Laser DrillingLaser drilling can produce small, deep and accurate holes in many materials which are otherwise difficult to machine. Lasers offer precision and programmability. The absence of tooling allows a CNC laser program to be modified quickly to accommodate changes in design. Nd:YAG lasers are normally used for drilling because their pulsed laser emission enables waste material to be expelled from the blind hole, boring accurate holes in metal, ceramic and most other materials. They deliver the laser beam through a fibre optic cable, allowing these lasers to be used on a robot. This gives the ability to focus the beam accurately on curved or uneven surfaces using 5-axis control. Work has been carried out using excimer lasers for drilling holes. They can drill more accurate holes than other lasers. The excimer laser works in the ultra violet range and bores the hole by breaking the chemical bonds that hold materials together rather than the heating and vapourisation method used by Nd:YAG and CO2 lasers.
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