The Development of Laser Wire Stripping


The Development of Laser Wire Stripping



Research into laser wire stripping originated in 1976 when NASA initiated a programme to develop a better method of stripping wire to overcome problems encountered in the production of the electrical wiring systems during the development of the Space Shuttle. This research was prompted by the need to be able to strip electrical wire with very thin insulation used on aircraft and spacecraft where, to save weight, very lightweight and fine gauge wires are often used. The result of their research was the first laser wire stripping machine.

NASA compared the effect of various types of lasers on the insulating and conducting materials of the wire and found that the CO2 laser was the best choice for the task at hand. During the laser wire stripping process the energy or radiation emitted by the laser is absorbed strongly by the insulating material. As the laser penetrates the insulation it vaporises the material through to the conductor. However, the conductor strongly reflects the radiation at the CO2 laser wavelength and is therefore unaffected by the laser beam. Because the metallic conductor is essentially a mirror at the wavelength of the laser, the process is effectively "self terminating", that is the laser vaporises all of the insulating material down to the conductor and then stops, so no process control is required to prevent damage to the conductor.

teflon aerospace wire

Laser stripped aerospace wire (O.D. 12.5mm/0.5 inch, Teflon over Polyimide/Kapton)



A pacemaker coil



Since 1987, when RtMc, Inc, now Spectrum Technologies USA, Inc, introduced the first commercial CO2 Laser Wire Stripping machine, there has been an increasing need for the further development of laser technology to enable an increasing range of insulating materials and wire types to be stripped. This is due to the development of new insulation types, new ways of extruding the insulating material onto wire, varying bonding properties and the trend for smaller, lighter-weight wire applications, combined with the development of new products using these wires.


During this period Spectrum Technologies has become the leading manufacturer and supplier of Laser Wire Stripping products to international industry, having delivered many hundreds of units to customers around the World. Spectrum’s SIENNATM range of laser wire strippers has been developed incorporating various lasers and delivery systems and can successfully remove almost any insulation from any wire form.

There is an increasing need for products to become light-weight, more reliable, more efficient and more cost effective as conventional methods for stripping wire will become increasingly outdated.

Laser wire stripping provides many advantages over conventional methods. Some of the advantages and benefits are:

  • No conductor damage - the laser cannot damage the metal conductor even if it is plated with another metal such as tin or silver – reduces quality assurance requirements and enables designers to specify tighter tolerances and user lighter weight wires
  • Able to process 99% of all insulation types – one piece of equipment can cope with a wide variety of wire and insulation types and can process a range of wire types without the need for time-consuming changes in set up
  • Highest achievable strip quality – guarantees reproducible results and maximises yields, thereby reducing costs
  • Able to process multiple wires simultaneously – increases productivity
  • Able to strip a variety of wire sizes from less than 25 µm up to 25 mm (0.001 – 1.000 in.) diameter – one process supports damage free stripping across the widest range of wire sizes
  • Able to strip a variety of wire forms the same machine can process flat, round, twisted, or shielded cable with little or no tooling changes – improves equipment utilisation and productivity
  • Able to hold tight tolerances of +/- 25 µm (0.001 inch) – for precision applications
  • Variable strip patterns can be programmed to remove the insulation at any location on the wire – see below

Because laser wire stripping is a non-contact process and the beam can be controlled very precisely, it is possible to direct the laser beam to achieve a variety of stripping patterns, many of which are virtually impossible by other means, as shown below:




Strip patterns

  • End strip
    · Crosscut
    · Crosscut and slit
  • Jumper
  • Windows
  • Mini Window
  • Angled cuts
  • Programmable patterns at any point on wire or ribbon cable.

Laser wire stripping can process the following wire and cable insulation types and forms:

Variable Cable Type

  • Single core wire
  • Twin leads
  • Twisted pairs
  • Multi-conductor cables
  • Shielded/screened wire and cable
  • Ribbon cable
    · Coaxial cable
    · Complex 2D and 3D shaped conductors, e.g. coils

Variable Cable Size

  • 1AWG to 50AWG and smaller
  • Ribbon and flat cable up to 285 mm (11.4") width

Insulation Capability

  • PTFE /Teflon®
  • Silicone
  • PVC
  • Kapton®
  • Mylar®
  • Kynar®
  • Fiberglass
  • ML
  • Nylon
  • Polyurethane
  • Formvar®
  • Polyester
  • Polyesterimide
  • Epoxy
  • Enameled coatings
  • DVDF
  • ETFE /Tefzel®
  • Milene
  • Polyethylene
  • Polyimide
  • PVDF and other hard, soft or high temperature material