An ingot is processed by applying exciting light, and detecting fluorescence occurring from an upper surface of the ingot. A distribution of the number of photons of the fluorescence on the upper surface of the ingot is stored as two-dimensional data in association with XY coordinate positions, and a Z-coordinate position at which the two-dimensional data is obtained is also stored. A laser beam forms a peeling layer by irradiating the ingot while positioning the condensing point of the laser beam at a depth corresponding to the thickness of a wafer from the upper surface of the ingot. A wafer is separated from the ingot with the peeling layer as a starting point, and three-dimensional data is generated representing the distribution of the number of photons of the fluorescence in the whole of the ingot on the basis of two-dimensional data at each Z-coordinate position of the ingot.

A secondary-battery electrode manufacturing method that allows a secondary-battery electrode including a neat linear cut portion to be stably manufactured at a high speed is provided. A method of manufacturing a secondary-battery electrode (10), which is an example of an embodiment, comprises a first step of forming an active material layer (22) on at least one surface of a long core body (21). The method of manufacturing the secondary-battery electrode (10), which is an example of the embodiment also comprises a second step of cutting an electrode precursor (20) into a predetermined shape by using a continuous wave laser, the electrode precursor (20) being the long core body (21) having the active material layer (22) formed thereon.

An article includes a ceramic material and features a machined surface that is characteristic of cold ablation laser machining, and the machined surface exhibits no visible oxidation. A laser machining apparatus and technique is based on cold-ablation, but is modified or augmented with an inert assist gas to minimize deleterious surface modifications and mitigate oxide formation associated with laser machining.

Provided is a laser welding apparatus configured to weld an electrode lead of at least one secondary battery of a battery module and a main bus bar configured to electrically connect a plurality of secondary batteries to each other. The laser welding apparatus includes: a laser beam emitting unit including a laser emitting element to irradiate a laser beam to the electrode lead and the main bus bar; a pressing jig including a pressing bar configured to move in a left-and-right direction such that the electrode lead is adhered to the main bus bar; and a blocking block movable to block the laser beam generated in the laser beam emitting unit from reaching the at least one secondary battery or movable to allow the generated laser beam to pass therethrough, according to a position of the pressing bar moved in the left-and-right direction.

A method for separating and releasing a closed-form piece from a workpiece made of a brittle material is disclosed. A first pulsed laser-beam creates defects along the outline of the closed-form piece. A second laser-beam selectively heats the closed-form piece for a first time that is sufficient to initiate cracking between the defects. The heating is stopped for a period sufficiently long for the cracks to propagate completely between the defects. The second laser-beam is applied for a second time that causes melting and deformation of the closed-form piece. The deformation opens a gap between the closed-form piece and the rest of the workpiece, thereby allowing release of the closed-form piece.

A marking system for decorating one or more workpieces includes a plurality of marking stations that can mark product images on blank workpieces to produce product workpieces, at least some of which have different sizes, shapes, materials, or a combination thereof, a control system that can select one of the plurality of marking stations and send product image data to the selected one of the plurality of marking stations, and a robotic manipulator that can transport a blank workpiece to the selected marking station under the control of the robotic manipulator. The selected marking station can mark the product image the blank workpiece based on the product image data which produces a product workpiece. The robotic manipulator can remove the product workpiece from the selected one of the plurality of marking stations.

A marking system for decorating one or more workpieces includes a plurality of marking stations that can mark product images on blank workpieces to produce product workpieces, at least some of which have different sizes, shapes, materials, or a combination thereof, a control system that can select one of the plurality of marking stations and send product image data to the selected one of the plurality of marking stations, and a robotic manipulator that can transport a blank workpiece to the selected marking station under the control of the robotic manipulator. The selected marking station can mark the product image the blank workpiece based on the product image data which produces a product workpiece. The robotic manipulator can remove the product workpiece from the selected one of the plurality of marking stations.

A method for shaping a thin-film photovoltaic cell module from a photovoltaic cell sheet according to a predetermined contour of the module, where the cell sheet includes a flexible substrate based on a polymer or metal foil and a photovoltaic stack including one or more photo-active layers arranged on a front surface of the substrate. The method includes: providing the cell sheet, directing a laser beam towards a rear surface of the substrate; creating, by the laser beam, a trench in the rear surface, the trench shaped according to the contour such that the cell sheet is “divided” in a first portion within the contour and a second portion outside the contour; affixing a handling tool to one of the portions of the cell sheet on the rear surface of the substrate; selectively separating the portions by displacing the handling tool and one portion relative to the other portion.

A fixture assembly for supporting a plurality of blanks during a shearing and welding operation. The fixture assembly includes a base frame. A rotating frame is rotatably connected to the base frame. A fixed block is fixed to the rotating frame for supporting a first blank. A moveable block is moveably connected to the rotating frame for supporting a second blank. A first clamp is provided for coupling the first blank to the fixed block. A second clamp is provided for coupling the second blank to the moveable block. A vertical actuator is coupled with the rotating frame and configured to move the moveable block in a vertical direction being perpendicular to a plane of the rotating frame for moving the second blank. A horizontal actuator is coupled with the rotating frame and configured to move the moveable block in a horizontal direction.

The invention relates to a method for producing blanks from paper, cardboard, paperboard, corrugated cardboard, or plastic. The method according to the invention does not process panels or sheets into blanks in a multistage process but rather produces the blanks directly from the material web i.e. the corrugated cardboard web or from the paper, paperboard, plastic or cardboard web. The machining process is scalable. Advantageously, the method according to the invention can be adjusted in terms of the required production or packaging quantity by the juxtaposition of additional processing centers in terms of production speed and quantity.