A method for analysing the quality of a weld bead in a welding zone using a thermal camera. A thermal image (IMG) of a given area is divided into a plurality of sub-areas each having a respective temperature (Ti). During a learning step, the temperature evolution (Ti(t)) of each sub-area is monitored for different welding conditions. During a training step, the temperature evolutions (Ti(t)) are processed for training a classifier (304). For this purpose, a respective cooling curve is extracted (302) from each temperature evolution (Ti(t)), and parameters (F) are determined that identify the shape of each cooling curve. The parameters (F) are used as input features for the classifier (304). In normal operation the temperature evolution (Ti(t)) of each sub-area (Ai) is monitored and the classifier (304) estimates weld quality (S).

The invention relates to a method for fusing a solder material deposit by means of laser energy, in which laser radiation emitted from a first laser source is applied to the solder material deposit in a first application phase by means of a first laser device (11) and laser radiation emitted from a second laser source is applied to the solder material deposit in a second application phase by means of a second laser device (12), said first laser source having a lower laser power than the second laser source, a switch being made from the first application phase to the second application phase by means of a switching device (30) and said switch being triggered by a temperature sensor, by means of which the temperature of the solder material deposit is measured at least during the first application phase.

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 laser soldering system includes a laser source module, a polarization adjusting assembly, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The laser source module is configured to emit a laser beam. The polarization adjusting assembly includes a plurality of polarization elements and at least one stepping motor. The polarization elements are configured to split the laser beam into a Gaussian beam and a ring-shaped beam. The Gaussian beam illuminates the first element, and the ring-shaped beam is illuminates the second element. The stepping motor is configured to adjust a size of the ring-shaped beam. The temperature sensor is configured to monitor temperatures of the first element and a temperature of the second element. The controller is electrically connected to the temperature sensor, the laser source module, and the polarization adjusting assembly.

An apparatus for manufacturing a composite article from a composite material. The apparatus comprising: a pulsed broadband radiation source comprising a flashlamp and a light guide adapted to guide light emitted by the pulsed broadband radiation source to a target area. The light guide comprises at least a portion ahead of the pulsed broadband radiation source, relative to the target area, comprising a light transmitting material.

A system and method of monitoring a powder-bed additive manufacturing process is provided where a layer of additive powder is fused using an energy source and electromagnetic emission signals are measured by a melt pool monitoring system to monitor the print process. The measured emission signals are analyzed to identify outlier emissions and clusters of outliers are identified by assessing the spatial proximity of the outlier emissions, e.g., using clustering algorithms, spatial control charts, etc. An alert may be provided or a process adjustment may be made when a cluster is identified or when a magnitude of a cluster exceeds a predetermined cluster threshold.

The invention relates to a device and a method for process monitoring in a deposition welding method. The object of the invention is to provide a device in which the process monitoring in a deposition welding method is further optimized, and process deviations that can affect the quality of a product are reliably avoided. Surprisingly, the devices known in the state of the art for process monitoring in deposition welding can be developed to a substantially optimized process monitoring, in which said devices are supplemented by equipment for detecting a time period during which the detected surface region is greater than a predetermined minimum value, and equipment for discontinuing the deposition welding process in an automated manner in the event that the time period of the detected surface region is greater than a predetermined time value.

Disclosed is a machine learning device of a cutting condition adjustment apparatus including: a state observation section that observes, as state variables indicating a current state of an environment, cutting condition data indicating a laser cutting condition for a laser cutting and oblique rearward temperature rise data indicating a temperature rise value at an oblique rearward part of a cutting front of a workpiece, a determination data acquisition unit that acquires temperature rise value determination data for determining propriety of the temperature rise value during cutting based on the laser cutting condition for the laser cutting as determination data indicating a propriety determination result of the cutting of the workpiece, and a learning unit that learns the temperature rise value and adjustment of the laser cutting condition for the laser cutting in association with each other using the state variables and the determination data.

A thermal processing system is provided. The thermal processing system can include a processing chamber and a workpiece disposed within the processing chamber. The thermal processing system can include a heat source configured to emit light towards the workpiece. The thermal processing system can further include a tunable reflective array disposed between the workpiece and the heat source. The tunable reflective array can include a plurality of pixels. Each pixel of the plurality of pixels can include an electrochromatic material configurable in a translucent state or an opaque state. When the electrochromatic material of a pixel is configured in the translucent state, the light at least partially passes through the pixel. Conversely, transmission of light through a pixel is reduced when the electrochromatic material of the pixel is configured in the opaque state.

A process for the continuous production of thin-walled, radially closed hollow profiles which are composed of nonferrous metals and have a small cross section comprises supply of a flat strip of the nonferrous metal to a forming apparatus (212) at a first supply speed, where the thickness of the strip corresponds to the wall thickness of the hollow profile. The forming apparatus (212) is configured for continuous forming of the flat strip supplied into a shape corresponding to the hollow profile. After forming, two opposite edges of the flat strip rest flush against one another in a contact region. A welding apparatus (216) continuously welds the edges which rest flush against one another by means of a laser which emits light having a wavelength of less than 600 nm. The laser heats a point in a welding region which has a diameter which is less than 20% of the cross-sectional dimension of the hollow profile. The welded hollow profile is taken off from the welding region, provided in a corrugator (225) with parallel or helical corrugation in sections and taken up in an uptake device (226).