Development of a multi-diode laser technology based on light wavelengths in the range of 350-550 nm, allowing for modification of the laser beam parameters in order to optimize industrial processes of cutting, engraving and sintering of materials
Project title
Development of a multi-diode laser technology based on light wavelengths in the range of 350-550 nm, allowing for modification of the laser beam parameters in order to optimize industrial processes of cutting, engraving and sintering of materials
Name of Beneficiary/Beneficiaries
Tomorrow’s System Sp. z o.o.
Name of programme
Operational Program “Smart Growth”
Competition
Fast Track
Project value
PLN 5,253,477.21
Funding value
PLN 3,751,829.24
Project delivery period
01.01.2021 – 31.07.2023
Results of our work
Issues addressed
Our project solves the problem of unavailability of medium- and high-power blue lasers for engraving. Conventional infrared lasers, such as those based on CO2, are ineffective when working with certain materials, for example copper, which effectively reflect their light. Blue laser light is much better absorbed by many materials, which allows it to be used in powder sintering and cutting or engraving objects.
Moreover, the product developed as part of our project allows the laser beam to be focused to a very small and symmetrical spot, which is key to achieving high power density. While working on the project, we noted a high demand for blue lasers for weeding. Although our product is not intended for application in difficult agrotechnical conditions, it supports development of companies and startups building laser weeding machines – as a device that enables testing and validating the concept of using blue lasers in this market segment. It is a new market that has emerged as a result of the decision of European Union countries to limit the use of pesticides in plant cultivation.
An additional problem that our project solves is energy consumption. Compared to widely used CO2 lasers, for example for cutting and engraving wood, the high-precision blue laser we have developed achieves an ampere-hour efficiency of 20%, while CO2 lasers have an efficiency of only about 6%.
Project beneficiaries
The project results will benefit companies working with materials that are difficult to process using available technologies, such as copper and titanium. The blue lasers that will be built as an outcome of the project do not require water cooling and are more compact than CO2 or YAG lasers, which makes them perfect for applications requiring small equipment.
Additionally, the project results will benefit companies and technology startups at an early stage of developing solutions related to laser weeding. Thanks to the new technology, it will be possible to conduct research and tests that were previously impossible due to the lack of blue lasers with a power greater than 30 W.
The newly developed technology will also enable universities and R&D institutions to conduct innovative research, which will contribute to development of science and industry.
Major implementation challenges
The biggest technical challenge during the project was to design and test a station for attaching fast-axis collimating (FAC) lenses with short focal length to collimate light coming from laser diodes. As it turned out, the system required a positioning precision of 200 nm, while at the beginning of the project it was assumed that an accuracy of 1 μm would be sufficient. An independent challenge was the unusual situation of working during the CoViD-19 pandemic, which greatly delayed deliveries, reduced availability of people and also made the operation of the company difficult on many administrative levels.