A three-dimensional laser machine includes a machine head, a controller for positioning the machine head and controlling an orientation of a nozzle, and a sensor for detecting a distance between a workpiece and the nozzle. The controller is capable of performing a profile control of correcting the position of the machine head based on the detected distance. When the machine head has reached a predetermined position part way through an approach process of moving the machine head from an approach start position to a machining start position while controlling the pose of the nozzle, the controller performs the profile control to move the machine head to the machining start position.

Provided is a welding method enabling enhancement of quality of welding between an upper plate and a lower plate. One aspect of the present disclosure is the welding method including welding the upper plate and the lower plate overlapped with the upper plate by irradiating a surface of the upper plate with a laser beam. The welding includes: forming an auxiliary welding path that is continuous and includes a reciprocating or circling path; and forming a main welding path that intersects a welding advancing direction and that includes turning points, after formation of the auxiliary welding path.

A laser welding device includes: a laser oscillator with which an incoming end of a fiber is connected; a welding head that is connected to an outgoing end of the fiber and that performs laser welding while irradiating a workpiece with laser light by guiding the laser light from the laser oscillator to the workpiece via the fiber; a sensor that detects, during the laser welding, an intensity of plume light that is based on the laser welding at a welded position at which the workpiece is irradiated with the laser light; and a controller that controls a height of the welding head based on a detection output from the sensor, the height being a height in a direction parallel with a direction that the laser light is emitted.

A workpiece having a first plate-shaped part and a second plate-shaped part connected to the first plate-shaped part in a direction to cross the first plate-shaped part is cut with a laser beam. A cutting line across the first plate-shaped part and the second plate-shaped part is set. In the second plate-shaped part, a notch portion that opens to a tip end portion of the second plate-shaped part and is along the cutting line is formed by cutting with the laser beam so that a cutout piece that is cut out by forming the notch portion is divided into a tip end portion and a base portion. The first plate-shaped part is cut along the cutting line by irradiation with the laser beam from one direction.

A laser processing device configured to generally vertically irradiate a laser beam to a workpiece, and having a function for reducing an adverse effect due to a reflected laser beam from the workpiece. The laser processing device includes: a light condensing point moving part configured to move a focal point in an optical axis direction while irradiating the laser beam, by moving at least one of a processing head, an optical component of a light condense optical system, and a workpiece; and a light condensing point distance setting part configured to set a light condensing point distance between the light condensing point and a workpiece surface when the laser beam is started to be irradiated, wherein the light condensing point distance is set so that an amount of the reflected laser beam returned to the processing head through the optical system is not more than an allowable value.

According to a method for measuring the distance between a workpiece and a machining head of a laser machining apparatus, a machining head is provided, which has a housing that has an interior and an opening for emergence of the laser radiation from the machining head. The laser radiation is directed on to the workpiece, after it has passed through the interior and the opening. An object beam is directed on to the workpiece by a light source of an optical coherence tomograph in such a manner that the object beam passes through the interior and the opening before being incident upon the workpiece. In addition to the object beam, a measuring beam passes through the interior. The measuring beam is used to compensate falsifications of the measured distance that have been caused by pressure fluctuations in the interior. The measuring beam in this case may be reflected at a reflective face that is formed on an inner face of an outlet nozzle that comprises the opening, which inner face delimits the interior.

An NC device 20 determines, in a case where a size of an opening forming region in a predetermined direction is smaller than a predetermined maximum value, that the opening forming region is a first opening forming region, and determines, in a case where the size of the opening forming region in the predetermined direction is larger than a predetermined minimum value, that the opening forming region is an opening forming region where a scrap interfering with a laser head 16 is formed. In a case where the size of the opening forming region in the predetermined direction is smaller than the predetermined maximum value and larger than the predetermined minimum value, the device determines that the opening forming region in an interference width added region obtaining by adding a predetermined interference width to the opening forming region is a second opening forming region, and processes the second opening forming region prior to processing of the first opening forming region.

A laser processing apparatus includes a light source, a laser head configured to emit a laser beam, a robot configured to move the laser head, and a control apparatus configured to control start and stop of generation of the laser beam and control operation of the robot. The control apparatus controls the light source to generate the laser beam when a first time has elapsed after causing the robot to start an operation of accelerating the laser head such that a movement speed of the laser head with respect to a processing target object reaches a constant target speed.

A metal joiner system includes a power source and a metal joiner. The metal joiner includes a cleaning header, a cutting header, a joining header, and a joint finisher, each of which are communicatively coupled to the power source. The cutting header and cleaning header are configured to direct a first laser beam to prepare a joining region, and the joining header is configured to direct a second laser beam to form a joint in the joining region. A method of joining a metal substrates includes forming a joining region in abutting metal substrates, directing the first laser beam onto the joining region in a joint preparation stage, and directing the second laser beam onto the joining region to form a weld. A product of a metal joiner, a weld, has a portion of weld metal removed at the weld start and the weld crater regions.

A computer-numerically-controlled machine can include a light source and a housing. The light source can be configured to deliver electromagnetic energy to at least one location on a material at least partially disposed within the computer-numerically-controlled machine. The housing can include at least one side part surrounding an interior space and the at least one location on the material. The housing can include a structural material defining at least a portion of the interior space. The housing can further include a protective material protecting the side part. The protective material can reduce a permeability of the side part to the electromagnetic radiation relative to the structural material alone.