Ultra-short pulse laser radiation (USP) is applied in subtractive high-precision laser material processing, whereby controlled ablation with minimal thermal damage to the components is achieved. In this study, the laser radiation is employed in the context of additive manufacturing, specifically laser-based powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) of borosilicate glass powder materials. The investigations are focused on a comprehensive analysis of the key process parameters, in relation to the material-specific properties of the glass powder. A minimum process temperature of TP = 800 °C is determined to be necessary for the manufacturing of dimensionally stable and dense components. Preheating the powder bed to Tpowder = 400 °C reduces temperature variations between the powder bed and the interaction zone, thereby enabling local heat accumulation and preventing crack formation. High-temperature microscopy identified material-specific viscosity fixed points that align closely with experimentally determined process windows, thus aiding in process control. Cross-sectional analyses of the components reveal the feasibility of achieving consolidated, closed-porosity structures with component densities ρ > 90%. An increase in component density correlates with reduced dimensional accuracy due to the formation of a consolidation zone affecting thermal conduction and powder adhesion. This indicates the capability to manufacture components with rotationally symmetric cavities of up to d = 0.4 mm at a density of ρ = 85%. The study demonstrates the potential of the PBF-USP-LB process for the fabrication of high-density glass components and provides fundamental insights into the underlying process mechanisms that support further advancement of this innovative manufacturing technology.

Abstract Laser beam forming is a non-contact process that uses a laser beam as a heat source to deform components. In this study, the microstructural and mechanical aspects of an aluminum sheet of class AA6013-T4 were studied after shaping using a fiber laser. The surfaces of the aluminum plates were coated with graphite to increase their absorptivity. Under the conditions of 200 W power, treatment speed of 3 mm/s, and focal diameter of 0.5 mm on the surface of the plate, one to three runs were performed for each sample. The width and depth of the remelted lines did not vary significantly with the number of runs, whereas the in-depth hardness profile tended to become uniform as the number of irradiation cycles increased. This study indicated a tendency towards tensile (positive) residual stress in both the longitudinal and transverse directions, with relaxation in the free part of the sheet. These components have been associated with bending angles ranging from 0.04 to 0.13 rad, depending on the number of laser runs. The maximum tensile stresses measured in the fusion zone, which was transversal to the laser path, were approximately 100 MPa, independent of the number of runs.