A laser machining method able to effectively satisfy cutting quality required on one side of a cutting spot of a workpiece. A laser machining method for cutting a workpiece W by using a machining head able to emit a laser beam and an assist gas coaxially and non-coaxially includes: preparing a machining program specifying, for the workpiece W, a cutting line, and a first region and a second region on both sides of the cutting line where cutting quality requirements are different; and maintaining a state in which a center axis of the assist gas is shifted from an optical axis of the laser beam toward the first region in response to the difference in the cutting quality requirements during the cutting between the first region and the second region along the cutting line in accordance with the machining program.

A laser machine able to effectively satisfy cutting quality required on one side of a cutting spot of a workpiece. The laser machine comprising a machining head configured to emit a laser beam and an assist gas coaxially and non-coaxially; and a data table in which data of a machining condition for cutting a workpiece using the machining head, and a shift amount, by which a center axis of the assist gas is to be shifted from an optical axis of the laser beam in order to make cutting quality on both sides of a cutting line to be different during cutting the workpiece, are stored in associated with each other.

A system and method for automated laser ablation includes an end effector for performing laser ablation at a location with restricted access. The systems and methods of the present disclosure specifically provide for a miniature laser end effector which may be inserted through a port or bore in order to ablate the surface of an internal component of a complex assembly. In several embodiments of the present subject matter, the end effector is mounted on an automated machine and coupled to a laser system.

In a method of providing a flow for a process chamber of a device for producing a three-dimensional object by layer-wise application and selective solidification of a building material in a build area a process gas is supplied to the process chamber in a lower altitude region of the process chamber, wherein the process chamber includes a gas inlet for introducing the process gas into the process chamber and a gas outlet for discharging the process gas from the process chamber. The gas inlet and the gas outlet are provided in the lower altitude region of the process chamber and the process gas flows in a main flow from the gas inlet to the gas outlet, and wherein a secondary flow is located in a sub-region of the lower altitude region, which sub-region is located above a bottom surface of the process chamber surrounding the build area.

An additive manufacturing system may include a build surface, one or more laser energy sources, and an optics assembly. Exposure of a layer of material on the build surface to laser energy from the optics assembly melts at least a portion of the layer of material. A gas flow head is coupled to the optics assembly and defines a partially enclosed volume between the optics assembly and the build surface. The gas flow head includes a gas inflow through which a supply gas flows into the gas flow head, a gas outflow through which a return gas flows out of the gas flow head, and an aperture arranged to permit transmission of the laser energy through the gas flow head to the build surface. The supply gas and return gas define a gas flow profile within the gas flow head.

Selective laser solidification apparatus is described that includes a powder bed onto which a powder layer can be deposited and a gas flow unit for passing a flow of gas over the powder bed along a predefined gas flow direction. A laser scanning unit is provided for scanning a laser beam over the powder layer to selectively solidify at least part of the powder layer to form a required pattern. The required pattern is formed from a plurality of stripes or stripe segments that are formed by advancing the laser beam along the stripe or stripe segment in a stripe formation direction. The stripe formation direction is arranged so that it always at least partially opposes the predefined gas flow direction. A corresponding method is also described.

Selective laser solidification apparatus is described that includes a powder bed onto which a powder layer can be deposited and a gas flow unit for passing a flow of gas over the powder bed along a predefined gas flow direction. A laser scanning unit is provided for scanning a laser beam over the powder layer to selectively solidify at least part of the powder layer to form a required pattern. The required pattern is formed from a plurality of stripes or stripe segments that are formed by advancing the laser beam along the stripe or stripe segment in a stripe formation direction. The stripe formation direction is arranged so that it always at least partially opposes the predefined gas flow direction. A corresponding method is also described.

An additive manufacturing apparatus performs additive machining by controlling a machining head that includes a wire nozzle to feed a wire to a machining region on a surface of a base material, a beam source capable of emitting a beam to an end of the wire, and a gas nozzle placed such that the beam source is interposed between the gas nozzle and the wire nozzle, the gas nozzle directing a gas toward the machining region, and the additive manufacturing apparatus includes a machining-condition selection unit to obtain an angle that is formed between a direction in which the wire is fed and a travel direction of the machining head, when viewed in a direction in which the beam is emitted, and to select a machining condition for the additive machining on the basis of the angle.

A flow control device for an additive manufacturing system is provided. The flow control device includes a gas supply configured to discharge a gas, a first flow modifier configured to modify at least one flow characteristic of a first portion of the gas, and a second flow modifier configured to cooperate with the first flow modifier to modify the at least on flow characteristic of the first portion of the gas. The second flow modifier is further configured to modify at least one flow characteristic of a second portion of the gas, and the first flow modifier and the second flow modifier are configured to cooperate to direct at least a portion of the first portion and the second portion of the gas towards a melt pool in a plurality of particles.

A laser machining head includes a protection window disposed inclined with respect to an optical axis of a laser beam, an inflow port disposed downstream of the protection window and configured to allow a gas to flow in, and a flow dividing projection configured to divide the gas into a first laminar flow flowing along parallel to a surface of the protection window and a second laminar flow flowing toward a workpiece. The flow dividing projection is disposed in a position opposing to the inflow port with the optical axis of the laser beam as the center.