A Novel Automated and Controlled Dual Laser Ablation System for Selective Removal of Hard Chrome Plate

In this proposal, AlphaSense, Inc. (AI) and the University of Michigan (UM) detail the development of a novel automated and controlled dual laser ablation system for selective chrome removal. The key innovations of this proposal include the following: a) The combination of ns- and fs- laser ablation to quickly remove the chrome plate, while minimize the collateral damage to the substrate, b) The use of fs- LIBS to provide process control and feedback, and c) The implementation of a real time pattern recognition algorithm to identify the boundary between the chrome plate and substrate. With such innovations, the merits of the proposed method and its advantages over other techniques are listed below: a) Fast materials removal rate, b) Virtually no collateral damage to the substrate, c) Fully automatic process, and d) Suitable for a wide variety of coatings and substrates.