Polishing

Polishing with laser radiation is based on the remelting of a thin surface layer of the workpiece and smoothing of the surface due to the interfacial tension. The innovation of laser polishing lies in the fundamentally different mode of action (remelting) compared to conventional grinding and polishing processes (ablation). The process is suitable for many metals, glasses and thermoplastics.

Depending on the material and the initial roughness, this process generally achieves a roughness on metals in the range of Ra = 0.1 to 0.4 μm. On optical glass, a roughness of Ra <1 nm is even possible.

Possible applications are with metals in e.g. mechanical engineering, the automotive industry, tool and mold making and medical technology. For glass, the main application is in processing aspheres and freeform optics. In the case of plastics, printed components are especially interesting. The special advantages of the laser-based process are the automated processing of complex 3D surfaces with high process speed.

Applications Metals

• Tools, dies and mold making
• Implants
• Design surfaces with multi gloss level
• Polished and structured surfaces
• Further applications

Applications Optics

• Aspheric and free-form optics made from glass and fused silica
• Spectacle lenses made from plastics

Laser Polishing Machines

• Machine tools for laser polishing of metals, glasses and plastics
• Concepts for machines with work piece weights from 0.1 to 200 kg
• 5+3-axis processing (axes system and laser scanner)
• CAM-NC data chain for 5+3-axis processing
• Fully automated polishing

Your Application

• Feasibility studies
• Test and adaption of laser polishing for your application
• Processing of test parts
• Processing of small series

Neuß, J, Linden, S:
Hide and Seek: Using masked vision transformer to detect surface structures on laser polished metals.
25th International Symposium on Laser Precision Microfabrication, June 11-14, 2024, San Sebastian, Spain.
Proceedings of LPM2024, #24-033, (9 S,), (2024)

Jung, M., Kukkala, S., Willenborg, E.:
Reduction of process-induced Waviness in Laser Polishing of Fused Silica by a Thermography-base Process Control.
Laser Applications Conference 2022, Barcelona Spain, 11–15 December 2022.  Technical Digest Series (Optica Publishing Group, 2022), paper LM2B.1, (2022)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/lac.2022.lm2b.1

Nüsser, C., Willenborg, E.:
High-speed laser micro polishing of TiAl6V4.
Journal of Laser Applications 34(1), 012025- (2022)
https://doi.org/10.2351/7.0000383 (Open Access)

Trum, C., Jung, M., Schmidbauer, B., Sitzberger, S., Willenborg, E., Rascher, R.:
Hybrid-process-chain for polishing optical glass lenses – HyoptO.
SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 24 AUGUST - 4 SEPTEMBER 2020, Online Only. Proceedings Volume 11487, FOptical Manufacturing and Testing XIII, 11487, 1-10 (2020)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2568400

Braun, K., Willenborg, E., Schleifenbaum, J.H.:
Laser polishing as a new post process for 3D-printed polymer parts.
Procedia CIRP 94, 134-138 (2020)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2020.09.026

Jung, M., Trum, C., Schmidbauer, B., Willenborg, E., Rascher, R.:
Non-ablative removal of sub surface damages in ground optical glass substrates by controlled melting of thin surface layers using CO2-laser radiation.
PROCEEDINGS OF SPIE - (2020)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2564801

Temmler, A., Comiotto, M., Ross, I., Kuepper, M., Liu, D.M., Poprawe, R.:
Surface structuring by laser remelting of 1.2379 (D2) for cold forging tools in automotive applications.
Journal of Laser Applications 31, 22017-12 (2019)
https://doi.org/10.2351/1.5070077

Kumstel, J., Lüken, S.:
Deburring and rounding of sheet metals and functionally relevant edges of parts using laser radiation.
MATEC Web of Conferences 190 - (2018)
https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201819002003

Teller, M., Ross, I., Prünte, S., Temmler, A., Küpper, M., Poprawe, R., Schneider, J.M., Hirt, G.:
Probing the potential of structured and surface functionalized tools for dry cold forging of aluminium.
MATEC Web of Conferences 190 - (2018)
https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201819014010

Teller, M., Ross, I., Temmler, A., Poprawe, R., Prünte, S., Schneider, J.M., Hirt, G.:
Investigation of Friction Conditions in Dry Metal Forming of Aluminum by Extended Conical Tube-Upsetting Tests.
Key Engineering Materials 767, 189-195 (2018)
https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.767.189

