The Mathematics of Thermal Modeling

This book introduces the mathematics needed to formulate and exploit the physical principles important to modelling various aspects of laser material processing. The author shows readers how to gain insight from the construction of simple models and how these methods can be applied to laser welding, surface treatment, drilling, and cutting. He demonstrates that simple mathematical investigation, primarily analytical methods backed up by relatively simple numerical methods, can greatly illuminate the processes being studied. Written at a level accessible to graduate students, the treatment includes numerous examples and frequent references to standard texts.