Application of Laser-assisted Machining to microstructural mold fabrication

Formation of burrs and chips is inevitable in the cutting process. In ultraprecision machining, which is used to fabricate structures on the submicrometer to micrometer scale, burrs and chips severely affect the quality of products. In this study, laser-assisted micromachining (LAM) is proposed to control these defects. Heat transfer analysis with a moving heat source was carried out to investigate the effects of laser scanning. The results of the analysis showed that laser scanning is effective for workpiece heating. LAM experiments were carried out to examine the effect on cutting force reduction and defect control. Decreases in specific cutting force were confirmed at cutting depths of 5 to 20 mu m. The defects were reduced by laser assistance at cutting depths of 5 and 10 mu m. The results of these experiments demonstrated that the effects of laser assistance on cutting become obvious when the target structure becomes smaller.