Computational approach for structural and thermal behavior of laser-machined micro-grooves on alumina ceramic using ANSYS

Abstract

Heat affected zone on the micromachined material, a hindrance in achieving good precision and accuracy, which are adequate requirements for micromachined materials, is a drawback of nanosecond micromachining assisted by laser. The primary objective of this paper is to take into consideration a number of input parameters, such as the pulse width and the temperature of the laser beam, and study the effect that these parameters have on the heat flux generated as well as on the temperature distribution along the square grooves of 200 µm width and depth that are to be micro-machined on an alumina ceramic workpiece. However, processing of alumina ceramic on a micron-scale requires careful consideration to raise the quality standard. This will be accomplished by analyzing the data collected from the micro-machining process. Using the ANSYS® software, it is possible to visualize not only the region where heat is generated but also the way in which the input parameters influence the structural qualities of the micro machined groove surface. The many thermal models that have been constructed have revealed specific changes in the structural qualities that have had a significant impact on the upper width, the lower width, and the depth of the groove when applied to a variety of different parametric settings. Finally, developed analytical model is compared with the experimental models. The highest prediction error was found to be 1.68%, while, for constant 50 W power and 150–250 mm/s of speed, the average prediction error was determined to be 1.18%. As a result, the proposed model closely matches the experimental findings, and the proposed model can be used to estimate channel profile.