Traditionally, welding is limited to materials with similar characteristics, so it is difficult to weld aluminum and steel together. But now, scientists at Heriot-Watt University claim to have adopted a breakthrough method to weld materials such as glass and metals together, thanks to ultrafast laser pulses.
Current technology cannot weld metal and glass together well. They require different temperatures to melt, and they expand differently in response to heat. There are other manufacturing methods that can make them stick together, but the effect is not ideal.
"The ability to weld glass and metal together will be a major step forward in manufacturing and design flexibility," said Duncan Hand, director of the EPSRC Laser Production Process Innovation Manufacturing Center, which developed this new technology. "Currently, equipment and products involving glass and metal are usually glued together by adhesives. The application of adhesives is cumbersome and parts will gradually loosen or move. Outgassing is also a problem-organic chemicals in adhesives gradually The release may shorten the life of the product. "
This new technology is suitable for optical materials such as quartz, borosilicate glass and sapphire, and can now be welded to metals such as aluminum, stainless steel and titanium. The key to this process is an infrared laser that can emit pulses in the range of a few picoseconds.
"The parts to be welded are in close contact, and the laser is focused through the optical material, providing a very small and high-intensity light spot at the interface between the two materials-we achieved a peak power of megawatts over an area of ​​a few microns," Duncan Hand explained. "This will form a micro plasma like a tiny lightning ball inside the material, surrounded by a highly enclosed melting area. We are at a temperature of -50 ° C to 90 ° C (-58 ° F to 194 ° F) Welds were tested. Welds remain intact, so we know they are strong enough to handle extreme conditions. "
The team is working with experts to develop a prototype system for laser processing, so the method can be used commercially in manufacturing.
KOYO Needle Roller Bearings,KOYO roller bearing,KOYO thrust ball bearings,KOYO deep groove ball bearings,KOYO self-aligning ball bearing
Shanghai Yi Kai Cheng bearing Co., LTD , https://www.ykchbearing.com