HELIDRILL - Helical laser drilling system for micro vents and conducts

Challenge

The adjustment of a number of optical components determines the beam guiding for different hole geometries. To use it in an industrial environment, a high performance control system is required which enables precise, robust and repeatable adjustment. Users require a prolonged mean time to maintenance and adjustment procedures have to be simplified. Application-specific space constraints of the tool require smaller and remote focusing modules to drill at currently inaccessible positions. Another challenge is to provide a convenient user interface with process monitoring capabilities for reliable processing in a diverse set of system configurations.

Benefit

The efforts which are invested into the technological robustness of the system are driven by the requirements of the industrial user, P&G / Braun. In their tool shop, precision micro holes for injection moulding tools are needed to realise innovative injection moulding processes. The use of those new tools and processes opens the possibility to realise products with new features that provide unique selling points in the market.

The HELIDRILL system is a strategic product on the technology roadmap of S&F. Within the growing market for high-precision ultrafast laser processing, S&F will extend its product range by this drilling technology. Besides its use for vents, the technology can also be applied to areas such as technical filters and semiconductor devices.

Achievement

First, the base area of the main module with the rotator has been reduced and several minor dimensional variations have been fixed. The focusing module can now be separated from the main module in order to be used remotely within space-constrained applications. The overall design was extended by a coaxial camera module that includes the last 90° beam bender. With this camera the user is able to monitor the work piece surface via HMI and the process and holes can safely be placed at the right position. All three focusing modules can be used directly at the main module, the camera module or remote. Slim and robust design of
focussing modules leads to maximum access to possible drilling positions
without interfering with the work piece. The mount of the image rotator was partly redesigned and adjustment sensitivity was increased. The electrical assembly of Helidrill has been finished as well, with a partial wiring of the motor to the P&G Oral B production plant. The software programming of basic motor functions has also been completed. Aditionally, the motors can now be manually set up and operate via the HMI in a production environment.