Plasma spectroscopy in rapid manufacturing: Copper, titanium, aluminum, steel

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Abstract
The suitability of a new Rapid Machining tool for prototyping components out of a variety of metal powders was investigated. A high power laser is aimed at a substrate and material powder is supplied to the interaction zone. By translating the substrate in XYZ direction 3D geometries were created.A high power CO2 laser was used as energy source, the material powders under investigation were Copper, Ti-6Al-4V, Aluminum, and Stainless Steel SS304 (particle size 100 μm). Helium was used as shield gas. The incident CO2 laser beam power was varied between 300 W and 400 W, with the laser beam intensity distributed in a donut mode of 600 μm diameter.Metal vapor/plasma plume spectra were recorded using a Photonic Multi-Channel Analyzer, covering the spectrum from 300 nm to 800 nm. Plume temperatures for all materials were calculated to be in the range from 5900 K to 6200 K which is well below ionization temperature (8000 K). The metal vapor/plasma plume is classified as a weakly ionized plasma.The suitability of a new Rapid Machining tool for prototyping components out of a variety of metal powders was investigated. A high power laser is aimed at a substrate and material powder is supplied to the interaction zone. By translating the substrate in XYZ direction 3D geometries were created.A high power CO2 laser was used as energy source, the material powders under investigation were Copper, Ti-6Al-4V, Aluminum, and Stainless Steel SS304 (particle size 100 μm). Helium was used as shield gas. The incident CO2 laser beam power was varied between 300 W and 400 W, with the laser beam intensity distributed in a donut mode of 600 μm diameter.Metal vapor/plasma plume spectra were recorded using a Photonic Multi-Channel Analyzer, covering the spectrum from 300 nm to 800 nm. Plume temperatures for all materials were calculated to be in the range from 5900 K to 6200 K which is well below ionization temperature (8000 K). The metal vapor/plasma plume is classified as a weakly ionized plasma.