In a laser processing method, laser lights of fiber lasers or direct diode lasers is irradiated onto an iron-based plate material from a nozzle, a nozzle with a nozzle opening whose opening diameter is preliminarily set according to a thickness of the plate material is selected from plural nozzles whose nozzle openings have different opening diameters from each other, and the plate material is cut while irradiating the laser lights onto the plate material and injecting assist gas from the nozzle opening toward the plate material.

An additive manufacturing head includes: a nozzle configured to discharge material powder; a rotary member connected with the nozzle, including a first material powder passage formed in the rotary member to direct the material powder to the nozzle, and configured to rotate to cause the nozzle to move in the circumferential direction about a laser beam emitted toward the workpiece; and a stationary member including a second material powder passage which is formed in the stationary member and into which the material powder is introduced, the stationary member being disposed directly beside the rotary member in the direction of the rotational axis of the rotary member. A third material powder passage communicating with the first material powder passage and the second material powder passage and extending annularly about the rotational axis of the rotary member is formed between the stationary member and the rotary member.

A laser cutting nozzle includes an inner nozzle and an outer nozzle. The inner nozzle exhibits a tube shape having a through hole on an axis and having a diameter decreasing on a first end portion side and includes a notch extending in the axis direction along an outer peripheral surface on a second end portion side. The outer nozzle is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the inner nozzle and includes a vent passage including the notch and communicating between the first end portion and the second end portion in the axis direction. A minimum flow cross-sectional area of the vent passage matches an opening area of the notch in an end surface on the second end portion side.

A machine tool (100) is arranged to deliver at least one of an energy source and a media, through a processing head (300) onto a work-piece for material addition, inspection or data collection, wherein the machine-tool has a clamping mechanism (202) arranged to temporarily receive the processing-head and wherein the machine tool comprises a stop block (390) having a manifold arranged to deliver at least one of the energy and media and wherein the processing head comprises an anti-rotation arm (391) and connector (600) arranged to be connectable to the stop block and wherein the processing head further comprises a manifold arranged to engage with the stop block manifold when the processing head is connected to receive the energy or media. The machine tool may be a multi-axis machine tool and the stop block can be fixed to the machine tool or may be integrated therein.

The invention relates to a machine tool (10) comprising a machine controller (19), a machine frame (11), a work table (13), a tool holder (14), preferably of a standardized design, multiple translational and/or rotational axes (12a, 12b) for adjusting the relative position of the work table (13) and the work holder (14), a tool magazine (16) for one or more material-removing, in particular machining tools (15), a tool-change mechanism for automatically transporting tools between the tool holder (14) and the tool magazine (16), a deposit-welding head (20) that can be inserted into the tool holder (14) and a storage device (25) for storing the deposit-welding head outside the tool holder (14).

The invention features methods and apparatuses for thermally regulating a laser processing head. A thermal regulation device includes a body shaped to matingly engage a laser processing nozzle and to define a fluid flow boundary of a liquid flow passage between the body and an exterior surface of the laser processing nozzle when the thermal regulation device is affixed to the laser processing nozzle. The thermal regulation device also includes an inlet formed in a first end of the body and configured to provide liquid to the liquid flow passage, the liquid remaining external to an exterior surface of the laser processing nozzle. The thermal regulation device also includes an outlet formed in a second end of the body opposite the first end. The outlet is configured to exhaust liquid from the liquid flow passage.

A device including a chamber and a nozzle detachably connected to the chamber, the nozzle defining an aperture, a target carousel disposed within the chamber, a first laser configured to generate a first beam directed toward the target carousel to perform in-situ ablation to form a laser plume, a gas flow system configured to supply gas into the chamber, such that the gas interacts with the laser plume and causes condensation and formation of nanoparticles, and a second laser configured to generate a second beam directed through the interior of the chamber, through the aperture of the nozzle, and toward a substrate disposed outside the device, the second laser beam configured to sinter and crystalize on the substrate the nanoparticles exiting the nozzle.

A combined machining apparatus includes a tool holder, a first automatic exchanger capable of containing at least one laser machining head and mounting the at least one laser machining head on the tool holder, and a second automatic exchanger capable of containing at least one mechanical machining tool and mounting the at least one mechanical machining tool on the tool holder.

Connecting parts for a processing head for thermal material processing, comprises a body that extends along a longitudinal axis having an outer face, an inner face, a front end, and a rear end; and the inner face or the outer face has a slot, extending in the circumferential direction, with each slot having a slot depth and a slot bottom, wherein the slot bottom exhibits, around the circumference, different distances extending through the longitudinal axis and perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis between the opposite portions of the slot bottom, and one inner face or outer face exhibits, around the circumference, different distances, extending through the longitudinal axis and perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis, between the opposite portions of the inner face or outer face.

A nozzle holder for a laser processing head of a laser processing system is provided. The nozzle holder includes a substantially cylindrical hollow body shaped to matingly engage a laser nozzle. The hollow body defines a longitudinal axis extending therethrough and a plurality of apertures dispersing around a circumference of the hollow body. The nozzle holder also includes a plurality of pawls configured to operably engage the laser nozzle within the hollow body by extending through the plurality of apertures of the hollow body. The nozzle holder further includes a sleeve substantially surrounding the hollow body and the plurality of pawls. The sleeve includes a pawl retractor that is movable along the longitudinal axis to physically displace the plurality of pawls axially and radially relative to the longitudinal axis for disengagement of the plurality of pawls from the laser nozzle.