There is provided a housing for a head for directing an electromagnetic radiation beam at a target, the housing comprising: an inlet for receiving a fluid; a cavity for enclosing at least one component for controlling the optical path of the radiation beam within the marking head; an outlet for the fluid; a first channel defining a first fluid path from the inlet to the cavity; and a second channel defining a second fluid path from the cavity to the outlet. When the at least one component for controlling the optical path of the radiation beam is enclosed within the cavity, the housing and the at least one component further define a third channel between the first channel and the second channel. The first channel, second channel and third channel are configured to isolate the fluid from the optical path of the radiation beam within the head. There is also provided a method of manufacturing a head for directing an electromagnetic radiation beam at a target.

Described are a method and laser plotter for processing a job for cutting, engraving, marking and/or lettering a flat workpiece having at least one housing with a processing chamber formed for positioning a workpiece. The chamber has at least one irradiation source in the form of a laser and a control unit for controlling the sledge, which may be operated via a belt drive and has a focusing unit arranged movably thereon. Between the sledge and a processing surface of the processing chamber, an extraction bar is arranged for extracting the exhaust gases or vapors, respectively, produced by a laser beam during the processing of the workpiece. One or more extraction openings of the extraction bar are arranged or aligned, respectively, parallel to the processing surface for generating a horizontal extraction flow.

Described are a method and laser plotter for processing a job for cutting, engraving, marking and/or lettering a flat workpiece having at least one housing with a processing chamber formed for positioning a workpiece. The chamber has at least one irradiation source in the form of a laser and a control unit for controlling the sledge, which may be operated via a belt drive and has a focusing unit arranged movably thereon. Between the sledge and a processing surface of the processing chamber, an extraction bar is arranged for extracting the exhaust gases or vapors, respectively, produced by a laser beam during the processing of the workpiece. One or more extraction openings of the extraction bar are arranged or aligned, respectively, parallel to the processing surface for generating a horizontal extraction flow.

A laser processing system that can effectively blow out a material of a workpiece melted by a laser beam by effectively utilizing an assist gas emitted from a nozzle. The laser processing system comprising a nozzle including an emission opening configured to emit a jet of an assist gas along an optical axis of a laser beam, the nozzle being configured to form a maximum point of velocity of the jet at a position away from the emission opening; a measuring instrument configured to measure a sound generated by the jet impinging on an object; and a position acquisition section configured to acquire information representing the position of the maximum point based on output data of the measuring instrument.

A laser processing system that can effectively blow out a material of a workpiece melted by a laser beam by effectively utilizing an assist gas emitted from a nozzle. The laser processing system comprising a nozzle including an emission opening configured to emit a jet of an assist gas along an optical axis of a laser beam, the nozzle being configured to form a maximum point of velocity of the jet at a position away from the emission opening; a measuring instrument configured to measure a sound generated by the jet impinging on an object; and a position acquisition section configured to acquire information representing the position of the maximum point based on output data of the measuring instrument.

A laser processing system capable of reliably determining an abnormality in a jet during laser process. The laser processing system comprises a nozzle including an emission opening configured to emit a jet of an assist gas along an optical axis of a laser beam, the nozzle being configured to form a maximum point of velocity of the jet at a position away from the emission opening; a measuring instrument configured to measure any of the velocity of the jet and a sound generated by the jet impinging on a workpiece; and an abnormality determination section configured to determine whether or not output data of the measuring instrument is different from reference data.

A laser processing system capable of reliably determining an abnormality in a jet during laser process. The laser processing system comprises a nozzle including an emission opening configured to emit a jet of an assist gas along an optical axis of a laser beam, the nozzle being configured to form a maximum point of velocity of the jet at a position away from the emission opening; a measuring instrument configured to measure any of the velocity of the jet and a sound generated by the jet impinging on a workpiece; and an abnormality determination section configured to determine whether or not output data of the measuring instrument is different from reference data.

Laser cutting systems and methods are described herein. One or more systems include a laser generating component, an optical component, a fixture for holding a support with a part positioned on the support, and a control mechanism for adjusting at least one of the laser generating component, the optical component, and the fixture such that a ratio of a laser energy applied to the part and a part material thickness is maintained within a predetermined acceptable range at each point along a cut path to cut through the part while maintaining the integrity of the support. Other systems and methods are disclosed herein.

Laser cutting systems and methods are described herein. One or more systems include a laser generating component, an optical component, a fixture for holding a support with a part positioned on the support, and a control mechanism for adjusting at least one of the laser generating component, the optical component, and the fixture such that a ratio of a laser energy applied to the part and a part material thickness is maintained within a predetermined acceptable range at each point along a cut path to cut through the part while maintaining the integrity of the support. Other systems and methods are disclosed herein.

According to one embodiment, a laser lift-off apparatus (1) which irradiates with laser light (16) from a side of a substrate (11) an interface between the substrate (11) and a separating layer (12) of a workpiece (10) including the substrate (11) and the separating layer (12) formed over the substrate (11), and separates the separating layer (12) from the substrate (11) includes: an injection unit (22) which blows a gas (35) onto the workpiece (10) and blows away dusts existing on a surface of the workpiece (10), and a dust collecting unit (23) which includes an opening (52) at a position meeting an irradiation position of the laser light (16), and sucks and collects the blown dusts through the opening (52).