Apparatus and methods associated with operating a plasma torch are disclosed. According to some implementations, the apparatus and methods involve the delivery of a process gas to a shuttle valve at first and second pressures for the purpose of altering an axial position of a valve element located inside the shuttle valve. The shuttle valve is configured such that at different axial positions of the valve element the flow of process gas into the plasma torch is altered.

A plasma cutting system includes a power supply that outputs first and second plasma cutting currents. A torch is connected to the power supply and includes a first cathode that receives the first plasma cutting current, a first electrode and swirl ring, a second cathode that receives the second plasma cutting current, and a second electrode and swirl ring. The torch simultaneously generates a first and second plasma arcs from the electrodes. A gas controller is configured to separately control a flow of a first plasma gas to the first swirl ring and a flow of a second plasma gas flow to the second swirl ring. A torch actuator moves the torch during cutting, and includes a motor having a hollow shaft rotor for rotating the torch during cutting. A motion controller is operatively connected to the torch actuator to control movements of the torch during cutting.

A surface processing equipment using an energy beam including a measuring device, a gas source, an energy beam supply device, a multi-axis platform, and a processing device is provided. The measuring device measures a workpiece to obtain surface form information. The energy beam supply device receives a processing gas to form an energy beam. The energy beam supply device includes a rotating sleeve. Openings are on a bottom surface of the rotating sleeve. The rotating sleeve rotates along a rotation axis and supplies the energy beam from one of the openings to the workpiece. The processing device controls the gas source, the energy beam supply device, and the multi-axis platform according to the surface form information. Distances from each opening to the rotation axis are all different. The energy beam is formed into a beam shape or rings having different radii via a rotation of the energy beam supply device.

A method of removing materials by their disintegration, especially metal tubes and non-metal materials, particularly in an area of a borehole, by thermal disintegration of materials by action of plasma created in a plasma generator, by hydrodynamic and/or gravitational removing of disintegrated materials from the area of the borehole, characterized in that a directed flow of water vapour-based plasma acts on material being disintegrated and disintegrates it by synergetic simultaneous effect of thermal action and exothermic chemical reactions.

A method of installing a fixture or bracket in a fuselage structure of an aircraft or spacecraft. The method includes arranging an apparatus in, on or adjacent the structure, pre-treating a surface region of the structure by heat ablation using the apparatus and forming the fixture in situ on the structure at the pre-treated surface region using the apparatus based on a digital model of the fixture. The fixture is installed by connecting the fixture to the structure at the pre-treated surface region as the fixture is formed.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a plasma arc cutting torch and an electrode assembly used in the torch. The electrode assembly includes a high thermionic emissive insert and a high thermally conductive and high work function shell into which the insert is inserted. The shell aids in cooling the insert during operation and also has a design which ensures that the shell remains in a proper position during manufacture of the electrode assembly.

Methods of dicing semiconductor wafers, each wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits, are described. In an example, a method of dicing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits involves forming a mask above the semiconductor wafer, the mask composed of a layer covering and protecting the integrated circuits. The mask is then patterned with a split laser beam laser scribing process, such as a split shaped laser beam laser scribing process, to provide a patterned mask with gaps, exposing regions of the semiconductor wafer between the integrated circuits. The semiconductor wafer is then plasma etched through the gaps in the patterned mask to singulate the integrated circuits.

A surface processing equipment using energy beam including a multi-axis platform, a surface profile measuring device, an energy beam generator and a computing device is provided. The multi-axis platform is configured to carry a workpiece and move the workpiece to the first position or the second position. The surface profile measuring device has a working area, and the first position is located on the working area. The surface profile measuring device is configured to measure the workpiece to obtain surface profile. The energy beam generator is configured to provide an energy beam to the workpiece for processing, and the second position is located on a transmission path of the energy beam. The computing device is connected to the surface profile measuring device and the energy beam generator. The computing device adjusts the energy beam generator according to the error profile.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a board with a roughened surface and a method for manufacturing a board having a plated layer that allow easily manufacturing the board having a plated layer. One of embodiments is a method for manufacturing a board with a surface roughened for wiring formation. The method for manufacturing a board includes performing laser ablation on a board containing a resin at least on a surface of the board. A laser light irradiated in the laser ablation is a laser light having a pulse width of 1 ps or less, a wavelength of 320 nm or more, and an output of 1 W or less.

Methods of dicing semiconductor wafers, each wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits, are described. In an example, a method of dicing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits involves forming a mask above the semiconductor wafer, the mask composed of a layer covering and protecting the integrated circuits. The mask is then patterned with a split laser beam laser scribing process, such as a split shaped laser beam laser scribing process, to provide a patterned mask with gaps, exposing regions of the semiconductor wafer between the integrated circuits. The semiconductor wafer is then plasma etched through the gaps in the patterned mask to singulate the integrated circuits.