Application and development of blue and green laser in industrial manufacturing: A review

Since the advent of laser, it has brought about tremendous changes in the manufacturing industry. Laser manufacturing technology offers numerous advantages, such as high quality, environmental friendliness, high selectivity, and the ability to perform various processing operations, including additive manufacturing and welding. Consequently, laser have been widely used in industries, such as aerospace, automotive, and rail transportation fields. Throughout the development of laser manufacturing technology, the near-infrared laser has played a dominant role. However, challenges arise when dealing with highly reflective metals like copper and aluminum, as their reflectivity can reach up to 95%. Significantly, the absorption rate of copper and other highly reflective metals is greatly influenced by the different laser wavelengths. In this review, we review and analyze relevant literature, summarizing the current status and challenges of using green and blue laser for manufacturing high-reflective metals. Additionally, considering the limitations of single laser, we also present a summary of the current state of infrared-blue laser hybrid in manufacturing and provide guiding insights for the manufacturing of highly reflective metals.