This invention concerns a module for insertion into an additive manufacturing apparatus. The module comprising a frame mountable in a fixed position in the additive manufacturing apparatus, the frame defining a build chamber and a dosing chamber. A build platform is movable in the build chamber for supporting a powder bed during additive manufacturing of a part. A dosing piston is movable in the dosing chamber to push powder from the dosing chamber. A mechanism mechanically links the build platform to the dosing piston such that downward movement of the build platform in the build chamber results in upward movement of the dosing piston in the dosing chamber.

A laser processing device comprising: a light source configured to output laser light; a spatial light modulator configured to display a modulation pattern for modulating the laser light output from the light source; a condenser lens configured to condense the laser light modulated by the spatial light modulator, on an object; and a control unit configured to control the spatial light modulator to adjust the modulation pattern in accordance with a traveling direction of a condensing point of the laser light with respect to the object.

A laser soldering system using dynamic light spot and a method thereof are provided. A laser module is controlled to radiate toward multi-lens to form a light spot on a soldering target for soldering, and a lens distance between the multi-lens is adjusted to adjust a light spot size. The disclosure may provide multiple heating densities respectively adequate to different soldering status via adjusting the light spot size when using same laser power, so as to improve the soldering quality.

A method for identifying joining positions of workpieces includes capturing images of a joint by a camera, determining measurement data for the joining positions associated with a course of the joint from the images of the joint, determining a mathematical model of the joint course from a part of the measurement data, providing a curve based on the mathematical model for positioning a welding laser during a laser welding process along the curve.

An optical arrangement converts an input laser beam into a line-like output beam, which propagates along a propagation direction and which has, in a working plane, a line-like beam cross section extending along a line direction. The optical system includes: a reshaping optical unit having an input aperture, through which the input laser beam is radiated, and an elongate output aperture, elongatedly extending along an aperture longitudinal direction, the reshaping optical unit converting the input laser beam radiated through the input aperture into a beam packet exiting through the output aperture; and a homogenization optical unit which converts the beam packet into the line-like output beam, different beam segments of the beam packet being intermixed and superimposed along the line direction. The aperture longitudinal direction extends in a manner rotated about the propagation direction by a non-vanishing angle of rotation with respect to the line direction.

A cutting machine is provided with a machine main body and an NC device. The NC device controls the machine main body and has a tool radius compensation amount calculation unit, a machining path calculation unit, and a drive control unit. The tool radius compensation amount calculation unit generates tool radius compensation information. The machining path calculation unit generates a tool radius compensation control signal. The drive control unit generates a drive control signal. The machine main body has a machining unit and a tool path control unit. The machining unit cuts a workpiece by changing a relative position thereof with respect to the workpiece. Based on the drive control signal, the tool path control unit controls a tool path corresponding to a cutting tool and having a non-circular shape.

A processing method of a workpiece used when the workpiece is processed is provided. The processing method of a workpiece includes a disposing step of disposing the workpiece in a gas containing a substance that generates an active species that reacts with the workpiece, a measurement step of measuring the distribution of the thickness of the workpiece disposed in the gas, and a laser beam irradiation step of irradiating the workpiece in the gas with a laser beam of which the power is adjusted based on the distribution of the thickness measured in the measurement step. In the laser beam irradiation step, the removal amount by which a region irradiated with the laser beam in the workpiece is removed by the active species is controlled by irradiating the workpiece with the laser beam of which the power is adjusted.

A method for producing a cavity in a substrate composed of hard brittle material is provided. A laser beam of an ultrashort pulse laser is directed a side surface of the substrate and is concentrated by a focusing optical unit to form an elongated focus in the substrate. Incident energy of the laser beam produces a filament-shaped flaw in a volume of the substrate. The filament-shaped flaw extends into the volume to a predetermined depth and does not pass through the substrate. To produce the filament-shaped flaw, the ultrashort pulse laser radiates in a pulse or a pulse packet having at least two successive laser pulses. After at least two filament-shaped flaws are introduced, the substrate is exposed to an etching medium which removes material of the substrate and widens the at least two filament-shaped flaws to form filaments. At least two filaments are connected to form a cavity.

A method and a device for detecting a focal position of a laser beam, particularly a machining laser beam in a laser machining head, includes an optical element which is arranged in the laser beam converging toward the focal point and which is designed to outcouple a reflection from the laser beam path, and a sensor arrangement which is designed to detect beam characteristics of said laser beam in the region of the focal point in the laser extension direction, and which measures the outcoupled reflection of the laser beam at at least two locations that are offset to one another in the extension direction, in order to determine the current focal position.

Examples of a laser additive manufacturing system are described. The system comprises a laser configured to generate a laser beam, a fiber optic coupled to the laser to transmit the laser beam to a laser optic head that is coupled to the fiber optic and comprises a focus lens to focus the light beam. The laser optic head is configured to slide along a sliding mechanism in X-direction. A powder feeder is used to continuously move in Y-direction and dispense an uniform layer of powdered material onto a powder bad that is positioned on a build plate of the building chamber. The build plate is configured to move in Z-direction. The light beam generated by the laser is focused using the laser optic head onto a small region of the powder bed where the powdered material is positioned producing small volumes of melt pools that are then cooled and a new layer of powdered material is dispensed over it.