Objective The penetration of CO2-laser technology in industry is conditioned by a profound understanding of underlying physical which determine the laser's machining capability. Besides aspects linked with the beam delivery system, this processing capability is mainly a function of the laser beam quality and the fluctuations. The excitation and de-excitation of the vibrational-rotational levels of the CO2-molecule is extremely complex, since it is least to be considered as a 5 level system. This complexity is t origin of the lack of proper design and optimization criteria for the CO2-laser, despite the rater elementary constituent parts of the laser itself. 2 a) Evaluation of optimum frequency for the RF excited transverse laser carried out jointly by RFA and AEA was conclusive and showed 27.12MHz as an optimum choice.b) Direct coupling of an RF generator to an electrode system without the use of a discreet RF impedance network was successfully accomplished. This could reduce overall RFsystem cost by up to 25%. The work also highlighted the need for a laser operating with fixed values for pressure and excitation power to enable effective operation of this type of system.c) The digital feedback controller performed well and proved that phase delays through the whole system could be compensated and the output stabilised. True laser light closed loop output control with respect to a manual setpoint was achieved.The main areas of investigations will comprise plasma engineering and flow conditioning, with the aim of ensuring laser operation to the required standards of beam quality for various laser processing functions. Flow visualization and evaluation of plasma parameters, will be combined with computer modelling of the turbulent gas flow to elucidate key features, with particular emphasis on time dependent effects, e.g. laser/plasma fluctuations vs. turbulence. The sources of critical frequencies in the fluuation spectra will be identified and, where possible, eliminated. This also includes the development of dedicated turbolowers with matched load lines. 2 Fields of science engineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineeringsubtractive manufacturingnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticslaser physics Programme(s) FP2-BRITE/EURAM 1 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the fields of industrial manufacturing technologies and advanced materials applications (BRITE/EURAM), 1989-1992 Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme Data not available Coordinator Radius Engineering EU contribution No data Address Meersstraat 138B 9000 GENT Belgium See on map Total cost No data Participants (9) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all AEA Technology plc United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Culham Laboratory OX14 3DB Abingdon See on map Total cost No data Fluent Europe Ltd United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Huttons Buildings 146 West Street S1 4ES Sheffield See on map Total cost No data Gebrüder Becker GmbH & Co Germany EU contribution No data Address 5600 WUPPERTAL See on map Total cost No data INSTITUTO SUPERIOR TECNICO Portugal EU contribution No data Address See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data R F Applications Ltd United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Finmere Road BN22 8QL Eastbourne See on map Total cost No data Rijksuniversiteit Gent Belgium EU contribution No data Address Rozierstraat 44 9000 GENT See on map Total cost No data Space Technology Ireland Ltd Ireland EU contribution No data Address Maynooth Industrial Park 25 MAYNOOTH See on map Total cost No data Trumpf Lasertechnik GmbH Germany EU contribution No data Address Johann-Maus-Strasse 2 7257 DITZINGEN See on map Total cost No data Universität Stuttgart Germany EU contribution No data Address Pfaffenwaldring 43 70569 Stuttgart See on map Total cost No data
