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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/L62634/01
Title: PRECISION LASER DRILLING
Principal Investigator: Jones, Professor JDC
Other Investigators:
Kapadia, Professor P
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
BAE Systems
Department: Physics
Organisation: Heriot-Watt University
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 March 1998 Ends: 31 August 2001 Value (£): 190,974
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Lasers & Optics Manufacturing Machine & Plant
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Aerospace, Defence and Marine
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
We propose research leading to the development of an industrial system demonstrator for drilling small diameter holes in metals for application in laminar flow technology in aerospace manufacturing. The initial end user is BAe, Bristol who contribute to the research and will be actively involved in it. The target for the work is to be able to drill holes at a rate of at least 500 per second. We shall approach the goal by a parallel programme of detailed experimental investigation and theoretical modelling, determining the effect of the spatial and temporal distribution of the laser energy; the laser wavelength; gas assist (nozzle geometry and pressure); material thickness and composition. We shall develop non-intrusive in-process monitoring, and (if necessary) closed-loop process control. The theoretical modelling will be based on the point-and-line source and Zweig models (see case for support). The theoretical model will be validated by experiment and used to develop the design rules needed to build and evaluate the process demonstrator.
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Organisation Website: http://www.hw.ac.uk