To read this content please select one of the options below:

Effects of peak laser power on laser micro sintering of nickel powder by pulsed Nd:YAG laser

Linda Ke (Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People Republic of China)
Haihong Zhu (Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People Republic of China)
Jie Yin (Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People Republic of China)
Xinbing Wang (Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People Republic of China)

Rapid Prototyping Journal

ISSN: 1355-2546

Article publication date: 10 June 2014

446

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report the influence of the peak laser power on laser micro sintering 4-μm nickel powder using Q-switched 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser.

Design/methodology/approach

Experimental study has been performed. Nickel powder with grain size of 4 μm has been utilized. A Q-switching duration of 20-25 μs and rate of 20-40 kHz have been used.

Findings

The peak power intensity is so high that the metal particles and molten pool are blown away, leading to laser micro sintering not being successfully proceeded. The scanning line obtained by continuous-wave (CW) laser looks like a rod owing to balling effect. Using a suitable peak power intensity, a good-shaped sintering line can be obtained because the plasma can protect the molten metal from oxidation, and improve the wettability of the system. In addition, the plasma flattening effect may also contribute to the form of the good-shaped sintering line in pulsed laser sintering regime.

Originality/value

The role of plasma induced by pulsed laser with high peak power intensity has been found during pulsed laser sintering under an ambient environment.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (60878022) and sponsored by the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, State Education Ministry. The authors thank the Analytical and Testing Center of HUST for their help in the SEM analysis.

Citation

Ke, L., Zhu, H., Yin, J. and Wang, X. (2014), "Effects of peak laser power on laser micro sintering of nickel powder by pulsed Nd:YAG laser", Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 20 No. 4, pp. 328-335. https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-09-2012-0084

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Related articles