MOSES

While there are a large number of approaches and also commercially available sensor concepts for process monitoring of traditional manufacturing processes from so called macro-machining (such as laser welding, laser cladding and laser cutting), on the other hand, the offer in the field of ultrashort pulse laser processing for micromachining is almost non-existent. There is no satisfactory sensor technology on the laser micromachining market that records process states in real time and contributes to the control of processes, as required for example in modern PCB production. The joint project MOSES is developing multi-sensor technology and thus closing the existing gap in process monitoring and control in micromachining using ultrashort pulse lasers.

The typical features of a machining process using ultrashort pulse lasers present numerous challenges. Pulses in the femtosecond range, high repetition rates and very fast scanning speeds of several meters per second require very high sampling rates and subsequent high-speed data cleaning and transfer. Furthermore, different process events can only be detected by different sensor types. Here, the multi-sensor approach is a promising method to enable process control by means of data correlation.

In order to achieve superior process quality with the target parameters and user-friendly processing, the innovative approach includes the identification of relevant sensor concepts, the exploration and feature design of cross-correlated sensor signatures, the development of data cleansing procedures to enable and develop real-time capable process control, and the demonstration of the achieved process reliability using PCB applications. The new multi-optical sensor technology and real-time capable control of complex laser manufacturing equipment will make it possible to produce competitive products of the future that are compelling in terms of function, quality and price.