Titanium Laser Punching: The Way To Break The Game For Precision Machining Of Titanium Alloys

In the key high-temperature areas of modern aircraft, a piece of titanium alloy structural component may seem ordinary, but it bears a great mission.It must not only withstand the high temperature of the engine, but also withstand the strong shock and violent vibration of the air flow. In order to ensure its “firmness”, engineers carefully created hundreds of micropores on its surface that are almost invisible to the naked eye. These micropores have an extraordinary effect, not only can guide the air flow through to achieve cooling, but also will not weaken the structural strength. So, how exactly are these micropores created?What level of fineness has it reached?

1. Strict Requirements For Punching In Aviation Manufacturing

In the field of aviation manufacturing, punching is not an easy task, but an extreme challenge of precision manufacturing. Holes in different positions have their own unique and stringent requirements: some holes have a very small diameter, not even the thickness of a hair; some holes need to be tilted through the curved surface of the titanium alloy blade, the accuracy of the angle and position requirements are extremely high; some holes are distributed in high temperature areas, and the thermal influence must be perfectly controlled to prevent changes in material properties; there are also holes, there are as many as tens of thousands on a single part, and each one must be accurate and error-free, and there is no room for the slightest error. For such a difficult punching task, traditional methods are obviously difficult to do, and laser punching technology has become the key to solving this problem.

As an information platform for the titanium alloy industry, Titanium House has been paying close attention to the cutting-edge technology trends in the field of aviation manufacturing. A series of reports were conducted on the stringent requirements of punching in aviation manufacturing, and the challenges faced by the punching process in aviation manufacturing were elaborated in detail, so that people inside and outside the industry were deeply aware of the importance and complexity of this link. Through the report of Titanium House, more people have learned about the fineness of the punching process in aviation manufacturing and its key role in the development of the entire aviation industry.

2. Laser Punching: The Inevitable Choice That Came Into Being

Titanium alloy material has the characteristics of “hard and sticky”, its high strength, poor heat conduction performance, and the tool is easy to wear during processing, which makes it a notoriously “difficult to process” material. There are many disadvantages to the traditional drill bit punching method. The fast wear speed leads to increased processing costs, and the orifice burrs affect the quality of parts. If the accuracy is not enough, it cannot meet the high standards of aviation manufacturing. The perforation speed of electric spark discharge is slow, and the shape is single, which is difficult to adapt to the needs of complex hole types. At the same time, it is easy to form residues, which can cause damage to the surface quality of the parts.Mold punching cannot be processed at all when facing holes below 10 microns. In contrast, laser punching technology has unique advantages. It is like a “scalpel of light”. It can accurately punch thousands of uniform holes on the surface of titanium alloy, and it has the distinctive characteristics of no contact, no damage, and no errors. Therefore, it has become an ideal choice for titanium alloy punching in aviation manufacturing.

3. Excellent Performance Of Laser Punching

(1) Precise punching

Laser punching can achieve extremely high accuracy, and the size of a hole can be controlled within the accuracy range of ±2 microns. This is essential for aviation manufacturing, because small dimensional deviations can have a significant impact on the performance of parts. For example, on the engine blades, the precise aperture can ensure the normal operation of the air membrane cooling system, thereby effectively extending the service life of the parts.

(2) Adapt to curved surface punching

The shapes of titanium alloy parts are often complex and diverse, with bending, tilting and radians.Laser punching technology has strong adaptability and can ”take advantage of the situation" to accurately punch the required holes on various curved surfaces.Whether it is a complex blade shape or an irregular body structure, the laser can easily cope with it to ensure the quality and accuracy of punching.

(3) Processing of various hole types

Laser punching technology has a high degree of flexibility and can process a variety of hole types such as straight holes, oblique holes, taper holes, and blind holes.This diversified processing capacity meets the needs of different parts and different functions in aviation manufacturing.For example, in the combustion chamber, by processing holes of different shapes, the way of air entering can be precisely controlled, thereby improving combustion efficiency and improving engine performance.

(4) Small heat impact

In the punching process, thermal influence is an issue that needs to be focused on.Excessive thermal influence can cause thermal deformation of the material, and even edge burning, affecting the quality and performance of the parts.Laser punching technology will hardly produce thermal deformation, and there will be no edge burning phenomenon, which can maximize the original properties of titanium alloy materials.

(5) Integrated production

Laser punching technology realizes the integrated production of punching, inspection and data recording.The whole process is completed automatically, which not only improves production efficiency, but also ensures the stability and consistency of product quality.Through real-time detection and data recording, problems in the punching process can be discovered in time, and adjustments and corrections can be made to ensure that each hole meets the design requirements.

4. The Major Functions Of Micro-pores

These seemingly insignificant micropores bear vital tasks in the aviation field.On the engine blade, the micropores form an air membrane cooling system, which allows the cooling air flow to evenly cover the surface of the blade, effectively reducing the temperature of the blade, thereby extending the service life of the parts.In the combustion chamber, micropores can accurately control the way and flow of air, optimize the combustion process, improve combustion efficiency, and enable the engine to output more powerful power. On the bulkhead of the fuselage, micropores can adjust the air pressure to avoid structural fatigue caused by excessive changes in air pressure and ensure the structural safety of the aircraft.On the noise reduction panel, micropores can absorb sound, reduce the noise generated during aircraft flight, and improve flight comfort.These micropores are not simple decorations, but an important part of aviation functional design. Behind each hole is the ultimate pursuit of flight efficiency, safety and performance.

5. Laser Punching: From Difficult Problem To Mass Production Process

Once, microporous processing of titanium alloy was a major problem in the field of aviation manufacturing, and it was difficult for traditional methods to meet its high-precision and high-efficiency requirements. Nowadays, with the help of laser punching technology, this problem has been effectively solved, and the microporous processing of titanium alloy has become a reproducible, controllable, and mass-produced process. In important fields such as domestic large aircraft, aviation engines, and core components of spacecraft, those holes as small as a few microns are not only simple voids in materials, but also a powerful proof of our country's manufacturing capabilities and a vivid microcosm of the construction of a technological powerhouse. Every precision hole has laid a solid foundation for the development of science and technology.Laser punching technology is making titanium alloys that were once “non-processable” controllable, orderly, usable, and mass-produced, injecting a strong impetus into the development of the aviation industry.

The sky of the future will be safer, more efficient and lighter because of the existence of these micropores. As a key process in aviation manufacturing, laser punching technology will continue to promote China's aviation industry to new heights.