Advanced fibre laser drilling at MTC aims to improve aero components

MTC said it was working with Rolls-Royce to investigate the potential of fibre lasers for drilling of aerospace materials, especially the holes in aero engine turbine blades that allow them to function without beginning to melt.

MTC is using technology – said to be the first of its kind in the world – from US firm IPG Photonics, a high performance laser manufacturer.

Sundar Marimuthu, a research engineer at the Coventry unit specialising in laser processing of materials, told The Engineer that he did not believe it was available elsewhere in the UK.

The technology had only been on the market for two years, and the MTC had been working with it for more than a year, Marimuthu said.

“However, it is likely that aerospace manufacturers in the US and Europe are also exploring fibre lasers for drilling,” he said.

Turbine blades in aero engines are drilled with holes to keep them cool as very hot gases circulate around them.