Intelligent laser processing of materials

Abstract

Intelligent Processing of Materials (IPM) is an emerging control concept which promises to improve the quality and productivity of advanced material processing. Present control practices often rely on proportional control techniques where a process variable is controlled to a pre-determined set point. The set points are determined in a costly, time consuming, trial-and-error fashion which may often involve many months or sometimes years of testing, especially in the case of advanced materials. Predictive process models provide us with information about the product (e.g. microstructure, product integrity, etc.) and relate them with the process variables. The IPM concept seeks to integrate predictive process modeling and advanced (product property) sensing based on emerging nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques in an intelligent controller in order to achieve a defect free product with the desired properties.This paper addresses the IPM concept to laser processing because of the ever increasing use of lasers for processing advanced materials. Special emphasis is given to the laser welding process.Intelligent Processing of Materials (IPM) is an emerging control concept which promises to improve the quality and productivity of advanced material processing. Present control practices often rely on proportional control techniques where a process variable is controlled to a pre-determined set point. The set points are determined in a costly, time consuming, trial-and-error fashion which may often involve many months or sometimes years of testing, especially in the case of advanced materials. Predictive process models provide us with information about the product (e.g. microstructure, product integrity, etc.) and relate them with the process variables. The IPM concept seeks to integrate predictive process modeling and advanced (product property) sensing based on emerging nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques in an intelligent controller in order to achieve a defect free product with the desired properties.This paper addresses the IPM concept to laser processing because of the ever increasing use of ...