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 the oxide formation associated with laser machining.

An apparatus for holding a circuit against a battery module includes a set of first fixtures for holding a set of first conductive tabs of the circuit against a corresponding set of positive terminals of the battery module, a set of second fixtures for holding a set of second conductive tabs of the circuit against a corresponding set of negative terminals of the battery module, and a rigid plate having a set of first structures therein for receiving the set of first fixtures and having a set of second structures therein for receiving the set of second fixtures.

An apparatus for holding a circuit against a battery module includes a set of first fixtures for holding a set of first conductive tabs of the circuit against a corresponding set of positive terminals of the battery module, a set of second fixtures for holding a set of second conductive tabs of the circuit against a corresponding set of negative terminals of the battery module, and a rigid plate having a set of first structures therein for receiving the set of first fixtures and having a set of second structures therein for receiving the set of second fixtures.

A laser tool, in particular for the structuring of cylinder running surfaces, that offers the possibility of guiding the laser beam of the laser tool with high process reliability, it is provided that the laser tool has a laser source for producing laser beams that are passed through a lens tube located in a hollow shaft, wherein a lens through which the laser beams are passed is attached to the lens tube, wherein the hollow shaft is designed to be rotatable as a hollow-shaft motor, wherein a spindle, to which is attached an optical device for deflecting the laser beam onto a workpiece surface, is attached to the hollow shaft, wherein the hollow shaft is rotatable independently of the lens.

A laser processing apparatus includes a chuck table that holds an SiC ingot on a holding surface, a laser beam irradiation unit that positions the focal point of a laser beam to a depth equivalent to the thickness of a wafer to be produced from a first surface and that irradiates the SiC ingot with the laser beam to form a separation layer arising from separation of SiC into Si and C and extension of cracks along a c-plane. A movement unit relatively moves the chuck table and the laser beam irradiation unit, and a separation layer inspecting unit executes irradiation with inspection light with such a wavelength as to have transmissibility with respect to the SiC ingot and be reflected by the separation layer, and inspects the separation layer from the intensity of reflected light. The holding surface has a color that absorbs the inspection light.

A laser processing apparatus includes a chuck table that holds an SiC ingot on a holding surface, a laser beam irradiation unit that positions the focal point of a laser beam to a depth equivalent to the thickness of a wafer to be produced from a first surface and that irradiates the SiC ingot with the laser beam to form a separation layer arising from separation of SiC into Si and C and extension of cracks along a c-plane. A movement unit relatively moves the chuck table and the laser beam irradiation unit, and a separation layer inspecting unit executes irradiation with inspection light with such a wavelength as to have transmissibility with respect to the SiC ingot and be reflected by the separation layer, and inspects the separation layer from the intensity of reflected light. The holding surface has a color that absorbs the inspection light.

A workpiece support member for a thermal processing machine is installed on a workpiece support table to support a workpiece to be thermally processed, and includes a base member and a supporting member. The base member is formed of a plate-like member in a horizontally long shape, and provided with a plurality of protruding supporting member attachment parts at predetermined distance intervals on an upper part thereof. The supporting member is formed of a plate-like member in a horizontally long shape, and is installed in an attachable and removable state with a lower side thereof fitted alternately to a front surface and a rear surface of each of the adjacent supporting member attachment parts of the base member.

A laser processing device is a device that processes a workpiece using a laser beam, and includes a cutting pallet and a container. The cutting pallet includes a placement unit that supports a lower surface of the workpiece. The container supports the cutting pallet and is capable of storing a transmission inhibition liquid inhibiting transmission of light having a wavelength greater than or equal to 0.7 .Math.m and less than or equal to 10 .Math.m up to a height position of the placement unit.

A laser processing device is a device that processes a workpiece using a laser beam, and includes a cutting pallet and a container. The cutting pallet includes a placement unit that supports a lower surface of the workpiece. The container supports the cutting pallet and is capable of storing a transmission inhibition liquid inhibiting transmission of light having a wavelength greater than or equal to 0.7 .Math.m and less than or equal to 10 .Math.m up to a height position of the placement unit.

An apparatus for laser materials processing including a laser (4) for generating a laser beam and a laser head (5) which is movable along at least one spatial direction and is connected to the laser via a light guide, and which emits a laser beam (7) capable of processing a material. The present invention also relates to an apparatus for selective laser melting or selective laser sintering having an apparatus for laser materials processing.