Laser manufacturing of aluminum and titanium alloys is gaining interest in the automotive, aerospace, and defense industries due to their diverse applications. Laser interaction with these alloys involves heating, melting, and evaporation, with evaporation being critical. Selective vaporization of low-melting-point constituents in multi-element alloys can affect stoichiometry. In-situ monitoring of the ejected plume helps control product quality. Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) characterizes plume constituents and provides information about excited states. Our study used high-speed imaging and OES to monitor the laser interaction process with AlMg5 and Ti6Al4V alloys. OES analysis revealed a higher rate of magnesium evaporation compared to aluminum, a trend that intensified with an increase in laser power and a decrease in speed. High-speed imaging revealed an increase in spatter and laser-plume interaction with increased laser power and decreased speed. In-situ monitoring during single-shot laser interactions was conducted in a controlled manner with and without Ar gas shielding. The detection of oxidation in the absence of shielding gas through OES analysis highlights its potential for process monitoring.
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