A substrate includes at least two edges; and at least one end portion, each end portion is connected to two adjacent edges. The end portion includes a cutting section and two breaking sections; an end of the cutting section is connected to one of the two adjacent edges through a breaking section, and another end of the cutting section is connected to another one of the two adjacent edges through another breaking section. The cutting section is configured to be formed through cutting of a tool, and the breaking sections are configured to be formed under an action of a physical force.

Disclosed is a first method of providing a heating system to an outer skin of an aircraft, that has the steps of forming laser-induced graphene (LIG) on a polymer sheet by directing laser energy towards the polymer sheet; coupling electrical leads to the LIG; and bonding the polymer sheet against the outer skin or erosion protection layer secured to the outer skin so that to the polymer sheet conforms with a shape of the outer skin.

Disclosed is a first method of providing a heating system to an outer skin of an aircraft, that has the steps of forming laser-induced graphene (LIG) on a polymer sheet by directing laser energy towards the polymer sheet; coupling electrical leads to the LIG; and bonding the polymer sheet against the outer skin or erosion protection layer secured to the outer skin so that to the polymer sheet conforms with a shape of the outer skin.

A method for connecting two components with the aid of a laser weld seam. The two components are situated one above the other in a joining area. The first component is pressed in the direction of the second component with the aid of a clamping device. A laser beam impacts the first component on the side facing away from the second component and at least indirectly fusing material of the two components.

A method of processing by controlling one or more beam characteristics of an optical beam may include: launching the optical beam into a first length of fiber having a first refractive-index profile (RIP); coupling the optical beam from the first length of fiber into a second length of fiber having a second RIP and one or more confinement regions; modifying the one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam in the first length of fiber, in the second length of fiber, or in the first and second lengths of fiber; confining the modified one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam within the one or more confinement regions of the second length of fiber; and/or generating an output beam, having the modified one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam, from the second length of fiber. The first RIP may differ from the second RIP.

The invention provides an apparatus for creating a hole in a glass container with a medium stored therein, comprising: a laser system configured to focus laser pulses with a wavelength in the ultraviolet regime onto the glass container such as to create a hole in the glass container by laser ablation preferably without creating significant amounts of glass particles inside and outside the glass container.

A device for positioning at least two joining parts during a welding process includes a support element. The support element has a surface on which for the joining parts are positioned, a recess under the joining parts when a joining region of the joining parts are on the surface, and a fluid connection for supplying a fluid to the recess. When fluid in the recess is pressurized, during a welding process to connect the joining parts a weld melt is supported by the positive pressure.

A processing method includes a holding step of holding a workpiece by a chuck table including a holding surface that holds the workpiece in an upper surface and a sheet covering step of covering the upper surface of the chuck table in addition to the workpiece by a sheet having transmissibility. The processing method also includes a close contact step of generating a suction force for the holding surface of the chuck table and reducing the pressure on a region covered by the sheet to bring the workpiece into close contact with the upper surface of the chuck table by an atmospheric pressure applied to the sheet and a modified layer forming step of positioning the focal point of a laser beam inside the workpiece through the sheet and irradiating the workpiece with the laser beam to form a modified layer.

A laser crystallizing apparatus includes a first light source unit configured to emit a first input light having a linearly polarized laser beam shape. A second light source unit is configured to emit a second input light having a linearly polarized laser beam shape. A polarization optical system is configured to rotate the first input light and/or the second input light at a predetermined rotation angle. An optical system is configured to convert the first input light and the second input light, which pass through the polarization optical system, into an output light. A target substrate is seated on a stage and output light is directed onto the target substrate. A monitoring unit is configured to receive the first input light or the second input light from the polarization optical system and measure a laser beam quality thereof.

A laser treatment system and method for imparting beneficial residual stresses into a desired part during production thereof by a Selective Laser Sintering or Melting (SLS/SLM) process, the method including repeatedly subjecting the part to an in-situ Laser Shock Peening (LSP) treatment during the SLS/SLM process. The in-situ LSP treatment includes selectively bringing an LSP module in contact with a surface of the part during the SLS/SLM process, and subjecting the LSP module to the action of a first laser beam to impart beneficial residual stresses into the part. The LSP module is movable between a building chamber where the part is being produced for the purpose of carrying out the in-situ LSP treatment, and a separate storage chamber when the LSP module is not used for the purpose of carrying out the in-situ LSP treatment. The invention is also implementable in a corresponding additive manufacturing system and method.