Testing of 10 W 445 nm Blue Diode on Laser-Based Additive Manufacturing of PEEK

Additive manufacturing with high-temperature polymers such as polyether ether ketone can create aerospace parts that are simultaneously structurally and thermally stable, and capable of functions like electromagnetic interference shielding when loaded with conductive fillers. Previous work showed that a 2W, 532 nm diode laser could melt—but not efficiently process—PEEK. This semester, that source was replaced with a 10 W, 445 nm blue diode whose shorter wavelength is better matched to PEEK’s absorption spectrum. After calibrating optical output versus drive current, a repeatable melt window was found near 2.6 A (≈ 9 W) and 0.83 mm/s. Relocation of the apparatus to a fume hood necessitated slightly higher power (2.7 A, ≈ 9.4 W) or lower speed (0.33 mm/s) but produced identical quality after two passes. High-speed IR videos acquired at < 5 µs exposure resolved melt-pool geometry and temperature distribution in real time, while optical imaging highlighted surface topography. The upgraded system is now ready for integration with the powder-deposition system, positioning the project for further combined testing.