Laser drilling of Superalloys and Composites

Unique properties such as high strength, wear and fatigue resistance at high temperatures have made superalloys best candidate materials for the aerospace industry. On the other hand, the development of composite materials particularly metal matrix composites (MMCs) have comparable properties to superalloys and have an advantage of being lightweight and high strength to wear ratio. A significant application involves the use of superalloys and composites in aerospace gas turbine components used in high-temperature applications. The mechanical machining of these materials is difficult due to higher tool wear and low material removal rate. Laser drilling is a well-established manufacturing process utilised to produce holes in various aeroengine components, in particular high-pressure turbine blades, combustors and nozzle guide vanes. High-value manufacturing industries always aim to improve process efficiency and produce parts at the lowest possible cost without affecting product quality. Taking into account the significance of these factors this chapter focuses on material removal volume, different hole quality attributes and manufacturing cost as performance measures to study the impacts of laser drilling process parameters for the selected materials. Conclusively, some future perspectives concerning the use of laser drilling are highlighted, specifically with advancements in science and technology.