Abstract: An automatic cutting apparatus for cloths is able to designate relevant cloth and so cut the cloth with a laser beam according to characteristics of the cloth under the optimum condition. According to the cutting apparatus, the cloth may be cut by automatically setting the optimum cutting condition upon designating the type of the cloth to be cut.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling the length of chips removed from a workpiece that is being machined. A path is etched into the surface of the workpiece by a laser beam and defines a pattern of chip break points. The material is cut away from the workpiece along a second path which periodically intersects with the first path. At the intersection point a chip will break away from the workpiece. By controlling the distance between intersection points, the present invention allows one to control the length of the chips formed during machining.

Abstract: A hollow cylinder, generally a foil, for use in screen printing, is patterned by laser beam machining. The foil is held at its ends and rotated about its axis while a carriage is shiftable along a guide extending on the bed along the cylinder and carrying the laser optics for training a laser beam against the cylinder. Support rollers engage the wall of the hollow cylinder from the exterior on the carriage adjacent the laser impingement location.

Abstract: A ceramic hydrodynamic bearing used as a radial or a thrust bearing in a spindle motor for a hard disk driver. The bearing includes a ceramic bearing base having hydrodynamic pressure generating grooves. A sliding surface of the bearing base is irradiated with an energy beam with a high energy density to remove said material, thereby forming hydrodynamic pressure generating groove, and at the same time the grooves are coated with a modification layer that is formed by melting the ceramic material that constitutes said ceramic bearing base with the energy beam and by solidifying said ceramic bearing base.

Abstract: A device for the laser welding of a tube (14) along its inner circumference with a probe (1) that can be inserted in the tube (14) has within the probe (1) devices (73-76) with which a part of a stream of shield gas flowing within the interior of the probe is divided off before it reaches an outlet opening (45) for a focused and deflected laser beam (59) and is conducted to the outer surface of the probe (1) with an axial flow component directed toward the outlet opening (45). By this means, any precipitation of welding material in the vicinity of the outlet opening (45) and in the interior of the probe (1) is reduced.

Abstract: A laser processing arrangement includes a laser oscillator which outputs a laser beam. The laser beam path is established such that the beam reflects from a flat surfaced mirror to a concave mirror and then to a second concave mirror before irradiating a work piece under processing. The arrangement further includes a temperature sensor associated with a temperature detecting means. The temperature detecting means is connected to a control unit which controls moving means connected to movable axes of a processing surface in order to move the work piece relative the laser beam. The control unit is further effective to control the laser oscillator according to a desired temperature range for processing. The temperature sensor is preferably positioned within 45.degree. of the laser beam and the angle of incidence of the laser beam is selected so as to be smaller than a brewster angle of the material of the work piece.

Abstract: In order to make a laser cut in a diamond (1), the diamond (1) is reciprocated transversely, the radiation is focussed onto the bottom of the cut (6) by a stationary focussing lens (4 ), and the radiation is passed to the focussing lens (4) by a mirror (3) which is reciprocated in the same direction as the diamond (1), thereby rocking the axis (5) of the beam below the lens (4). This increases the energy entering the cut and reduces the focal spot area projected on the cut wall, thus increasing the energy density of radiation on the inclined cut walls.

Abstract: A cutting tool such as a laser knife comprises a passage for a beam of light, a layer of single crystal diamond located in the passage to intercept the light passing down the passage, the diamond layer presenting a surface for the incoming light and a surface for the outgoing light, and an anti-reflective coating bonded to at least one of the surfaces. The anti-reflective coating is typically a silicon ceramic material for wavelengths not exceeding 2 .mu.m and typically a polycrystalline diamond for wavelengths of at least 2 .mu.m.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of fabricating a microelectronic circuit package. The circuit package has a reinforced fluorocarbon polymer dielectric. According to the disclosed process, vias or through holes are formed in the composite by a process that leaves debris. The debris in the formed vias or through holes is reflowed in order to smooth the via and through hole walls for subsequent plating.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of making a beam of directed energy used to bond leads to bonding areas is disclosed. The masking tool preferably includes a groove adapted to allow the beam to strike the lead while masking the surrounding substrate to prevent damage to it. The tool preferably reflects the energy striking it away from the substrate. The method can include the use of an external heat source to provide heat to the bonding process or, in the alternative, provide heat sinking to protect the electrical components from heat damage. Alternate embodiments of the tool can include a plurality of grooves or slots to allow scanning of the beam in the bonding process.

Abstract: Various kinds of raw workpieces are stocked in a stocker. A predetermined kind of the workpiece is selected from the stocker with a lifter so as to move to a loading station. The workpiece is held with a vacuum pad of a loader of a workpiece carrying unit. The workpiece carrying unit is moved to a position adajacent to a laser processing machine so as to make the workpiece carrying unit stood by at the position. When machining finishes in the laser processing machine, a supporting unit like a comb of an unloader of the workpiece carrying unit is inserted below the machined workpiece, put on the table of the laser processing machine. The supporting unit is lifted up so as to pick the workpiece up out of the table. The raw workpiece is immediately put on the table with the loader. The workpiece carrying unit is moved to the unloading station. The machined workpiece is put on rollers of the unloading station with the unloader. The rollers are moved so as to drop the machined workpiece on the pallet.

