Laser-based repair of carbon fiber reinforced plastics

The recent progress in laser system technology enables innovative techniques for machining of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs). A representative application is the layer-by-layer removal of damaged composite material to provide a cavity for refilling with repair plies. Results show that it is possible to achieve a reliable and automatable removal rate to perform arbitrary repair cavity geometries, obtaining a relevant time-reduction with respect to the conventional manual grinding process. The combination of modern UV-laser sources with a scanning technology enabling deflection speeds up to 2 m/s, suppresses heat affected zones (HAZs) and detachment of fibers from the polymer matrix. A method for the selective removal of surface matrix without damaging the fibers beneath is also presented. (C) 2010 CIRP.