A moving mechanism relatively moves a machining head that emits a laser beam from an opening of a nozzle with respect to a sheet metal along a surface of the sheet metal to produce a product having a predetermined shape by cutting the sheet metal. A beam vibration/displacement mechanism vibrates or displaces the laser beam with which the sheet metal is irradiated to produce the product while relatively moving the machining head by the moving mechanism. A moving mechanism control section controls the moving mechanism to relatively move the machining head with a first control period. The vibration/displacement control section controls the beam vibration/displacement mechanism to vibrate or displace the laser beam with a second control period shorter than the first control period.

A method for forming a component includes providing a first layer of a mixture of first and second powders. The method includes determining the frequency of an alternating magnetic field to induce eddy currents sufficient to bulk heat only one of the first and second powders. The alternating magnetic field is applied at the determined frequency to a portion of the first layer of the mixture using a flux concentrator. Exposure to the magnetic field changes the phase of at least a portion of the first powder to liquid. The liquid portion couples to at least some of the second powder and subsequently solidifies to provide a composite component.

A welding machine for welding free ends of bar conductors of a stator of an electrical machine, in particular an electric motor, includes a support structure for directly or indirectly fastening the stator. The support structure has a welding mask that can be opened and closed. The welding device is in particular a laser welding device. The welding device is arranged above the support structure. The support structure can be moved between a closed position and a loading position. A first side of the welding mask faces the welding device in the welding position and faces downward in the loading position. The welding machine allows free ends of bar conductors of a stator of an electrical machine to be welded while at the same time the stator is protected against contamination.

A laser processing apparatus irradiates a target with a laser light to form a modified region along a virtual plane in the target. The laser processing apparatus includes a support portion, an irradiation portion, a movement mechanism, and a controller. The controller performs a first processing process of irradiating a first portion in the target with the laser light under a first processing condition, and a second processing process of irradiating a second portion more on an inner side than the first portion in the target with the laser light under a second processing condition different from the first processing condition, after the first processing process.

Automated systems and methods for making cuts in large materials, particularly to trim and reduce the sizes of steel plates and slabs and produce therefrom one or more reduced-size pieces, optionally with the ability to reduce or avoid the need to perform a separate deburring operation on the materials after undergoing such cuts. Such a system includes multiple support units aligned in a longitudinal direction of a foundation and longitudinal and cross cutting units translatable in the longitudinal direction for performing, respectively, longitudinal and lateral cuts in a material. The support units are independently translatable in the longitudinal direction and each support unit has a crossmember that extends in the lateral direction, is adapted to at least partially support the material, and is operable to be raised and lowered in the vertical direction while the material is supported by the crossmembers.

The disclosure relates to methods and systems for piercing, drilling, or cutting metal workpieces in a laser processing operation. The methods include focusing a pulsed laser beam onto a processing location on a workpiece; detecting process radiation emitted from the processing location; determining an intensity of the process radiation at a plurality of temporally sequential times during pulse pauses; determining an intensity gradient of the process radiation; comparing the intensity gradient with a gradient threshold value; and detecting a spontaneous material removal on the workpiece when the number of times the gradient threshold value has been exceeded is above a predetermined limit value. When a spontaneous material removal is detected, the system changes one or both of a laser parameter and a processing parameter of the laser processing operation. The disclosure also relates to processing machines for carrying out the methods.

A debris control apparatus is provided for selective assembly and disassembly with a cutting tool. The debris control apparatus includes a debris control enclosure and a mounting assembly for mounting the enclosure to the cutting tool. The enclosure comprises a vacuum opening assembled and in fluid communication with a vacuum conduit, the vacuum conduit connected to a vacuum source, for extracting the debris from the enclosure. The enclosure and vacuum conduit may be sized, shaped, and contoured to reduce recirculation of debris within the enclosure.

A galvano scanner unit vibrates a laser beam when sheet metal is cut by irradiation of the sheet metal with the laser beam while a machining head is relatively moved with respect to the sheet metal. A focusing lens drive section moves a focal point of the laser beam with which the sheet metal is irradiated in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to a surface of the sheet metal. A focal position control section controls the focusing lens drive section to locate the focal point of the laser beam in a predetermined position in the orthogonal direction. A galvano control section controls the galvano scanner unit to change an amplitude with which the laser beam is vibrated, according to a position of the focal point in the orthogonal direction.

A CNC machine includes a lower body; an upper body that extends from the lower body and is movably attached to the lower body; a tool that is movably attached to the upper body; and a flexible mat that is attached to the lower body. The tool may be a laser generator with the flexible mat resistant to the laser beam. The flexible mat has at least one orientation such that an outer periphery of the flexible mat is greater than the full extent of range of motion of the tool. The upper body may be connected to the lower body by a pivot mechanism configured to allow the upper body to pivot from a first position to a second position and to rotationally fix the upper body relative to the lower body in the second position, with the first and second positions being ninety degrees apart.

A machine for separative machining of a plate-shaped workpiece by a processing beam. The machine has a first movement unit for moving the workpiece in a first direction, a second movement unit for moving a processing head in a second direction, two workpiece bearing supports for bearing the workpiece, and a parts chute. The two workpiece bearing supports are separated from each other by a gap that extends along the second direction. The parts chute is movable between a first chute position and a second chute position so as to move a cut-free workpiece part that has dropped into the gap, laterally away from the gap. The machine includes a receiving unit movable in the second direction, to receive the cut-free workpiece part at a transfer position and transport the workpiece part to one or more discharging positions of the machine along the second direction.