3D selective laser polishing

Physics of the laser polishing process

SYLAS controls and markets a laser polishing process by remelting a very thin layer of material on the surface to be polished (between 10 et 50 microns). By the action of the laser beam, the material becomes fluid and smooth due to the physical properties of the surface tension. The obtained smoothing is then frozen during the almost immediate cooling of the material.

Characteristics of the laser polishing process

Faster

Faster than mechanical polishing: laser Polishing is on average 10 times faster than all automated or manual conventional mechanical polishing processes

No particles

Laser polishing does not remove material and can be used in cleanrooms.

No micro-scratches

The micro-scratches in the material are avoided when laser polishing is carried out, that makes the process particularly suitable for medical applications.

Laser polishing machine 02
Selective

The positioning accuracy and the degrees of freedom of the machine allow to polish specific surfaces. The edges of the component to be treated are spared during polishing.

Repeatable

Unlike most conventional methods, SYLAS allows the components to be treated in a precise and repeatable manner.

Material under control

316L stainless steel, titanium, cobalt-chromium alloy, maraging… If you have to polish an other material, don’t hesitate to contact us. Maybe we already have a solution for you.

3D laser polishing

of components produced by Additive Manufacturing

Laser polishing of components produced by additive manufacturing offers the same advantages and is based on the same principles than laser polishing of components produced by conventional machining or by EDM (Electro Discharge Machining). As the initial roughness is much higher in case of 3D printed components, the laser setting is very different and requires a specific know-how that is perfectly mastered by SYLAS for Titanium and Maraging.

Markets and applications

Our unique laser polishing process is applicable in different markets and can be adapted to many industrial applications.

Metal polishing

Plastics industry: injection molds and mold inserts

Laser polishing of EDM surfaces tolerates higher initial roughness than mechanical polishing and results in significant savings in machining and polishing time.

Turbine polishing

Aeronautics: fluidic elements

The complex 3D shapes of turbine blades or other flow circuit elements can be conveniently selectively polished by laser.

Aditive manufacturing polishing

Components produced by additive manufacturing

Most of hard and flammable materials can be laser polished. The gains in roughness are impressive, regardless of the geometry of the component to be processed.

friction surfaces polishing

Microtechnics: friction surfaces

Friction surfaces such as ball tracks can be selectively polished by laser.

Sterile valve polishing

Medical / pharma: pre-polishing before final treatment in electrolytic bath

The pre-polishing of sterile components which often precedes their final finishing in an electrolytic bath can be carried out advantageously by laser.

Polished mirror steel

Surface finishing: preparation for mirror finish

Laser pre-polishing reduces by a factor of 2 to 5 the finishing time of a surface to offer a mirror polish quality.

3D Polishing Machine SYLAS SLEEK 1000

Our 3D Laser polishing machine SYLAS SLEEK 1000 is built on our generic 3D platform SYLAS SPARK and incorporates specific features corresponding to the needs of laser polishing:

  • The machine is designed to accommodate different lasers and optical systems.
  • The machine can be configured for semi automatic or fully automatic operation.
  • The software is designed so that the surface speed of the laser beam is kept constant regardless of the movements of each of the 5 axes of the machine.
  • The machine is equipped with a position probe and automatic routines for the measure and registration of the actual parts position in space.
  • The machine is programmed in the same way as a modern machine tool. A programmer will therefore find on the SYLAS SLEEK 1000 machine an environment familiar to the best CNCs on the market.
Laser polishing machine 01

3D Generic platform SYLAS SPARK

SYLAS has developed a 5 axes generic open platform adapted to the automatization of various three-dimensional processes. The platform also forms the basis of the SYLAS SLEEK 1000 machine.

generic platform detail 03
generic platform detail 02
generic platform detail 01

Mechanical Basis

Allows to process medium size products (200 × 200 × 200 mm)

  • Maximum product weight : 14 Kg.
  • Fully automatic offset setting process.
  • Tool magazine.

Software Basis

The basic software of the platform allows to follow the curves to be processed with very high precision and with programmable dynamic performance depending on process and application. The combination speed – accuracy is one of the unique features of the 3D platform SYLAS SPARK.

  • The platform is equipped with a latest generation 5-axis continuous digital control. A CNC programmer will find on an SYLAS platform an environment familiar to the best CNCs on the market.
  • The trajectories are created and simulated from the CAM software TopSolid’Cam 7. A plugin integrating the machine has been specially developed in order to generate the trajectories in a few clicks, directly on the 3D model of the parts.

About SYLAS

SYLAS is a company resulting from a collaboration between the French company Optique and Microsystèmes and the Swiss company Unitechnologies. SYLAS has all of Unitechnologies’ know-how developed since 2012 in laser polishing. The SYLAS platform was developed in close collaboration with the company Optique et Microsystèmes

Contact us

Logo Sylas Laser Systems

+33 474 766 770

contact@sylas.com

7, Rue du Commerce 01460 PORT (France)