Laser cutting on a plated steel sheet is executed by cutting the plated steel sheet by irradiating the plated steel sheet covered with a plate metal with laser light at a wavelength in a 1 micrometer band; and emitting assist gas onto a cut surface of the plated steel sheet, the cut surface being formed in the step of cutting, to make the plate metal fused by irradiation of the laser light flow to the cut surface so as to cover the cut surface with the plate metal.

A fixture used in the manufacture of an eyepiece, to cut the eyepiece to a particular shape, and a method of using the fixture to cut the eyepiece to have a desired shape. Embodiments are directed to a configurable fixture to align, hold, and protect a plastic sheet (e.g., a wafer) while a laser cutting apparatus is cutting one or more eyepieces out of the wafer. During the cutting, the fixture protects the eyepieces from reflected laser light by providing voids around the laser cutting lines, and by supporting each eyepiece near its perimeter. The fixture can be quickly rearranged for different eyepieces, different eyepiece shapes, and/or different plastic sheet sizes.

The invention relates to a device for checking for foreign parts and/or deposits on support elements of a worktable, wherein the support elements are provided to support a flat workpiece for cutting with a laser or a water jet, wherein the support elements are arranged parallel to one another and have a first distance from one another, comprising: a sensor for detecting the foreign parts and/or the deposits in the space between two respective support elements.

An interpolation parameter calculation unit calculates an interpolation parameter of a predetermined interpolation calculation formula based on a first plurality of coordinate values input by means of a coordinate input unit and constituting a coordinate pattern for determining a locus pattern of one cycle when a laser beam is vibrated. A locus pattern calculation unit calculates a second plurality of coordinate values constituting the locus pattern based on an interpolation parameter, respective amplitudes of the locus pattern in an x-axis direction that is a moving direction of a processing head and a y-axis direction that is a direction orthogonal to the x-axis direction, a frequency of the locus pattern, and a control cycle of a beam vibration mechanism for vibrating the laser beam.

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.

Various embodiments of the teachings herein include a device for detecting process parameters during a pass through an assembly line for assembling electronic components and/or for applying joining materials. The device may include: a carrier for transport by a conveying system of the assembly line and configured to receive a test plate; a sensor for measuring a process parameter during the pass; and a force sensor arranged to detect a force acting on the test plate during the pass.

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.

A thermal processing machine, for example, a laser processing machine includes a workpiece support table in which a workpiece to be processed is mounted. In the workpiece support table, a plurality of workpiece support members are arranged. Each workpiece support member is formed of carbon fibers in a plurality of different directions and has a long plate shape. The workpiece support member has an upper end part formed with triangular or trapezoidal protrusions. In place of the workpiece support member formed with the triangular or trapezoidal protrusions, a workpiece support member having an upper side formed in a continuous wave shape including a curve may be provided.

A machine arrangement for manufacturing sheet metal includes a workpiece carrier configured to store a sheet metal workpiece and/or a sheet metal manufacturing product, and three spatially separate functional units. The functional units include two manufacturing units and a secondary functional unit. Each manufacturing unit includes a manufacturing apparatus that has a work area. The workpiece carrier is arrangeable in the work area in a manufacturing position. The secondary functional unit has a functional area. The workpiece carrier is arrangeable in the functional area in a functional position. The machine arrangement further includes a transporting unit movable in a driven manner together with the workpiece carrier between the functional units, thereby enabling the workpiece carrier to be transferred between the functional units. The workpiece carrier is a universal workpiece carrier arrangeable at the two manufacturing units in the manufacturing position and at the secondary functional unit in the functional position.

A changeover apparatus for changing between workpiece supports for a machining machine. The changeover apparatus has a base frame with a carrier apparatus for the workpiece supports, which are vertically movable by the carrier apparatus, with the result that one of the workpiece supports can be transferred into a working plane in which the workpiece support is moved from the carrier apparatus into the machining machine and guided out therefrom. A lifting apparatus acts between the base frame and the carrier apparatus and by way of which the carrier apparatus can be vertically moved relative to the base frame for one workpiece support to take up a first lifting position or a further lifting position in the working plane. The lifting apparatus contains a slotted guide, which movably actuates the carrier apparatus with the workpiece supports together between the first lifting position and the further lifting position.