Experimental Study of Partially Submerged Laser Transmission Channelling on Thick Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) Plate.

The current research elaborates an experimental study on poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), to produce microchannels using the laser transmission cutting technique, utilizing a nanosecond pulsed Nd:YAG laser system. The cutting operation was carried out in partially submerged condition. The prime objective during the machining operation was to minimize the heat affected zone (HAZ) and kerf width. Lamp current, pulse frequency, pulse width and cutting speed were the process parameters under consideration during the experimentation. The developed microchannels characteristics such as HAZ and kerf width were subsequently measured and analysed. Response surface methodology (RSM) technique was applied to develop the mathematical relationships between the input process parameters and output responses. Model adequacy was tested using the method of analysis of variance (ANOVA). The optimal combinations of process parameter settings were obtained through single and multi-objective optimizations methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]