A method of monitoring an additive manufacturing process in which one or more energy beams are used to selectively fuse a powder to form a workpiece, in the presence of one or more plumes generated by interaction of the one or more energy beams with the powder. The method includes using at least one sensor to generate at least one signal representative of a trajectory of one or more of the plumes.

A method of monitoring an additive manufacturing process in which one or more energy beams are used to selectively fuse a powder to form a workpiece, in the presence of one or more plumes generated by interaction of the one or more energy beams with the powder. The method includes using at least one sensor to generate at least one signal representative of a trajectory of one or more of the plumes.

An apparatus calibrates a laser processing machine and includes an imaging sensor and a controller. The controller directs output of a beam from the machine’s low power pointer laser and directs an actuator at measurement conditions. Images of the beam are obtained by an imaging sensor, and the controller measures a parameter of at least one of the machine’s optical components. The controller then outputs an indication of the machine indicative of the measured parameter. For example, the controller can calculate a focus position of the beam from the laser head so the Z-position of the laser head can be adjusted for any discrepancies. In other examples, the controller can determine an offset of the fiber tip of the head so adjustments to operations can be made, or the controller can determine centering of the beam in the head’s nozzle so adjustments can be made.

The present disclosure relates to a system for performing an Additive Manufacturing (AM) fabrication process on a powdered material, deposited as a powder bed and forming a substrate. The system makes use of a laser for generating a laser beam, and an optical subsystem. The optical subsystem is configured to receive the laser beam and to generate an optical signal comprised of electromagnetic radiation sufficient to melt or sinter the powdered material. The optical subsystem uses a digitally controlled mask configured to pattern the optical signal as needed to melt select portions of a layer of the powdered material to form a layer of a 3D part. A power supply and at least one processor are also included for generating a plurality of different power density levels selectable based on a specific material composition, absorptivity and diameter of the powder particles, and a known thickness of the powder bed. The powdered material is used to form the 3D part in a sequential layer-by-layer process.

The present disclosure relates to a system for performing an Additive Manufacturing (AM) fabrication process on a powdered material, deposited as a powder bed and forming a substrate. The system makes use of a laser for generating a laser beam, and an optical subsystem. The optical subsystem is configured to receive the laser beam and to generate an optical signal comprised of electromagnetic radiation sufficient to melt or sinter the powdered material. The optical subsystem uses a digitally controlled mask configured to pattern the optical signal as needed to melt select portions of a layer of the powdered material to form a layer of a 3D part. A power supply and at least one processor are also included for generating a plurality of different power density levels selectable based on a specific material composition, absorptivity and diameter of the powder particles, and a known thickness of the powder bed. The powdered material is used to form the 3D part in a sequential layer-by-layer process.

An adjustment collar for a laser machine tool includes a first actuator between an outer housing and an inner collar, the first actuator operable to move the inner collar with respect to the outer housing in the X-axis and a second actuator between the outer housing and the inner collar, the second actuator operable to move the inner collar with respect to the outer housing in the Y-axis.

An adjustment collar for a laser machine tool includes a first actuator between an outer housing and an inner collar, the first actuator operable to move the inner collar with respect to the outer housing in the X-axis and a second actuator between the outer housing and the inner collar, the second actuator operable to move the inner collar with respect to the outer housing in the Y-axis.

Provided is a laser processing apparatus configured to machine a corner portion of a sample by causing the corner portion to relatively approach a laser, the laser being emitted such that an optical axis of the laser extends in a predetermined direction, the corner portion being formed by a plurality of adjacent surfaces of the sample, the laser processing apparatus including: a detection unit provided at a position at least outside an irradiation region of the laser, the irradiation region extending in a tubular shape in a plan view intersecting the optical axis, the detection unit being configured to detect intensity of light reaching the position; approach control means for controlling an actuator relatively displacing the sample along a direction intersecting the optical axis such that the sample relatively approaches the optical axis; value acquisition means for acquiring the intensity of the light defined as a value detected by the detection unit in a predetermined positional relationship in which a tip of the corner portion has reached the irradiation region; and relationship determination means for determining a positional relationship between the laser and the sample based on the intensity of the light detected by the detection unit while the sample relatively approaches the optical axis.

Provided is a control device for a laser machining apparatus which can maintain the inclination direction of a nozzle with respect to a machining program route even during modification of the tool diameter correction amount, and which can improve machining accuracy. This control device 1 for a laser machining apparatus comprises: a tool center route calculation unit 12which calculates a tool center route on the basis of an offset vector with respect to a machining program route; a first inclination direction calculation unit 131 which calculates an inclination direction of a nozzle 2 with respect to the machining program route; a tool orientation calculation unit 14 which calculates an orientation of the nozzle 2 on the basis of the inclination direction of the nozzle 2 calculated by the first inclination direction calculation unit 131 and an inclination angle of the nozzle 2 in the inclination direction from a direction that is perpendicular to a plane of a workpiece W in a plane orthogonal to the machining program route; a drive shaft movement amount calculation unit 15 which calculates a movement amount of a drive shaft on the basis of the tool center route and the orientation of the nozzle 2; and a drive shaft control unit 16 which controls the drive shaft on the basis of the movement amount of the drive shaft.

A device is provided for determining an orientation of an optical device of a coherence tomograph. The device has an optical reference geometry, a deflection optics configured to direct an optical measuring beam reflected by the optical device onto the optical reference geometry, and an evaluation unit configured to determine a distance between a first reference plane and at least one second reference plane of the optical reference geometry in order to determine the orientation of the optical device.