lens is used to focus the light at the workpiece. It is a convex lens.

Working of laser beam machining: -

These are the steps involved in laser beam machining: -

• At first laser material CO2 or other laser material is filled into discharge tube.

• After that the power supply is switched on which is used to light up the flash lamp.

• The light from flash lamp is used to excite the electrons of atom.

• Then the atoms of laser material absorb energy from the light energy produced by flash
lamp.

• Due to absorption of energy, the electron of atom jumps from lower energy level to higher
energy level. But this is unstable condition of atom.

• When the atom reaches its absorption limit, it starts emitting energy continuously.

• This energy is emitted in the form of highly amplified same frequency and same wavelength
coherent light.

• This laser light released by atom is collected in the convex lens and is directed towards the
workpiece.

• As the laser falls on workpiece, it starts the machining process by melting or vaporising
material from contact surface of workpiece.

Advantages
1) It can be used to cut any material.
2) No tool cost because no physical tool is required and hence no cost for maintenance and
replacement of tools.
3) No delamination is caused as there is no physical contact with the workpiece.
4) It can be easily automated and is very flexible.
5) Complex shapes of different sizes can be machined as laser can be moved in any path.
6) It gives very good surface finish.
7) Micro holes can be drilled in workpiece with high accuracy.

Disadvantages: -
1) Very high capital and maintenance cost.
2) It cannot be used to produce blind hole.
3) It can lead to safety hazard.

Applications

• It is used in the automobile, shipbuilding, aerospace, steel, electronics, and medical

industries for precision machining of complex parts.
• Laser welding is advantageous in that it can weld at speeds of up to 100 mm/s as well as the
ability to weld dissimilar metals.
• Laser cladding is used to coat cheap or weak parts with a harder material in order to
improve the surface quality.
• Drilling and cutting with lasers is advantageous in that there is little to no wear on the
cutting tool as there is no contact to cause damage.
• Milling with a laser is a three-dimensional process that requires two lasers, but drastically
cuts costs of machining parts.
• Lasers can be used to change the surface properties of a workpiece.
• Laser beam machining can also be used in conjunction with traditional machining methods.

Summary of LBM
Mechanism of material removal: Melting, vaporisation

Medium: Normal Atmosphere

Tool: High Power Laser beam

Maximum material removal rate: 5mm3/min

Specific power consumption: 1000W/mm3/min

Critical Parameters: Beam Power intensity, beam diameter, melting temperature

Shape Applications: Drilling fine holes

Material applications: All materials

Limitations: Very large power consumption cannot cut materials with high
heat conductivity and reflectivity
Electron beam machining
Electron beam machining is a thermal process used for metal removal during the machining process.
In the electrical beam machining, electrical energy is used to generate the electrons with high
energy. In the Electron Beam Machining process, a high velocity focused beam of electrons is used to
remove the metal from the workpiece. A stream of high velocity electrons is focused on the
workpiece to remove the material by melting and vaporization

Principle of EBM:
When the high-velocity beam of electrons strikes the workpiece, its kinetic energy is converted into
heat. This concentrated heat raises the temperature of workpiece material and vaporizes a small
amount of it, resulting in the removal of material from the workpiece.

Construction of EBM:

• It consists of an electron gun, diaphragm, focusing lens, deflector coil, work table, etc.
• To avoid collision of accelerated electrons with air molecules, a vacuum is required. So, the entire
EBM setup is
enclosed in a vacuum chamber, which carries a vacuum of the order 10-5 to IO-6 mm of mercury.
This chamber carries a door, through which the workpiece is placed over the table. The door is
then closed and sealed.
• The electron gun is responsible for the emission of electrons, which consists of the following
three main parts.
1. Tungsten Filament — which is connected to the negative terminal of the DC power supply and
acts as the cathode.

2. Grid cup – which is negatively based concerning the filament.

3. Anode – which is connected to the positive terminal of the DC power supply.

• The focusing lens is used to focus the electrons at a point and reduces the electron beam up to
the cross-sectional area of 0.01 to 0.02 mm diameter.
• The electromagnetic deflector coil is used to deflect the electron beam to a different spot on the
workpiece. It can also be used to control the path of the cut.

Working
• First electron gun produces high velocity electron particles.
• These electron particles move towards anode which is placed after cathode tube.
• Now this high intense electron beam passes through magnetic lenses. There are a series of
lenses which take care of only convergent electron passes through it.
• It absorbs all divergent electron and low energy electron. It provides a high-quality electron
beam.
• This electron beam now passes through electromagnetic lens and deflecting coil. It focusses
the electron beam at a spot.
 • The high intense electron beam impinges on the work piece where kinetic energy of
electrons converts into thermal energy.
• The material is removed from contact surface by melting and vaporization due to this high
heat generated by conversion of kinetic energy into thermal energy.
• This whole process take place in a vacuum chamber otherwise these electrons collide with
air particle between path and loses its kinetic energy.

Schematic Diagram of Electron Beam Machining

Advantages of EBM:
Electron beam machining has the following advantages:

1. It is an excellent process for micro finishing (milligram/ s).

2. Very small holes can be machined in any type of material to high accuracy.
3. Holes of different sizes and shapes can be machined.
4. There is no mechanical contact between the tool and the workpiece.
5. It is a quicker process. Harder materials can also be machined at a faster rate than conventional
machining.
6. Electrical conductor materials can be machined
7. The physical and metallurgical damage to the workpiece is very less.
8. This process can be easily automated.
9. Extremely close tolerances are obtained.
10. Brittle and fragile materials can be machined.
Disadvantages of EBM: Limitation of EBM

1. The metal removal rate is very slow.

 2. The cost of equipment is very high.
3. It is not suitable for large workpieces.
4. High skilled operators are required to operate this machine.
5. High specific energy consumption.
6. A little taper produced on holes.
7. Vacuum requirements limit the size of the workpiece.
8. It is applicable only for thin materials.
9. At the spot where the electron beam strikes the material, a small amount of recasting and metal
splash can occur on the surface. It has to be removed afterward by abrasive cleaning.
10. It is not suitable for producing perfectly cylindrical deep holes.

Application of EBM:

1. EBM is mainly used for micro-machining operations on thin materials. These operations include
drilling, perforating, slotting, and scribing, etc.
2. Drilling of holes in pressure differential devices used in nuclear reactors, aircraft engines, etc.
3. It is used for removing small broken taps from holes.
4. Micro-drilling operations (up to 0.002 mm) for thin orifices, dies for wire drawing, parts of
electron microscopes, injector nozzles for diesel engines, etc.
5. A micromachining technique known as “Electron beam lithography” is being used in the
manufacture of field emission cathodes, integrated circuits, and computer memories.
6. It is particularly useful for machining of materials of low thermal conductivity and high melting
point.

Summary of EBM
Mechanism of material removal: Melting, vaporisation

Medium: Vacuum

Tool: Beam of electrons at high velocity

Maximum material removal rate: 10mm3/min

Specific power consumption: 450W/mm3/min

Critical Parameters: Accelerating voltage, beam current, beam diameter, work speed

Shape Applications: Drilling fine holes, cutting contours in sheets, cutting narrow slots

Material applications: All materials

Limitations: Very large specific power consumption, necessity of vacuum