Defocused laser drilling process for making fabric forming device

摘要

A topographical support member (2) and method of forming a topographical support member (2) for use in producing nonwoven fabrics, especially tricot-like nonwoven fabrics. The topographical support member (2) includes a body (1) having a top surface (3) comprising a pattern of a plurality of peaks (5) and valleys (6) and a plurality of apertures (7). The apertures (7) have a conical top portion (7a) that is surrounded by a cluster of the peaks (5) and valleys (6). The center line to center line spacing of adjacent apertures (7) is less than the major diameter of the conical top portion (7a) of the apertures (7). The topographical support member (2) is formed by focusing a laser beam so that the focal point is below the top surface (3) of a starting workpiece (1) and drilling with the laser beam the predetermined pattern of tapered apertures (7). The pattern of tapered apertures (7) forms the cluster of peaks (5) and valleys (6) surrounding each aperture (7) on the top surface (3) of the resulting support member (2).