Laser Micromachining

In line with CHARMILLES’ vision for the future smart factory, Laser Micromachining empowers you to conquer your daily manufacturing obstacles while fostering uncompromised innovation, accelerating time to market, and minimizing environmental footprint.

What is Laser Micromachining?

Laser Micromachining is a precision manufacturing process that uses a laser beam to remove material at a microscopic scale. Machined parts can be relatively large whereas the structures produced, such as holes, grooves or shapes, may range between a few microns and a few millimeters. Depending on the optical setup, the size of the Laser tool is typically between 10 and 60 µm, which allows for processing of fine features in any kind of material, including very hard and brittle material.

This type of machining modifies the surface of a part, using a 3D definition of the pattern to be produced. With a 5-axis machine, the engraved surface can be very complex. Micro-engraving is popular in many industries such as mint, watchmaking and luxury goods, as well as for the manufacturing of semiconductors, mold and die, tooling and medical devices.

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Why CHARMILLES?

With a passion for Laser erosion, a strong expertise in software development and photonics and a mindset of innovation inspired by 70 years of precision machining heritage, CHARMILLES continuously pushes the boundaries of Laser with its high-performance Laser micromachining systems.

With the integration of Microlution in 2016, CHARMILLES has significantly reinforced its position in Laser Micromachining and is now an innovation and market leader.

Most micromachining applications require ultra-short pulsed lasers, also called femto lasers. Building on 15 years of experience with femto lasers, CHARMILLES develops its own products - such as the Femto FlexiPulse™ - with the best Laser Manufacturers in the world.

Thanks to a global presence and unique know-how, CHARMILLES Laser application engineers and the UNITED MACHINING Academy are here to support you and help you realize the full potential of your application with a CHARMILLES Laser machine.

Laser Micromachining

Main competitive advantages

Six decades of Swiss Laser innovation, a solid patent history and unmatched technical expertise. CHARMILLES is your trusted partner for any laser micromachining project.

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Laser sources for each application

Offering both infrared and green femtosecond Lasers in order to optimize for your material and feature geometries. Take advantage of nanosecond Lasers for higher throughput and faster ROI. Get the best of both worlds with our dual source Laser solutions.

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3- or 5-axis scanners

Our 3-axis beam delivery configuration allows for efficient machining by using a large field of view with high speed and quality. Our 5-axis beam delivery allows for repeatable cutting and drill of positive, zero and even negative tapered features.

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Modular or turnkey solutions

Choose one of our many standard solutions to get your production running with very short lead times. Get from print to part by working with our experienced interdisciplinary team on a turnkey solution.

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In-process metrology

Our integrated visions systems and touch probes provide for incoming part qualification and precise part positioning. Increase your margins by improving your yield and reducing your down-stream inspection.

Laser micromachining

Series Overview

The LASER Micromachining series brings together two distinct machine lines — LASER S and LASER P — each engineered to meet specific production demands, from maximum efficiency and process reliability to extreme accuracy and micro-profile capability.

LASER S Series

Innovative texturing, accelerated productivity
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S Series

LASER S 500 (U)

The ultimate Laser ablation tool
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S 500 (U)

LASER X 500 (U)

Seamless precision and speed. Pure simplicity
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P Series

LASER P 400

Design for extreme accuracy and uncompromising quality
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P 400

Application Possibilities

Reduce your cost per part by directly machining the final part without any consumable. Complex zero taper features can be easily machined without the need for precise electrodes or micro-drills. Achieve any geometry by simply loading a new part program.

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The miniaturization of electronic components requires machining smaller and more precise features. Our ultrafast Laser micromachining platform is able to achieve inside-corner radii below 3 μm and zero taper sidewalls to keep up with manufacturer demands.

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- Material: silicon carbide
- Laser (type/power): CHARMILLES Nano Flexipulse™ 50 W
- Software: LaserCAMTM
- Measured surface flatness: 0.003 mm
- Average measured depth: 0.186 mm

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Frequently Asked Questions

Laser micromachining is an advanced manufacturing process that uses ultrafast laser pulses to create extremely small and precise features on a wide range of materials. The technology enables micro-cutting, drilling, engraving and structuring with exceptional accuracy while minimizing thermal impact on the workpiece. CHARMILLES laser micromachining solutions support high-precision manufacturing for miniature and complex components.