A double fibre laser cutting system for laser cutting sheet metal that comprises: a cutting machine with a mobile gantry and fixed metal sheets, multiple heads both for straight cutting and bevel cutting, multiple cutting sources in each head, automated means for changing the cutting source in each head, means for controlling all the elements, wherein the multiple cutting sources in each head is carried out by means of two fibres sent from corresponding generator outlets to each head. The simultaneous cutting of one or more metal sheets with different thicknesses is achieved and, consequently, maximum laser cutting capacity in useful length, and in useful width, the use of a single generator, and the automatic adjustment of cutting conditions in accordance with the thicknesses, straight and bevel cutting simultaneously in multiple heads.

A laser processing system that can effectively blow out a material of a workpiece that is melted by a laser beam by effectively utilizing an assist gas emitted from a nozzle. The laser processing system includes a nozzle including an emission opening configured to emit a jet of an assist gas along an optical axis of a laser beam, the nozzle being configured to form a maximum point of velocity of the jet at a position away from the emission opening; a measuring instrument configured to measure a supply flow rate of the assist gas to the nozzle; and a position acquisition section configured to acquire the position of the maximum point from a measurement value of the measuring instrument by predetermined calculation.

Methods for laser induced ablation spectroscopy (LIBS) are disclosed. Light from laser ablation can be gathered into a lightguide fiber bundle that is subdivided into branches. One branch can convey a first portion of the light to a broadband spectrometer operable to analyze a relatively wide spectral segment, and a different branch can convey a second portion of the light to a high dispersion spectrometer operable to measure minor concentrations and/or trace elements. Emissions can be analyzed using a plurality of spectrometers having distinct and/or complementary capabilities, and with a synergistic method using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

A wafer manufacturing method includes a Z-coordinate measurement step of deeming a separation layer to be formed as an XY plane and measuring a height Z.sub.(X, Y) of an upper surface of an ingot to be irradiated with a laser beam, corresponding to the X-coordinate and the Y-coordinate, and a calculation step of defining a Z-coordinate of the separation layer to be formed as Z.sub.0 and calculating a difference from the measured height Z.sub.(X, Y) (Z.sub.(X, Y)-Z.sub.0) to obtain a Z-coordinate of a beam condenser. A separation layer is formed by relatively moving the beam condenser in an X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction. The beam condenser is moved in a Z-axis direction on the basis of the Z-coordinate obtained in the calculation step to position a focal point to Z.sub.0, and the separation layer is formed. A wafer is separated from the ingot.

In a method for guiding a cutting head in relation to a material, a position and a speed of the cutting head are set by means of a drive unit depending on a desired position value and a desired speed value established by an interpolator unit, a control signal for the drive unit is determined, a distance between the cutting head and the material is determined with a distance sensor, and a corresponding distance signal is provided. The distance signal is compared with a predetermined comparison distance to yield a distance-control signal, and the control signal for the drive unit is additionally determined dependent upon a distance-control signal. The comparison distance is subtracted from the distance signal and the difference is superimposed on the actual position signal, which is delayed by a first time period, wherefrom the distance-control signal is determined.

A laser printhead assembly for a laser printhead is disclosed herein. The laser printhead assembly may include a laser containment door; and a laser containment housing that is configured to form a sealed enclosure with a label support of a rewriteable label. The sealed enclosure may be configured to include the rewriteable label and the laser printhead. The laser containment door, in a laser-enabled position, may be configured to permit the laser printhead, via a light beam, to modify the rewriteable label and the laser containment door, in a laser-disabled position, may be configured to prevent a light beam from escaping the laser containment housing.

The invention relates to a method for cutting a sheet metal blank from a sheet metal strip (1) continuously conveyed in a transport direction (T), by means of at least one laser cutting device (3), having the following steps: providing a laser cutting device (3) with at least one laser cutting head (5) which has a cutting nozzle (7) and which can be moved along a cutting path (S1, S2, S1′, S2′) specified so as to correspond to the geometry of the sheet metal blank by means of a controller (6), incrementally measuring the distance between the cutting nozzle (7) and the surface of the sheet metal strip (1) at at least one radially outer position (P.sub.1, P.sub.2) relative to the cutting nozzle (7) by means of a first distance measuring device (8), controlling the movement of the laser cutting head such that the first distance measuring device (8, 9) constantly remains overlapping the sheet metal strip (1), into a second position, in which the cutting nozzle is overlapping the sheet metal strip (1), wherein the height of the cutting nozzle (7) relative to the surface of the sheet metal strip (1) is regulated using the first distance values supplied by the first distance measuring device (8, 9) when the cutting nozzle (7) is moved from the first position in the direction of the second position.

Systems and methods for static and dynamic calibration may be used to provide alignment of a measurement beam from a coherence imaging (CI) measurement system relative to a processing beam from a material processing system. In these systems and methods, a calibration measurement output may be obtained from the CI measurement system and/or from an auxiliary sensor. Future measurements performed by the CI measurement system may be modified based on, at least in part, the calibration measurement output.

In a method for guiding a cutting head in relation to a material, a position and a speed of the cutting head are set by means of a drive unit depending on a desired position value and a desired speed value established by an interpolator unit, a control signal for the drive unit is determined, a distance between the cutting head and the material is determined with a distance sensor, and a corresponding distance signal is provided. The distance signal is compared with a predetermined comparison distance to yield a distance-control signal, and the control signal for the drive unit is additionally determined dependent upon a distance-control signal. The comparison distance is subtracted from the distance signal and the difference is superimposed on the actual position signal, which is delayed by a first time period, wherefrom the distance-control signal is determined.

Laser processing systems and methods are capable of moving a laser beam while maintaining consistent laser beam characteristics at processing locations. The laser processing systems generate a collimated laser beam having a consistent Z axis power density along at least a portion of a length of the laser beam and dither the collimated laser beam along one of the X and Y axes. The dithering of the collimated laser beam facilitates consistent laser processing on a three-dimensional surface, for example, to provide consistent deposition of a coating in a laser cladding process. A laser processing system may include a beam delivery system that provides both the collimation and the dithering of the collimated laser as well as an adjustment of the beam diameter of the collimated beam.