There is provided a method for producing a metallic workpiece in layers by additive manufacturing, metallurgical layers of the workpiece being produced by providing a metal material in a manufacturing chamber for each metallurgical layer and applying a laser beam to the metal material, and providing a gas atmosphere in the manufacturing chamber during the application of the laser beam to the layers of the metal material, wherein a part of the gas atmosphere is drawn off from the manufacturing chamber as a gas stream, at least one parameter of the gas stream and/or the gas atmosphere being determined and being compared with a desired value. Depending on the comparison of the parameter with the desired value, the gas stream is fed back to the manufacturing chamber and a process gas is supplied to the manufacturing chamber.

A method includes producing a functional structure on an aluminum surface with a local laser treatment of an aluminum surface. The local laser treatment is carried out with a pulsed laser system having a pulse duration of from 10 ns to 100 ns. The average power of the pulsed laser system is less than 5 kW.

A shielding gas, apparatus, and method are provided for laser welding workpieces comprising aluminum or aluminum alloy. The shielding gas includes argon (Ar); and active gas components in a range of 0.5% to 3% by volume of the shielding gas. The active gas components include a combination of oxygen (O.sub.2) and at least one of nitrous oxide (N.sub.2O) and nitrogen (N.sub.2).

The present invention relates to a laser machining system (1) with a control unit (30), a laser ablation apparatus (10) and a gas supply (40), wherein the laser ablation apparatus (10) comprises a laser (12) for generating a laser beam (14), a laser head (16) including a re-directing arrangement (18) for directing the laser beam (14) of the laser (12) onto a surface (20) of a workpiece (22) to be machined, wherein the workpiece (22) is disposed in an accommodation device (26), placed in a working chamber (28), wherein a positioning arrangement (32) is provided for a relative movement between the laser head (16) and the workpiece (22) and wherein the working chamber (28) comprises at least one inlet (46) and at least one outlet (48) for a gas. The gas supply (40) of the laser machining system (1) is configured to provide a flow of the gas in the working chamber (28) and a temperature system (11) is provided to adjust the temperature of the gas flow (44).

In an additive manufacturing machine using a plurality of lasers, a reference laser is established that remains stationary and focused on a commanded point in a collection area. The reference laser uses one or more co-axial sensors to monitor emitted electromagnetic energy in the area. While the reference laser is monitoring the area, each non-reference laser in turn produces and moves a meltpool through the collection area in a known movement. For each non-reference laser, the electromagnetic energy collected and observed by the reference laser during positions of the known movement is compared with an expected electromagnetic energy for each position. For a given non-reference laser, the differences between the observed and expected electromagnetic energies can be used to determine differences between a coordinate system of the reference laser and a coordinate system of non-reference laser. The non-reference laser may then be realigned based on the determined differences.

A jig structure for manufacturing heat dissipation unit includes a main body, which internally defines a chamber and has a top forming an upper side thereof. The top defines at least one opening, on which at least one silicon dioxide layer is provided. The chamber is in a vacuum-tight state or maintains a positive pressure inert gas atmosphere therein. The jig structure for manufacturing heat dissipation unit can be used with a laser machining tool to provide a better environment and increased flexibility for laser machining or laser welding in manufacturing a heat dissipation unit.

A laser irradiation apparatus (1) according to an embodiment includes an optical-system module (20) configured to apply laser light (L1) to an object to be irradiated, a shield plate (51) in which a slit (54) is formed, through which the laser light (L1) passes, and a reflected-light receiving component (61) disposed between the optical-system module (20) and the shield plate (51), in which the reflected-light receiving component (61) is able to receive, out of the laser light (L1), reflected light (R1) reflected by the shield plate (51).

A laser irradiation apparatus (1) according to an embodiment includes an optical-system module (20) configured to apply laser light (L1) to an object to be irradiated, a shield plate (51) in which a slit (54) is formed, through which the laser light (L1) passes, and a reflected-light receiving component (61) disposed between the optical-system module (20) and the shield plate (51), in which the reflected-light receiving component (61) is able to receive, out of the laser light (L1), reflected light (R1) reflected by the shield plate (51).

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for using printing process data to predict quality measures for three-dimensional (3D) printed objects and properties of the materials comprising the 3D objects. Printing may be performed using resistive or Joule printing. The system may include a computer communicatively coupled to a 3D printing apparatus, which may store printing parameters. The 3D printing apparatus may be able to take measurements during a print job, and record those measurements in memory. The 3D printing apparatus may also be able to record printing states before, during, and/or after printing. A combination of printing states, printing parameters, and measurements may be analyzed, for example, by a machine learning algorithm, in order to predict material properties and quality measures.

A device for structuring a surface of a through opening in a component, in particular a cylinder opening of a cylinder crankcase for an internal combustion engine. The device comprises a lance, which can be moved into the through opening by a displacement device. The lance has means for emitting a laser beam from a laser light source in the direction of the surface of the through opening. A preferably plate-shaped cover is provided, which is designed for placement on an end face of the component. The cover forms a passage opening which is dimensioned such that the lance can be moved through it. A compressed gas feed is integrated into the cover and comprises a connector for connecting to a compressed gas source and forms one or more outlet openings at the edge of the passage opening.