Parametric influences of fiber laser micro-machining for the generation of micro-channels on PMMA

Abstract

Fiber laser micro-channeling on polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) workpiece has been carried out to determine the effect of process parameters as well as optimum values of the responses, i.e., cut width and depth of the fabricated micro-channels. Response surface methodology-based analysis has been carried out by conducting experiments as per experimental design by varying scan speed of 10–30 mm/s; pulse frequency from 50 to 90 kHz; laser power of 5–15 W and the number of pass from 1 to 5. The mechanism behind the fiber laser-fabricated micro-channels on PMMA at 1064 nm wavelength has been discussed and analyzed. A sensitivity analysis of the process parameters on cut width and depth has also been carried out to determine the critical parameter influencing the micro-channel geometry. The experimental results show that the sensitiveness of both cut width and depth are maximum for the number of passes as compared to the other process parameters. Finally, at an optimum combination of process parameters, the optimal values of cut width, and depth are achieved as 145.34 µm and 445.50 µm, respectively. Concerning the optimal values of the responses, the mean percentage errors are calculated below 5% from the optimized combination of process parameters. The present research work provides a technical guideline of fiber laser processing on PMMA at a fundamental wavelength.