A laser processing head includes a laser irradiation part, a collimating optical system for collimating laser light from the laser irradiation part, and a collecting optical system for collecting the laser light after passing through the collimating optical system. An optical system including the collimating optical system and the collecting optical system is configured such that the laser light after passing through the collecting optical system has coma aberration. The laser processing head further includes a first moving part for moving at least one of the laser irradiation part or the collimating optical system so as to change a relative position of the collimating optical system with respect to the laser irradiation part, in a first direction orthogonal to a center axis of the laser irradiation part or the collimating optical system, and a second moving part for moving the collecting optical system so as to change a relative position of the collecting optical system with respect to the collimating optical system, in a second direction orthogonal to a center axis of the collecting optical system.

A laser processing head includes a laser irradiation part, a collimating optical system for collimating laser light from the laser irradiation part, and a collecting optical system for collecting the laser light after passing through the collimating optical system. An optical system including the collimating optical system and the collecting optical system is configured such that the laser light after passing through the collecting optical system has coma aberration. The laser processing head further includes a first moving part for moving at least one of the laser irradiation part or the collimating optical system so as to change a relative position of the collimating optical system with respect to the laser irradiation part, in a first direction orthogonal to a center axis of the laser irradiation part or the collimating optical system, and a second moving part for moving the collecting optical system so as to change a relative position of the collecting optical system with respect to the collimating optical system, in a second direction orthogonal to a center axis of the collecting optical system.

The disclosure relates to methods and systems incorporating physical modeling to identify the ultrafast laser/material interaction mechanisms and the impact of laser parameters, to optimize implementation of ultrafast laser-based processing for a given material. The process determines a laser fluence near the ablation threshold for a given material and given pulse duration. The repetition rate, scanning speed and scanning strategy are subsequently optimized to minimize heat accumulation, having an operable line scan overlap between 50% to 85% for achieving smooth ultrafast-laser polishing, while maintaining an optic-quality surface.

The disclosure relates to methods and systems incorporating physical modeling to identify the ultrafast laser/material interaction mechanisms and the impact of laser parameters, to optimize implementation of ultrafast laser-based processing for a given material. The process determines a laser fluence near the ablation threshold for a given material and given pulse duration. The repetition rate, scanning speed and scanning strategy are subsequently optimized to minimize heat accumulation, having an operable line scan overlap between 50% to 85% for achieving smooth ultrafast-laser polishing, while maintaining an optic-quality surface.

Laser welding methods include focusing laser radiation onto a first metal sheet disposed on a metal part, optionally with one or more intervening metal sheets therebetween. The laser radiation is steered to trace at least one spiral path to spot-weld together the metal parts. The laser radiation includes a center beam and an annular beam to maintain a stable keyhole. One method is tailored to weld aluminum parts, e.g., with high gas content and/or dissimilar compositions, and the laser radiation traces first an outward spiral path and then an inward spiral path. The center beam is pulsed during one segment of the inward spiral path. Another method is tailored to weld steel or copper parts having a coating at an interface therebetween, and the laser radiation traces an inward spiral path. The interface may be a zero-gap interface, or a non-zero gap may exist.

A laser-processing apparatus for forming features in a workpiece includes at least one sensor for generating process control data representing a) at least one characteristic of the apparatus either before, during or after the workpiece is processed to form a set of features, b) at least one characteristic of the workpiece either before, during or after the workpiece is processed to form a set of features, and/or c) at least one characteristic of an ambient environment in which the apparatus is located either before, during or after the workpiece is processed to form a set of features. A controller executes, or facilitate execution of, a candidate feature selection process whereby process control data is processed to estimate whether any of the features formed in the workpiece are defective and the location of any feature estimated to be defective is identified.

Provided is a laser welding method including a welding step of welding a workpiece by irradiating a surface of a workpiece with a laser beam that is swept two-dimensionally while being advanced in an X direction. In the welding step, the laser beam is swept to draw a predetermined pattern on the surface of the workpiece. Additionally, drawing speed and output of the laser beam are controlled to have an equal amount of heat input per unit drawing length in the predetermined pattern over the entire length of the predetermined pattern. The predetermined pattern is a continuous pattern in which two annular patterns are in contact with each other at one point.

An in-fiber beam scanning system may comprise an input fiber to provide a beam, a feeding fiber comprising an imaging bundle with multiple cores embedded in a first cladding that is surrounded by a second cladding, and an in-fiber beam shifter that comprises a first multibend beam shifter coupled to the input fiber, a graded index fiber following the first multibend beam shifter, and a second multibend beam shifter following the graded index fiber and coupling into the feeding fiber. In some implementations, the first multibend beam shifter is actuated by a first amount and the second multibend beam shifter is actuated by a second amount to shift the beam in two dimensions and deliver the beam into one or more target cores in the imaging bundle.

An in-fiber beam scanning system may comprise an input fiber to provide a beam, a feeding fiber comprising an imaging bundle with multiple cores embedded in a first cladding that is surrounded by a second cladding, and an in-fiber beam shifter that comprises a first multibend beam shifter coupled to the input fiber, a graded index fiber following the first multibend beam shifter, and a second multibend beam shifter following the graded index fiber and coupling into the feeding fiber. In some implementations, the first multibend beam shifter is actuated by a first amount and the second multibend beam shifter is actuated by a second amount to shift the beam in two dimensions and deliver the beam into one or more target cores in the imaging bundle.

To improve quality and reduce reject in the large-scale production of components of an electrical machine provided with coil windings, a welding method is provided for welding conductor ends organized into groups of conductor ends of a component for an electrical machine. The method includes detecting a relative position of a first conductor end and a second conductor end of a group of conductor ends, and controlling a welding energy input to the conductor ends to be welded depending on the detected relative position. A welding apparatus for performing the welding method is also provided.