Enamel Wire Coating Stripping
Single UV Laser Stripping
——Two light sources? Not anymore.
Enamel wire stripping is a critical step in motor manufacturing, directly impacting processing quality and productivity.
For enamel wire stripping in EV motors and similar applications, we have overturned the conventional wisdom of using a two-wavelength (UV + IR) combined process. Through optimization of process conditions, this is a high-efficiency mass-production solution that removes the coating with a single wavelength — without damaging the copper conductor.
Challenge: The Two-Laser Process
The central challenge in enamel wire stripping is how to remove the insulating coating (resin) while reducing damage to the copper conductor — thinning and heat-affected zones — to zero. With conventional laser processing, this level of control was difficult to achieve with a single light source, so the following multi-step process was the norm:
- Rough removal with UV laser: UV, which is highly absorbed by resin, removes the bulk of the coating — but output must be kept low to avoid damaging the copper, leaving a thin residual layer.
- Finishing with IR laser: IR, which has a high reflectance off copper (i.e., is poorly absorbed), is then used to vaporize the remaining resin without affecting the copper.
Using two separate light sources increased cost and system complexity, creating a significant barrier to laser equipment adoption.
Solution: Single UV Wavelength Process
To address the challenge that "UV alone damages the copper too much," we took an approach grounded in process condition optimization. Even using only a single UV wavelength, we established the conditions and process steps to remove the coating cleanly while minimizing damage to the copper conductor.
Benefits
- Halved equipment costs: No IR light source or optics required, dramatically reducing initial investment.
- Shorter cycle times: Eliminates the losses from switching between wavelengths and multi-pass scanning.
- Simpler maintenance: Managing a single light source reduces the maintenance burden in mass production.
- Smaller footprint: A simpler optical configuration keeps the equipment's installation area compact.
