Since the laser was invented, galvanometer (galvo) scanners have been used for scanning the beam. Galvos are ideal for high power / low speed material processing applications. Every year laser power goes up. Higher power allows faster processing which means…
Some laser material processing applications, whether using an X-Y stage or galvanometer scan head or polygon scan head, can benefit from beam shaping. The typical laser has a Gaussian beam. The energy of the Gaussian beam is highest at the…
Polygon scanners are used for high speed laser scanning. A multi-faceted polygon can be rotated at tens of thousands of RPM to produce scan rates far higher than galvanometer scanners. Galvanometer aka Galvo scanners are limited primarily by the inertia…
Graphene is a single-layer of carbon atoms with extraordinary quantum electronic properties. It is a transparent, flexible material which is 200 times stronger than steel. It conducts electricity better than copper and has the highest thermal conductivity known to man.…
ULTRAFAST / USP (picosecond and femtosecond pulse) lasers are a game changer. Slower lasers have a heating effect. Molten material tends to splatter and a Heat Affected Zone may alter the surrounding material in an undesirable way. ULTRAFAST lasers have…