ProjectSCAFOLD

The SCAFOLD project is part of IREPA LASER’s research and innovation activities dedicated to ultrafast laser processes for treating high-value composite materials. It aims to deepen understanding and control of the interactions between high-power femtosecond lasers and carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP), against a backdrop of rapid development in latest-generation laser sources.

Femtosecond lasers are now recognised for their ability to machine heat-sensitive materials with high precision and limited thermal effects. Applied to CFRP composites, they offer a particularly relevant alternative to conventional processes, providing contactless machining with no tool wear and no mechanical stress on the material. However, the recent increase in the power and energy available from these sources opens up new prospects, while also raising scientific and technological questions about controlling thermal phenomena at high repetition rates.

The SCAFOLD project pursues several scientific and technological objectives:

• Exploring the new laser-matter interaction regimes made possible by high-power, high-repetition-rate femtosecond sources.
• Consolidating the knowledge required for the future deployment of higher-performance femtosecond laser processes for the processing of composite materials.

SCAFOLD is aligned with the strategic priorities of the Institut Carnot MICA, particularly in the fields of functional materials, surfaces and interfaces, and the industry of the future. It contributes to the development of innovative laser micromachining processes for sectors such as mobility and aeronautics and, more broadly, for industrial applications requiring high-precision machining solutions for advanced materials.

Through this project, IREPA LASER demonstrates its expertise in mastering femtosecond laser processes and in exploring innovative technological solutions for the processing of high-performance composites.

IREPA LASER would like to thank the Institut Carnot MICA for its support and funding.