Correlation between keyhole geometry and reflected laser light distribution in laser-based manufacturing

Abstract

This study investigated the correlation between the keyhole geometry and reflected laser light distribution during laser-based manufacturing processes. An “imaging dome” system was developed to capture the distribution of the reflected laser light on a registration dome during the process, and found that the reflected laser distribution varied significantly as the keyhole shape was changed by reducing the laser scanning speed. A numerical model was leveraged to understand the multiple reflections of laser rays within the keyholes of different geometries. The results demonstrated the potential of a novel approach for in-situ detection of keyhole shapes during laser-based manufacturing.