Laser-assisted micromachining methods and systems capable of providing flexible beam positioning and low incident angles. Such laser-assisted micromachining systems preferably include a laser beam source, a cutting tool, means for engaging a workpiece with the cutting tool, optical elements arranged to define a path of a laser beam emitted by the laser beam source wherein the optical elements include at least a first mirror mounted in fixed relation to the laser beam source, and means for adjustably mounting a second mirror to project the laser beam onto the workpiece in proximity to the cutting tool and at an incidence angle relative to a surface of the workpiece.

A laser-transmitting machining tool is disclosed. The laser-transmitting machining tool has a plurality of faces including an entrance face, a rake face, a flank face connected to the rake face, a rake side face extending between the entrance face and the rake face, and a flank side face extending between the entrance face and the flank face. The connection of the rake face to the flank face defines a cutting edge. The rake face extends away from the rake side face to define a rake angle. The entrance face is configured to receive and refract a laser beam to the rake face, the flank face, and the cutting edge for causing the laser beam to refract into and heat the workpiece at a compression region extending proximate at least the rake face and a tensile region extending proximate the flank face. A system for machining a workpiece is disclosed. A method for machining a workpiece is also disclosed.

The invention discloses a laser assisted micromachining system. The laser assisted micromachining system includes a working sliding, a tool module, a laser module, and a temperature control module for the processing of a workpiece. The laser module is disposed in the working slide and moves with the working slide in three-dimensional space. The temperature control module includes a temperature sensor, a cooler, a controller and a coolant, which detects the real-time temperature value of the cooler. The cooler is located in the working slide and supports the tool module. The controller controls the working state of the cooler according to the temperature feedback. Control signal induced by the temperature indicator, and the working state of the cooler are controlled by the controller. The coolant is used to control the temperature distribution of the cooler in the setting range. At the same time, the invention also provides a temperature control method for the laser assisted micro machining system.

Disclosed is a selective field-assisted machining system. The system includes a micron-level high-speed identification module, an in-situ laser assisted module, an ultrasonic vibration module, an energy field loading high-speed control module, and a diamond tool. The micron-level high-speed identification module is used to quickly identify the type of a material substrate of a workpiece to be processed, process the identification information into a corresponding control signal, and send same to the energy field loading high-speed control module to implement selective processing of the workpiece to be processed, i.e. to process brittle particles using in-situ laser assisted machining and to process a soft metal substrate using ultrasonic vibration processing. In the present invention, ultra-precision cutting of brittle particles and a soft metal substrate can be completed at the same time in a single processing process.

A laser-transmitting machining tool is disclosed. The laser-transmitting machining tool has a plurality of faces including an entrance face, a rake face, a flank face connected to the rake face, a rake side face extending between the entrance face and the rake face, and a flank side face extending between the entrance face and the flank face. The connection of the rake face to the flank face defines a cutting edge. The rake face extends away from the rake side face to define a rake angle. The entrance face is configured to receive and refract a laser beam to the rake face, the flank face, and the cutting edge for causing the laser beam to refract into and heat the workpiece at a compression region extending proximate at least the rake face and a tensile region extending proximate the flank face. A system for machining a workpiece is disclosed. A method for machining a workpiece is also disclosed.

A powder production method includes providing an elongated workpiece and repeatedly contacting an outer surface of the elongated workpiece with a reciprocating cutter according to a predetermined at least one frequency to produce a powder. The powder includes a plurality of particles, wherein at least 95% of the produced particles have a diameter or maximum dimension ranging from about 10 ?m to about 200 ?m. A system for producing powders having a plurality of particles including a cutter and at least one controller is also provided herein.

An apparatus for finishing a component includes at least one articulating arm having a shot peening apparatus and at least one laser source. A plurality of laser redirectors are configured to redirect a laser originating from the laser source. Each laser redirector in the plurality of laser redirectors is mounted to a first rail and a second rail. A controller is controllably coupled to the articulating arm and each of the rails such that output signals from the controller control a position of the articulating arm, and a position of each laser redirector in the plurality of laser redirectors.

A laser preheating control method is applied to a laser preheating control device. When a cutter processes a workpiece along a process path, a laser source of the device is provided to output a laser beam to the workpiece for selectively forming a laser spot on the workpiece surface. And according to a movement direction of the cutter, a laser controller of the device is provided to form the laser spot only on a preheating region of the workpiece, where in front of the cutter in the process path, for preheating the workpiece in the preheating region. As a result, the laser spot will not repeatedly heat the workpiece behind the cutter in the process path, and the qualitative change of the workpiece caused by repeating heating is preventable.

A method for laser assisted machining is provided, by utilizing a computer to develop interrelated heating and machining plans, from a variety of input data describing the material to be machined, the properties of lasers and pyrometers used for heating the material, and computer models of the machining arrangement, workpiece and final part to be produced. An iterative process continues until the machining and heating plans result in the cutting zone of the workpiece being maintained at a desired temperature with no obstruction in the line-of-sight of at least one laser and pyrometer throughout the machining process, while also maintaining the cutting tool at or below a desired maximum temperature.

Disclosed is a selective field-assisted machining system. The system includes a micron-level high-speed identification module, an in-situ laser assisted module, an ultrasonic vibration module, an energy field loading high-speed control module, and a diamond tool. The micron-level high-speed identification module is used to quickly identify the type of a material substrate of a workpiece to be processed, process the identification information into a corresponding control signal, and send same to the energy field loading high-speed control module to implement selective processing of the workpiece to be processed, i.e. to process brittle particles using in-situ laser assisted machining and to process a soft metal substrate using ultrasonic vibration processing. In the present invention, ultra-precision cutting of brittle particles and a soft metal substrate can be completed at the same time in a single processing process.