Ross, I., Temmler, A., Küpper, M., Prünte, S., Teller, M., Schneider, J.M., Poprawe, R.:
Laser Polishing of Cold Work Steel AISI D2 for Dry Metal Forming Tools: Surface Homogenization, Refinement and Preparation for Self-Assembled Monolayers.
Key Engineering Materials 767, 69-76 (2018)
https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.767.69

Teller, M., Prünte, S., Ross, I., Temmler, A., Schneider, J. M., Hirt, G.:
Tribological investigations of the applicability of surface functionalization for dry extrusion processes.
20th International ESAFORM Conference on Material Forming, 26–28 April 2017 Dublin, Ireland. AIP Conference Proceedings 1896, 140001- (6 S.) (2017) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5008157

Temmler, A., Roß, I., M. Cortina, M., Poprawe, R.:
Oberflächenfunktionalisierung des Werkstoffs 1.2379+ mittels Randschichtumschmelzen mit Laserstrahlung zur Entwicklung von angepassten Oberflächentopographien für das schmiermittelfreie Kaltfließpressen von Aluminium.
Dry Metal Forming 3, 62-72 (2017)

Teller, M., Hirt, G. Roß, I., Temmler, A., Poprawe, R., Prünte, S., Schneider, J.M.:
Konzept zur Bearbeitung und tribologischen Prüfung von Fließ-pressmatrizen für das Trockenumformen von Aluminium.
Dry Metal Forming 3, 73-80 (2017)

Kumstel, J.:
Enhancement of the area rate for laser macro polishing.
WLT/LiM Lasers in Manufacturing Conference 2017. Munich, June 26-29 2017. Proceedings of World of Photonics, (8 S.)2017

Nüsser, C., Schneider, S.:
Influence of pulse duration and scanning direction on the deformation of edges during laser micro polishing.
WLT/LiM Lasers in Manufacturing Conference 2017. Munich, June 26-29 2017. Proceedings of World of Photonics, (11 S.) (2017)

Anemone, G., Weingarten, C., Al Taleb, A., Prieto, C., Farías, D.:
Ultrasmooth metal thin films on curved fused silica by laser polishing.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS 111, 1-4 (2017) https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4999917

Weingarten, C., Steenhusen, S., Hermans, M., Willenborg, E., Schleifenbaum, J.H.:
Laser polishing and 2PP structuring of inside microfluidic channels in fused silica.
Microfluid Nanofluid 21, 1-9 (2017) DOI: 10.1007/s10404-017-2000-x

Weingarten, C., Braun, K., Willenborg, E.:
Combination of Laser-based Process Steps for Optics Manufacturing.
Optical Design and Fabrication 2017 (Freeform, IODC, OFT) : [Proceedings] - OSA Washington, D.C., 2017. Paper OTu3B.6, 1-3 (2017) DOI: 10.1364/OFT.2017.OTu3B.6

Weingarten, C., Uluz, E., Schmickler, A., Braun, K., Willenborg, E., Temmler, A., Heidrich, S. :
Glass processing with pulsed CO2 laser radiation.
APPLIED OPTICS 56, 777-783 (2017)

Weingarten, C., Schmickler, A., Willenborg, E., Wissenbach, K., Poprawe, R.:
Laser polishing and laser shape correction of optical glass.
Journal of Laser Applications 29
11702- (2017)

Teller, M., Hirt, G., Roß,I., Temmler, A.,Poprawe, R., Prünte, S.:
Abschätzung der umformtechnischen Grenzen des schmierstofffreien Kaltfließpressens von Aluminium anhand von Tribometerversuchen.
Dry Metal Forming 2, 56-61 (2016)

Teller, M., Bambach, M., Hirt, G., Roß, I., Temmler, A., Poprawe,R., Bolvardi, H.,Prünte,S., Schneider, J.M.:
Methodik zur Entwicklung von interaktionsminimierten Oberflächen-schichten für das schmiermittelfreie Kaltfließpressen von Aluminium.
Dry Metal Forming 1, 34-41 (2015)

Teller, M., Bambach, M., Hirt, G., Ross, I., Temmler, A., Poprawe, R., Bolvardi, H., Prünte, S., Schneider, J.M.:
Investigation of the suitability of surface treatments for dry cold extrusion by process-oriented tribological testing.
International Conference on Material Forming, 18, 2015, Graz. ESAFORM 2015. Vol.1 : Selected, peer reviewed papers from the 18th International ESAFORM Conference on Material Forming, (Key engineering materials 651-653), 473-479 (2015) DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.651-653.473

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