What makes femtosecond lasers unique is that they don’t heat materials, but instantly create a plasma on the surface. This technology allows you to texture an entire surface very quickly. Some lasers even operate at more than one million pulses per second. To top it all off, femtosecond lasers can alter every light-absorbing material, from plastics to hard ceramics. Reach out to discuss your options.
Femtosecond laser texturing
Making complex textures and structures easy
Textures not only bring about surface functionalities in nature; they do the very same in industrial applications. For example, crossed grooves form micropyramids to increase the absorption coefficient of a surface, while circular grooves can provoke a decorative damaskeening effect. You could even mimic the skin of a shark to minimise water friction or create ultra-black surfaces. You name it, femtosecond lasers can (probably) do it.
Everyone can laser their business into the future
The ability of femtosecond lasers to create functional surfaces through altering characteristics, such as wettability, biocompatibility, optical response, friction and wear, has already proved to be a real gamechanger for many companies. Self-lubricating machine components, ice-free turbine blades, painless vaccine injection patches, and self-cleaning mudguards are all possible outcomes. And with Sirris, the technology is also within your reach.
A flexible path to reliable, repeatable precision work
Design of functionalities
Which options do coating and laser texturing offer? Or is a mix of both techniques the way to go? Together, we pinpoint value-adding functionalities for your products, as well as the requirements for structure and process parameters to generate those functionalities.
Feasibility study
Get in touch to assess the practicality of your project, including possible pitfalls and points of improvement. After examining the relation between texture and functionality on a sample level, we’ll also transfer the functionality to the component it is meant for. Next steps will then be discussed.
Testing and prototyping
Benefit from our LASEA LS5-1 femtosecond laser manufacturing centre or our state-of-the-art coating equipment to create extremely detailed nano-scale surfaces. With a prototype, you’ll also be able to assess the look and feel of your product, offering insights for further optimisation.
Implementation
If you like, Sirris can also guide you through the implementation phase at your facility. In that case, we will set up a tailored trajectory. Our experience in this area can help you avoid unforeseen setbacks and organise both your workflows and workforce in the best possible manner.
Casebook: functional surfaces at work
Inspiring industrial cases
Inspiring blogs
Upcoming activities
Ready to design and create a functional surface to wow your customers?
Peter ten Haaf and his colleagues are all ears.