Laser ablation of titanium alloy under a thin and flowing water layer

• We develop a new underwater laser ablation technique for machining titanium alloy.
• Workpiece is cut under a thin and flowing water layer formed by a waterjet.
• The proposed technique provides a more stable ablation than the typical methods.
• Using this technique, a clean cut with less heat-affected zone can be obtained.
• Martensite phase and cracks are kept within a few tens microns on the cut surface.

Underwater laser ablation has become an alternative machining process that is able to reduce the thermal damage in work materials caused by lasers. However, the disturbance of water to the laser beam is a crucial concern for the ablation performance in water and cut surface quality obtained. In this study, a new laser ablation technique has been proposed, in which a waterjet was applied to impinge the top workpiece surface in order to form a thin and flowing water layer. With the assist of such water layer during the laser ablation, the redeposition and heat-affected zone can be minimized. Titanium alloy (Ti–6Al–4V) selected as a work sample was grooved by using a nanosecond-pulse laser under different machining conditions. The cut geometry and heat-affected zone were observed and analyzed to justify the process performance. The metallurgical change and cracks that occurred on and underneath the groove surface were also investigated in this study. The experimental results revealed that a clean cut with less thermal damage can be obtained when the workpiece was ablated by a laser under the flowing water layer. In addition, a narrower and deeper groove can be fabricated when a higher waterjet flow rate was applied. The laser ablation under the flowing water layer developed in this study could be a potential method for machining titanium alloy or even other thermal-sensitive materials.

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