DIPLAT

Enabling advanced functionalities of Diamond and other ultra-hard materials by Integrated Pulsed Laser Ablation Technologies

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Diamond and other ultra-hard materials possess outstanding mechanical, wear and thermal properties that make them attractive to manufacture a wide range of high value-added products such as high-performance, smart tools. However, due to the extreme properties of this group of materials, efficient and precise generation of complex 3D freeform geometries and structures to meet the needs for a further development of high-performance tools is still a challenge. DIPLAT addresses the need for an efficient, precise and flexible processing technology for ultra-hard materials in tooling applications, in order to fully exploit the potential of these materials. By smartly utilizing the advantages of high brilliance short and ultra-short pulsed lasers, a tooling technology based on 3D Pulsed Laser Ablation (PLA) will be developed and demonstrated for various industrial applications. DIPLAT will introduce new technology platform for producing ultra-hard tools with enhanced functionality, outstanding machining performance and superior lift-time. In this regard, DIPLAT fosters the following four main scientific and technological objectives: (1) Design functional surfaces (with controlled micro geometries) on diamond and other ultra-hard materials to enable enhanced functionality for tooling applications; (2) Study and development of advanced 3D processing strategies for structuring/conditioning of ultra-hard tool surfaces and superabrasive grain layers by Pulsed Laser Ablation; (3) Develop and implement a novel multi-axis control concept and a model-based CAM software support module to enable optimized 3D pulsed laser processing; (4) Fabrication of various novel prototype tools made of ultra-hard materials and demonstration of their superior performance and functionality in challenging industrial applications. DIPLAT will lead to a technological breakthrough that will push European manufacturing industries to the cutting edge of high-performance machining and tooling technology.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Exploiting very hard materials in machine tools enhances durability, decreasing maintenance and repair costs and ensuring robustly reliable products of high quality. A novel laser-processing platform will support EU leadership in diamond-based tools.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Machining ultra-hard machine tools poses a challenge exactly because the tools are so hard and difficult to deform. In particular, producing complex 3D freeform geometries and structures is prohibitively expensive. The EU-funded http://www.fp7-diplat.eu/ (DIPLAT) project is addressing this pressing need with development of a 3D pulsed laser ablation (PLA) platform.

It will enable production of functional, micro-structured surfaces on diamond and other ultra-hard materials. The technological breakthrough will put European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) involved in advanced machine tool manufacturing in a global leadership position.

PLA of solids is an emerging technique garnering growing interest. Compared to conventional tools, it enables tailored choice of wavelength and pulse width according to the material and locally confined structural modification.

DIPLAT is developing the required PLA technology together with a novel multi-axis control system and a software support module utilising a computer-aided design file. The first reporting period focused on the technology and process development requirements to lead to fabrication of industrial prototype tools and benchmarking activities.

The work began with consulting end users to determine the geometries and manufacturing tasks that currently cannot be sufficiently addressed with conventional tooling. Novel PLA strategies were developed for 3D multi-axis processing of diamond and cubic boron nitride, the second hardest material after synthetic diamond and a growing choice for tooling applications. Development work was supported by an ablation model for picosecond and nanosecond PLA of diamond materials.

Scientists developed a protocol to synchronise the machine kinematics with the multi-axis scan head that rapidly marks the geometry required of the machine piece. It extends the hardware of an existing laser micromachining system.

As a result of intensive development work, the first tool prototypes have been produced and initial machining tests have been conducted. Six publications describe the work that has led to two patent applications for the novel tool designs and processing technologies.

DIPLAT is well on its way to delivery of breakthrough machining and tooling technology that will place highly specialised European SMEs at the cutting edge of an important global market.