Laser Drilling

EBTEC Corporation is a leading supplier in the US laser drilling industry serving; Aerospace, Medical, Power Generation, and Industrial markets.

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EBTEC operates 15 multi-axis laser machines , capable of handling your precision Laser Drilling needs.

The collimation of light (photons) used to impart energy on a vast array of materials to drill challenging holes. The laser system, coupled to a 5-axis CNC motion control system, becomes a robust drilling machine tool. EBTEC’s Laser drilling systems are used to produce complex through-hole drilling in customer components across multiple industries. “LASER – light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation”

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We excel in prototype through large-scale production applications and have highly skilled engineering and technical staff available to discuss your potential opportunities.

Our machines utilize advanced Nd-Yag laser systems, and “kW class” fiber laser systems for our laser drilling technologies. Laser output powers range from 30watt to 20kw. Additionally, we can perform laser cutting, laser welding, and laser engraving on your finished components.

Conventional drilling techniques for holes at .015” diameter……near impossible. Laser drilling of these holes, are routinely processed. Whether it is one hole or thousands of holes, the laser process is suited to perform this task

EBTEC maintains AS9100 / ISO9002 certification and NADCAP non-conventional machining certifications as well as a host of OEM certifications.

Airflow Bench

Large benefits can be made with laser drilling when tens, hundred, and thousands of holes are required. Measuring the holes sizes and positions are often time more difficult that the drilling.

EBTEC has two certified airflow benches to help solve this issue. The size and population of the holes in a component can be measured by the amount of air passing through the holes.

This airflow process measures precisely what modern aircraft and engine component manufactures specify.

EBTEC is NADCAP certified for airflow, GE certified and PWA Certified.

About Laser Drilling

Laser Drilling is a process that can be used to drill alloys and composites that cannot be drilled by conventional methods.

In many cases, Laser Drilling is the only solution for many drilling challenges.

The laser drilling process consists of repeatedly pulsing high peak power, highly focused laser energy at a material, which locally turn the materials into vapor in an iterative process, until a thru-hole is created.

This laser drilling process is called percussion laser drilling and is utilized for creation of small holes. Small laser drilled holes, in the .002”-.003” range, are possible depending upon material type and thickness. Changes in lensing allows for percussion drilling of larger holes…up to a limit. Significantly larger laser holes are created by trepanning (moving the work piece or the laser in a circular fashion). The trepanning laser drilling process is more analogous to laser cutting as the same principles are applied. (Please see our laser cutting page via the button below).

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The Value of Laser Drilling

Benefits of Laser Drilling Services:

Processing of high-alloy metals without difficulty
Low tool cost, no tool wear
Drills angled holes and difficult access holes
Economic setup time
High repeatability with multi-axis CNC laser control
Faster than any conventional method
Ability to drill holes smaller than conventional methods allow
Creating entrance angles not possible with contact machining
Minimal mechanical force on workpiece
Low dimensional variability
Low distortion
Cost Competitive

Limitations of Laser Drilling Services:

Laser holes are tapered to some extent (approximately 1% of the drill depth)
Cannot drill a blind hole to a precise depth
Adherent metal needs to be removed from exit hole on some materials
Depth to width ratio – very deep holes are difficult to drill
Materials reflectivity eliminates “some” materials from process

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The Laser Drilling Process

YAG Laser Percussion Drill Penetration

The LASER, an acronym for “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation,” is a device that produces a concentrated, coherent beam of light by stimulating molecular or electronic transitions to lower energy levels, causing the emission of photons. In the laser hole drilling process, the solid-state laser utilizes a single crystal rod with parallel, flat ends, with each end having reflective surfaces.

A high-intensity light source, or flash tube, surrounds the crystal. When power is supplied by the PFN (pulse-forming network), an intense pulse of light (photons) will be released through one end of the crystal rod. The light being released is of single wavelength, thus allowing for minimum divergence.

How it Works

In Laser Drilling, 100% of the laser light will be reflected off the rear mirror, and 30 to 50% will pass through the front mirror. The laser light will continue through the shutter assembly to the angled mirror and down through the focusing lens to the workpiece.

The laser light beam in our laser hole drilling process is coherent and has a high energy content. When focused on a surface, laser light creates the heat used for laser hole drilling.

The workpiece and the laser beam are manipulated by means of robotics. The laser beam can be adjusted to varying sizes and heat intensity, from .004 to .040 inches. The smaller size is used for drilling, and the larger for heat treating.

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