Study on the mechanisms of curved water jet fiber-guided laser technology

The emergence of a novel technology, curved water jet fiber (CWJF)-guided laser, will broaden the application of water jet-guided laser in surface high precision and no damage micromachining, such as micro-texture treatment, drilling and grooving, etc., of inclined and curved workpiece, in particular, like some large and heavy parts that are difficult to move and rotate. In addition, the novel scheme of high precision, low damage, and circular section processing with the transmission laser and cooling effect of CWJF will be investigated. In this study, the parametric control of water jet deflection is explored using the model of the deflection trajectory of water jet discretized into continuously released water droplets under a nonuniform electric field, in which results show that large deflection angle and displacement can be obtained with high voltage, small distance, and low velocity. Optical transmission system models of CWJF-guided laser under related parametric groups are established through 3D physical reconstruction models of CWJF by using the deflection trajectory. The theoretical calculation of meeting total reflection conditions of incident rays and visualization analyses of CWJF formed-guided laser indicate laser beam can be transmitted effectively. The laser beam is still confined to CWJF and transmitted forward. The methods and results presented in this study will provide the theoretical support and reference for the control of CWJF formation and research of characteristics about CWJF-guided laser during this novel technology development journey.