PTB Industry News

TRW Laser Shows Advanced Cutting Capabilities

REDONDO BEACH, CA, Oct. 5 -- An industrial solid-state laser developed by TRW Inc. has demonstrated cutting capabilities that may lead to new manufacturing applications and cost savings in the production of airplanes, helicopters, spacecraft, automobiles, and heavy equipment.

According to TRW, the DP-23 laser -- a 3-kilowatt, Nd:YAG diode-pumped solid-state laser -- achieved the following results cutting tough materials in recent laboratory tests:

• The DP-23 cut titanium one-half-inch thick at a rate of 24 inches per minute; one-quarter-inch-thick titantium was cut at a rate of 90 inches per minute. The laser also demonstrated the ability to cut material as thick as 1 inch.
• The DP-23 cut a nickel alloy, Inconel 600, at thicknesses up to 1.5 inches with oxygen assist gas. Material 1-inch thick was cut at 2.5 inches per minute using argon assist gas. Narrow-cut widths, or kerfs, were achieved ranging from one-hundredth to three-hundreths of an inch across.

Tests were performed at TRW's Precision Laser Machining (PLM) Application Center, where members are evaluating the benefits of the DP-23 laser.

"Current conventional sawing and machining tools experience rapid wear, and that requires manufacturers to discard them after a short time," said Len Marabella, TRW, manager of the Precision Laser Machining Consortium. "This unique laser can cut very tough and thick material continuously at high speeds, opening the door to machining a wide variety of metals economically. We look forward to the continuation of deep-section cutting and deep-penetration welding tests on a wide variety of materials."

The DP-23 is the culmination of 10 years of research and development into Nd:YAG diode-pumped solid-state lasers. It is largely based on development work performed by TRW as part of the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency's (DARPA) Precision Laser Machining Consortium. The PLM Consortium was formed in 1994 to develop a new generation of machine tools, advanced laser systems, and laser-assisted manufacturing processes using diode-pumped, solid-state lasers. The program's goal is extend laser brightness and power to the levels required for advanced industrial applications.

Participants in the PLM Application Center testing include Boeing Co. and General Electric, who worked with TRW in conducting the cutting tests; Caterpillar, United Technology, Penn State Applied Research Lab, University of Michigan, Edison Welding Institute, Utilase, and HRL.

"We're really pleased with recent test results," said Warren Maher, a physicist for Boeing Co. "The data we're gathering indicate this laser has the potential to offer large improvements in laser machining capabilities."