In various aspects, 3D printers and recoaters incorporate sensor systems coupled to or integrated with the 3D printers. The sensor systems may include eddy current sensors and other sensors configured to measure an electromagnetic characteristic of the build piece. A three-dimensional (3-D) printer in one aspect includes a depositor configured to deposit metal, an energy beam source configured to selectively melt the metal to form a portion of a build piece, and a sensor configured to move relative to a surface of the print area and to measure an electromagnetic characteristic of the portion of the print area. The measured data can be used to detect defects and other information about the build piece that can be used to fix the defects or enhance the build piece geometry during the printing.

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.

A workpiece transfer system including a robot that transfers a workpiece taken out of a furnace to a press forging device, a temperature measuring device that measures a temperature distribution of the workpiece being transferred by the robot, and a heating device that is capable of locally heating the workpiece in a low temperature region of the temperature distribution measured by the temperature measuring device.

Disclosed herein is a method of drilling in a multilayer printed circuit board. The method includes drilling a one hole; directing electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength with higher energy than a work-function the metal layer toward the hole, and thus causing the metal layer to emit free electrons; and measuring the quantity or intensity of electrically charged particles derived from the emitted free electrons, to detect the extent of exposure or disappearance of the metal layer during drilling.

A three-dimensional deposition device and a three-dimensional deposition method used to highly accurately manufacture a three-dimensional object are provided. A three-dimensional deposition device for forming a three-dimensional shape by depositing a formed layer on a base unit includes: a powder supply unit which supplies a powder material; a light irradiation unit which irradiates the powder material with a light beam so that at least a part of the powder material irradiated with the light beam is sintered or melted and solidified to form the formed layer; a heating unit which selectively heats an area having passed through a position irradiated with the light beam in the base unit or the formed layer or an area not having passed through the position irradiated with the light beam; and a control device which controls operations of the powder supply unit, the light irradiation unit, and the heating unit.

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.

In an example method, a laser processing head is moved from an entrance region over a workpiece to a starting position above the workpiece. During this time, a distance control system is used to control the distance between the laser processing head and the workpiece based on measurements obtained from one or more distance sensors. Further, the laser processing head is moved from the starting position to a position beyond an edge of the workpiece. During this time, the distance control system is disengaged. When the laser processing head reaches the position beyond an edge of the workpiece, laser emission is initiated, and the laser processing head is moved back towards the starting position. Upon reaching the starting position, the distance control system is reengaged. The laser processing head is subsequently moved along a pre-determined path to cut the workpiece.

The present disclosure generally relates to methods and apparatuses for additive manufacturing using foil-based build materials. Such methods and apparatuses eliminate several drawbacks of conventional powder-based methods, including powder handling, recoater jams, and health risks. In addition, the present disclosure provides methods and apparatuses for compensation of in-process warping of build plates and foil-based build materials, in-process monitoring, and closed loop control.

Disclosed herein are methods, apparatus, and systems for providing an optical beam delivery system, comprising an optical fiber including a first length of fiber comprising a first RIP formed to enable, at least in part, modification of one or more beam characteristics of an optical beam by a perturbation assembly arranged to modify the one or more beam characteristics, the perturbation assembly coupled to the first length of fiber or integral with the first length of fiber, or a combination thereof and a second length of fiber coupled to the first length of fiber and having a second RIP formed to preserve at least a portion of the one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam modified by the perturbation assembly within one or more first confinement regions. The optical beam delivery system may include an optical system coupled to the second length of fiber including one or more free-space optics configured to receive and transmit an optical beam comprising the modified one or more beam characteristics.

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.