The present disclosure provides single-piece objects and methods for forming such objects. Such single-piece objects may be bicycle frames.

Systems and methods for additive manufacturing, and, in particular, such methods and apparatus as employ pulsed lasers or other heating arrangements to create metal droplets from donor metal micro wires, which droplets, when solidified in the aggregate, form 3D structures. A supply of metal micro wire is arranged so as to be fed towards a nozzle area by a piezo translator. Near the nozzle, an end portion of the metal micro wire is heated (e.g., by a laser pulse or an electric heater element), thereby causing the end portion of the metal micro wire near the nozzle area to form a droplet of metal. A receiving substrate is positioned to receive the droplet of metal jetted from the nozzle area.

A laser welding device includes: a laser scanner body configured to emit a laser beam to a workpiece; a jet nozzle configured to jet gas so as to cause the gas to cross an optical path of the laser beam emitted from the laser scanner body; and a guide plate disposed on the downstream side in the flow direction of the gas, from the optical path of the laser beam emitted from the laser scanner body. The guide plate is configured to change the flow direction of the gas that has crossed the optical path of the laser beam into a direction away from a laser irradiation position on the workpiece toward the downstream side in the flow direction of the gas.

To provide a nozzle for laser processing head capable of reliably drilling a small hole when drilling of the workpiece is performed by using a laser machine. A nozzle includes: a nozzle tip body that irradiates a workpiece with a laser beam; a charge port formed in the nozzle tip body; an exhaust port formed in the nozzle tip body so as to oppose to the charge port; and an elastic member that is provided in a tip end of the nozzle tip body and contacts with the workpiece while elastically extending and contracting in the axial center direction of the nozzle tip body. The nozzle supplies gas to the inside of the nozzle tip body along a gas flow path extending from the charge port to the exhaust port in a form of crossing across the laser beam in the nozzle tip body, to generate a negative pressure in the vicinity of an opening part of a tip end of the nozzle tip body. The elastic member contacts with the workpiece and improves the degree of enclosure of the nozzle tip body by the workpiece. Thereby, higher negative pressure than the negative pressure is generated.

The present invention provides a laser welding process and a holding fixture for holding a first and a second body during a laser welding process. A first body and a second body for welding together along at least one weld line to form a joined component are immobilised in the holding fixture by a back clamp and a front clamp of the fixture. A shielding gas is supplied, from respective plenums formed in the back and front clamps, to back and front sides of the component along the weld line. Laser welding the first and second bodies together along the weld line, the laser weld thus-formed penetrating from the front side to the back side of the component.

A method for forming a gradient metallic body can include forming a first metallic deposit by providing a first quantity of metal feedstock and selectively applying energy via an energy source to the first quantity of metal feedstock, and iteratively forming additional metallic deposits by providing an additional quantity of metal feedstock contiguous with a previously formed metallic deposit and selectively applying energy via the energy source to the additional quantity of metal feedstock. The energy applied via the energy source while forming the additional metallic deposits is iteratively varied such that the gradient metallic body is formed and comprises a first end, a second end, and a middle portion, wherein a material characteristic of the gradient metallic body transitions in the middle portion between the first end and the second end.

This invention quickly supplies a predetermined amount of powder from a hopper to a recoater. A powder supply apparatus includes, as its feature, a hopper, a powder spreader, a powder replenisher, and a pivoting unit. The hopper of the powder supply apparatus stores a powder. The powder spreader spreads the powder on a shaping surface. The powder replenisher of the powder supply apparatus is provided between the hopper and the powder spreader, and replenishes the powder spreader with a predetermined amount of powder. The pivoting unit of the powder supply apparatus causes the powder replenisher to pivot.

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 rolling type 3D printing device for recycling powders and an operation method thereof are provided. The rolling type 3D printing device has a rolling mechanism, at least one optical module, and a powder conveying module. The rolling mechanism holds a workpiece and receives powders. Cylindrical or cone workpieces can be laminated by the rolling type 3D printing device through the design of the rolling mechanism.

A method of supplying cooling water to a laser processing head includes arranging a cooling water supply path connected to the laser processing head, connecting, to the cooling water supply path, a water supply path for supplying water and an antirust supply path for supplying antirust, keeping constant a ratio between a water quantity fed by a water feed means connected to the water supply path and an antirust quantity fed by an antirust feed means connected to the antirust supply path, mixing the water and antirust in the cooling water supply path, and supplying cooling water to the laser processing head.