| In this research work, the laser micro-machining system developed at the BioMEMS laboratory of the mechanical engineering department is described along with the motion planning strategies implemented for the micro-machining process. The system consists of a femtosecond laser, an auxiliary optics arrangement, and a three-axis motion stage. The process of laser micromachining involves the ablation of material from the surface of a work piece by laser pulses. The motion of the X-Y axes of the stages generates the desired features. The Z-stage is used for beam focusing, to ensure the focus of the laser is on the surface of the work piece to be ablated. Various computer aided design/computer aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) software systems were evaluated for path generation. Pro/ENGINEER and Pro/ENGINEER Production were selected as the CAD/CAM system for generation of motion commands for the controllers of the stages. The controllers of the motion stages can be interfaced with through a personal computer. A customized post-processor was developed for the Aerotech motion stages using G-Post. The post-processor was customized to enable the generation of motion commands based on the requirements of the laser micro-machining process. An electronic circuit was designed and implemented to control the firing of the laser, this allowed for better control over the process. |