Abstract: The fuel rod (3) is inserted into the enclosure (6) thorugh a gasket (30) until the rod faces a window (32). The outlet arm (16) of the housing (5) for focusing the laser beam, is fixed to the enclosure by way of the body (35) of a solenoid plug valve (36).Application to the plugging of the axial seal weld hole of fuel rods for nuclear reactors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a nozzle for a tool for working material, for example for laser cutting. The nozzle contains an electrically conducting nozzle body (2), at the tip of which is arranged a nozzle electrode (12) electrically insulated from it. A cap element (15) accomodates the nozzle electrode (12) and is in engagement with the nozzle body (2). At the same time, the cap element (15) presses the nozzle electrode (12) against an insulating body (9). The cap element (15) and the nozzle electrode (12) are insulated from one another by means of an electrically non-conducting layer, making possible shielding of the nozzle electrode (12) a long way into the tip region. The cap element (15) furthermore protects the nozzle electrode (12) from lateral forces in order to avoid damage to the insulating body (9) which accommodates the nozzle electrode (12).

Abstract: A laser machining device comprises a position reference laser beam source (16) in addition to a machining laser beam source (11). A galvanometer scanner (13) has two reflecting surfaces, one for directing a machining laser beam to an object (14) as a machining beam spot and the other for directing a position reference laser beam as a position reference beam spot to a position reference pattern displayed on a liquid crystal display panel (18). The machining beam spot scans a surface of the object to treat the surface according to a machining pattern, to which the position reference pattern is transferred. When a common table (15) is used, transfer is preferably carried out in a ratio of one to one. It is possible to make an additional table carry the panel separately from the galvanometer and the object. In either event, the machining laser beam can have a higher power than the position reference laser beam.

Abstract: A machining head interference preventive method for preventing an interference by a punching head and a laser head with work holders of compound equipment designed to perform a punch-pressing and laser machining. Horizontal interference areas wherein the punching head or the laser head will horizontally interfere with the work holders are established, and a vertical interference area wherein the laser head will vertically interfere with the work holders is also provided. When the laser machining mode is selected (S1) and the laser head descends to the vertical interference area wherein it will vertically interfere with the work holders (S2), the position of the laser head is monitored, and if the laser head enters a horizontal interference area (S3), then an alarm is sounded (S4).

Abstract: A method for the edge rounding of springs is characterized in that the springs are heated with a laser beam until the desired edge rounding is obtained by softening or, respectively, fusing of the surface, whereupon the heating process is terminated. The method can be advantageously used for the edge rounding of stamping burrs, which were generated during the production of microsliding contacts by stamping. Advantageously the laser beam defocused i.e. focused to a point in front of or behind of the surface to be irradiated, whereby a soft radiation results. By avoiding a mechanical post-processing and with the contactless treatment, a particularly high surface quality can be achieved.

Abstract: A method of welding bearing retainer rings comprising the steps of: assembling two annular metal retainer rings and a plurality of bearing balls, each retainer ring having a plurality of ball pockets spaced about the ring, the ball pockets of one retainer ring being aligned with the ball pockets of the other retainer ring, a bearing ball being located within each ball pocket; applying pressure to the retainer rings; and then exposing at least a portion of the area of the retainer rings between adjacent ball pockets to a coherent high-energy beam of radiation thereby fusing the retainer rings together at a plurality of locations.

Abstract: A multifunction laser assisted processing apparatus can perform cutting processes, marking processes and drawing processes on a workpiece material. The apparatus includes a laser beam source, a work face to support the workpiece material, an X-direction movable arm on the work face, and a Y-direction movable process head to project laser beam on the workpiece material. The apparatus further includes an output adjustable mechanism to adjust the amount of the laser beam from the laser beam source. The adjustable mechanism in one embodiment has a gas control device for keeping the pressure of laser medium gas at constant level, and a DC high-voltage power unit capable of adjusting the resonance and supplying it to the laser beam source.

Abstract: A heat eliminator intercepts a heat transmission in a laser robot which has a robot base (12), a robot arm (16) joined for swing motion to a robot swivel post (14) set upright on the robot base (12), a laser beam projecting unit (20) attached to an extreme end of the robot arm (16), and a drive motor (Mv) for driving the robot arm (16) for a swing motion through a precision transmission mechanism (30, 32, 34) inserted between the robot swivel post and the robot arm, from the drive motor to the precision transmission mechanism. The heat eliminator is provided with a bracket member (26) arranged between the precision transmission mechanism (30, 32, 34) and the drive motor (Mv) with one end in contact with the end surface of the drive motor on the side of the output shaft thereof and the other end in contact with the precision transmission mechanism, and an annular cooling water passage (50) formed in the bracket member (26).

Abstract: The supporting grate of a laser cutting machine is formed of swinging supporting arms which are swung from a horizontal supporting position to a lowered intermediate position or to a completely lowered, approximately vertical position. When the laser beam is travelling through their area, individual supporting arms are lowered to the intermediate position so as not to disturb the cutting operation, to avoid damages of the supporting arm and to prevent damages of the underside of the workpieces by reflections of the beam. Cutout pieces are continually removed by lowering the supporting arms under said pieces so that said pieces are dropped onto a conveyor belt and carried off. As soon as all pieces are cut out, all supporting arms are lowered, whereby the remaining grid is dropped onto the conveyor belt and can be carried off. A coordinated program control for the displacement of the cutting head and the movement of the supporting arms is provided.