What is it about?
Lasers are often used to clean or modify metal surfaces in industries like aerospace, nuclear, and manufacturing. But figuring out the right laser settings to melt or remove metal usually takes complex simulations or lots of experiments. In this study, we created a much simpler method that can quickly estimate when a metal will start to melt or be removed by a laser. It only needs a few basic facts about the metal, like how hot it gets when it melts. We tested this method on several metals and found that it gives good results compared to experiments. This can help engineers and scientists save time when working with laser processes.
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Why is it important?
This study introduces a new, simple method to predict laser melting and ablation thresholds using only basic, readily available material properties. Unlike conventional models that rely on complex simulations or detailed temperature-dependent data, our method allows quick and practical estimation of laser parameters across different metals. This is especially useful as industries increasingly adopt laser-based techniques for surface treatment, cleaning, and additive manufacturing. Our approach makes laser process planning faster and more accessible—supporting broader adoption of laser technologies without the need for specialist simulation tools.
Perspectives
Working on this article was especially meaningful to me because it brings together both experimental and theoretical work that I carried out myself during my PhD. I’ve always been fascinated by how lasers interact with materials, and it was rewarding to create a method that simplifies such a complex process into something engineers can use with just a calculator and a few material properties. I hope this paper makes laser process planning more accessible, and inspires others to explore how simplified models can still offer real impact in advanced manufacturing.
Yutaka Tsumura
University of Sydney
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Simplified method for predicting melting and ablation process parameters during laser surface treatment of metals and alloys, Journal of Applied Physics, June 2025, American Institute of Physics,
DOI: 10.1063/5.0264296.
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