An industrial approach of laser polishing with different laser sources

Surface finishing of dies and molds is one of the most interesting applications of laser polishing process. Because of the variety of materials used in die and mold manufacturing, as well as the different surface topographies, in each case, it is necessary to use appropriate process parameters. The presented work focuses on the study of laser polishing process on three commonly used materials in the manufacture of dies and molds, such as tool steels AISI D2 and AISI P20, ductile cast iron GGG70L and LaserForm ST-100, a specific material developed for plastic injection mold making. Experimental studies were carried out determining the influence of the energy density on the roughness reduction rate. A key point that has a direct impact on the resulting surface roughness is the initial surface finishing of the material before laser polishing. In order to determine the degree of influence, experimental studies were conducted on two steels, AISI H13 and AISI P20, which are typically used in mold making industry. The experimental tests showed that a random distribution of peaks and valleys allows more homogenous material melting and gives as result a smoother surface after laser polishing.