Diamond Laser Processing


Laser cutting of single crytalline diamond for the application in the manufacturing of precision cutting tools is a delicate matter. Lasers can cut diamonds with an incredible accuracy, as long as one understands how the cutting process works, and which kind of laser source is needed to offer the customer a production machine with the right specifications. Physixfactor has an experience ranging over 20 years in the design, manufacturing of laser cutting machines for the diamond market. In recent years PCD material, and PCD material with a Tungsten Carbide backing has been a challenge which has been fully tackled. If one is interested in cutting tools or the laser cutting of grinding wheels Physixfactor is able to deliver the right solution. Physixfactor is involved in the high end, high quality tool market and diamond applications. Laser production machines can be developed and produced with an overall cutting accuracy of 2 micron, and an edge quality better than 3 micron accross the entire cutting adge of a tool. These tools can be used for metal cutting or wood cutting. Laser manufactured tool edges show a remakeble longer tool life opposed to the tools which are produced by means of EDM-wire cutting. Laser produced edges are stronger than EDM edges right from the beginning! Besides, the cutting speed is at least 100% faster than a comparable EDM process. If you would like to receive more information about this item, please fill in the contact form.

Laser sources
Within Physixfactor we can advise on the laser sources to use for your application, and depending on the application and the speed needed several laser sources are available. A very good candidate is a Q-switched YAG laser, but nowadays DPSS (Diode Pumped Solid State) YAG laser can give your process a boost. For very precise cutting with very small graphitic layers an Excimer laser can be a solution. Further it is important to discuus the cutting specifications in advance prior to the choice of the repetition rate, which can affect the end quality as well. It is needless to say that special attention will be given to all optical beam parameters, such as the divergence, beam mode, astigmatism and fluence. For YAG lasers a special procedure will be discussed with the laser source manufacturer for a stress free laser crystal which will produce the maximum available power which can be extracted from the rod.

In other words, the customer will get a reliable production machine, capable of being at the forefront of production technology. It will be a challenge to the competitors to surpass this level of modern production technology.


Software.
In the end the laser machine must be programmed control the laser and the motion of the XY tables. One should choose for flexibility and operator friendly approach, without loosing control over every part of the process.


Overall machine performance.

The machines will be delivered according the latest industrial standards and EC marking.



Detail of  a laser processed Electroplated Diamond Grinding scaif for the production of gear boxes. Opposed to the conventional polishing techniques for electro plated diamond sciafs a laser can finish the scaif to the desired shape in only a fraction of the time.