Fifty years of the laser: its role in material processing
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to provide a review of the use of lasers in industry, with an emphasis on applications in manufacturing and material processing.
Design/methodology/approach
Following an introduction to lasers and their development, this paper considers a selection of key material processing applications.
Findings
This shows that, since their invention in 1960, lasers have emerged to play a vital role in numerous industrial processes. Gas (CO2), solid‐state, excimer, semiconductor and fibre lasers are used in welding, soldering, drilling, cutting, micromachining, marking, engraving, heat treatment, material deposition and adhesive curing.
Originality/value
The paper provides a detailed review of the uses of lasers in industrial material processing and also places these applications in an historical context.
Keywords
Citation
Bogue, R. (2010), "Fifty years of the laser: its role in material processing", Assembly Automation, Vol. 30 No. 4, pp. 317-322. https://doi.org/10.1108/01445151011075771
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited