Methods and systems for producing feedstock powders, suitable for use in laser-based additive manufacturing, use laser ablation to vaporize a source material, which may be in bulk solid or solid coarse grain form. The source material is vaporized by a laser (or other focused energy source) in a vaporization chamber that is temperature controlled to provide a vertical thermal gradient. The vertical thermal gradient may be controlled to, in turn, control the nucleation, coagulation, and agglomeration of the vaporized molecules, enabling formation of microparticles that may then be used as feedstock powders in laser-based additive manufacturing. The produced feedstock powder particles may be of uniform composition, of uniform shape (e.g., substantially spherical), and of uniform phase or homogeneously-mixed phases.

A method for the removal of debris (75) from an aperture (60), the aperture comprising a first aperture diameter (64) and extending along a first axis (62) over a first distance (63), the method comprising the steps of aligning a beam of energy (80) with the first axis such that the beam of energy is coaxially aligned with the aperture, the beam of energy comprising both an energy sufficient to remove the debris, and a first beam diameter (82) which is less than the first aperture diameter; and, exposing the debris to the beam of energy in order to remove the debris from the aperture.

A method for the removal of debris (75) from an aperture (60), the aperture comprising a first aperture diameter (64) and extending along a first axis (62) over a first distance (63), the method comprising the steps of aligning a beam of energy (80) with the first axis such that the beam of energy is coaxially aligned with the aperture, the beam of energy comprising both an energy sufficient to remove the debris, and a first beam diameter (82) which is less than the first aperture diameter; and, exposing the debris to the beam of energy in order to remove the debris from the aperture.

A pattern forming apparatus for a base material includes a holding unit and a pattern forming unit. The holding unit is configured to hold a base material on which one of a protrusion shape portion and a recess shape portion is formed. The pattern forming unit is configured to form a pattern on the base material. The pattern is formed on at least one of the protrusion shape portion, the recess shape portion, a periphery of the recess shape portion, a periphery of the protrusion shape portion, a portion along the protrusion shape portion, and a portion along the recess shape portion.

A laser machining system includes a state measurement unit that observes an internal state of a machining head or a varying state of a workpiece and outputs a machining state signal; an inference unit that determines a degree of quality of the laser beam machining as an inference result for each of machining defects concerning at least one type of machining defect on the basis of the machining state signal; a machining monitoring unit that monitors the workpiece for presence or absence of the machining defect and outputs a monitoring signal; a machining decision unit that decides whether there is the machining defect and determines a quality of the machining as a decision result; and a machinery safety unit that outputs, on the basis of the inference result and the decision result, a control signal that gives an instruction on whether to stop or continue the laser beam machining.

A method for machining a material using a pulsed laser includes introducing a sequence of laser pulses into the material for machining the material, and synchronizing a start of each sequence with a fundamental frequency of the laser. The sequence of laser pulses comprises at least two different sequence elements that are offset from one another in space and time. Each sequence element comprises an individual laser pulse, a specific succession of individual laser pulses, or a burst of laser pulses. Specific sequence element properties are impressed on each sequence element. The sequence element properties comprise a position of the laser focus of a respective sequence element. The position of the laser focus of each sequence element of the sequence is adapted for each sequence element.

A method for machining a material using a pulsed laser includes introducing a sequence of laser pulses into the material for machining the material, and synchronizing a start of each sequence with a fundamental frequency of the laser. The sequence of laser pulses comprises at least two different sequence elements that are offset from one another in space and time. Each sequence element comprises an individual laser pulse, a specific succession of individual laser pulses, or a burst of laser pulses. Specific sequence element properties are impressed on each sequence element. The sequence element properties comprise a position of the laser focus of a respective sequence element. The position of the laser focus of each sequence element of the sequence is adapted for each sequence element.

A method for separating a workpiece along a separation line by using laser pulses of a laser beam includes splitting the laser beam into a plurality of partial laser beams using a beam splitter optical unit, focusing the plurality of partial laser beams onto a surface of the workpiece and/or into a volume of the workpiece using a focusing optical unit, so that the plurality of partial laser beams are arranged next to one another and spaced apart from one another along the separation line, and ablating material of the workpiece along the separation line by introducing the laser pulses of the plurality of partial laser beams into the workpiece. The laser power per partial laser beam is adjusted depending on an ablation depth obtained in the workpiece.

A method for separating a workpiece along a separation line by using laser pulses of a laser beam includes splitting the laser beam into a plurality of partial laser beams using a beam splitter optical unit, focusing the plurality of partial laser beams onto a surface of the workpiece and/or into a volume of the workpiece using a focusing optical unit, so that the plurality of partial laser beams are arranged next to one another and spaced apart from one another along the separation line, and ablating material of the workpiece along the separation line by introducing the laser pulses of the plurality of partial laser beams into the workpiece. The laser power per partial laser beam is adjusted depending on an ablation depth obtained in the workpiece.

A manipulator device such as a robot arm that is capable of increasing manufacturing throughput for additively manufactured parts, and allows for the manipulation of parts that would be difficult or impossible for a human to move is described. The manipulator can grasp various permanent or temporary additively manufactured manipulation points on a part to enable repositioning or maneuvering of the part.