using Shimadzu’s BLUE IMPACT diode laser. The lower half of
the object is buried in copper powder. Image source: Shimadzu.
The Blue Impact laser combines many gallium nitride (GaN) blue laser diodes by Nichia (Japan), which doubled in efficiency and increased by an order of magnitude in output power since 2006. A key application of Shimadzu’s 450 nm blue diode laser is in 3D printing copper. High absorption of blue laser light by copper enables a fast process with reduced back reflections, which are serious challenges for conventional infrared lasers. The newly developed 3D printer can efficiently print objects using pure copper powder. Existing 3D printer technologies typically use copper alloys like the CuCr1Zr instead of pure copper.
IDTechEx Research expects rapid adoption of blue DDLs in copper processing from 2019 onward as more products are commercialised.
IDTechEx Research - www.IDTechEx.com
