Metal drilling is an important application to many industries including automotive, aerospace, medical device manufacturing, electronics, and semiconductor manufacturing. The need to drill precise holes with minimal extra effect to the metal part is critical to producing quality products.

Laser drilling has become a popular solution for metal processing due to its non-contact nature and minimal heat affected zone (HAZ) on the metal part. Laser drilling is also flexible enough to handle many different types of metal in the same system including nickel alloys, iron, aluminum alloys, copper alloys, titanium alloys, stainless steel, nitinol, and brass.

ADVANTAGES OF LASER DRILLING OF METAL

Low HAZ: The laser energy is focused into a small, high energy density spot to allow for precise control of heat and minimal effect to the metal outside of the hole. Create micro holes closer together with ultrafast lasers.

Flexible hole size and shape: Through simple adjustments to software controls, the laser can be steered in unlimited patterns to create the specific size and shape hole required.

Non-Contact Process: Laser drilling does not use any mechanical contact with the part while drilling. This eliminates the need for replacement drill bits or other tooling that may wear down over time in traditional drilling methods.

On-The-Fly Processing: Depending on the application, metal parts can be drilled on-the-fly as it travels through the scan field in continuous motion. This allows for increased production rates and ROI.

Taper Control: In cases where extreme precision is required, the laser system can drill holes with specified taper angles or shapes using a micromachining process.

LASER OPTIONS

Depending on the specific application, different laser wavelengths with different pulse durations can be used to create the desired holes in your metal parts. CMS Laser’s Application Lab has all of the following lasers on site to test to determine which option would be most appropriate for your metal drilling requirements.