Abstract: A laser beam machining system includes of a laser beam machine and a work conveying robot, wherein the laser beam machine has a table which is covered by a cover that is automatically opened/closed, and the robot runs on a rail provided above the table of the laser beam machine to feed work onto the table. The cover of the laser beam machine is opened only when work pieces are fed or removed and the cover is closed when work pieces are machined. The upper face of the table is completely open when the cover is opened so that handling by means of the robot may be easily executed.

Abstract: A method of laser welding steel sheets that have a thin corrosion protective coating of zinc. The steel sheets are positioned vertically. A laser beam, which is positioned normal to the sheets is applied to the sheets to melt the material of the sheets and create a weld. During welding, the sheets and laser beam are moved vertically relative to each other such that laser heating of the material creates a cavity. Liquid or molten material flows vertically downwardly by gravity to elongate the cavity and thereby facilitate the escape of zinc vapors from the cavity.

Abstract: An improved high energy density welding method for reducing input keyhole welding prepares the weld joint (8) between two edges (10, 14) of at least one member by separating the edges (10, 14) of the member (12, 16) with a controllable gap (22) by a projecting portion (24) selectively positioned on one edge (10, 14) of the member (12, 16). The projecting portion (24) closely abuts the other edge of the member for maintaining the controlled distance (d) of the controllable gap (22) to enhance the welding method.

Abstract: Galvanized steel sheets or a galvanized steel sheet and a sheet of another metal are welded to each other by a laser beam. An intermediate layer for suppressing evaporation of zinc is formed between the galvanized steel sheets (1, 4) or the galvanized steel sheet (1) and the sheet of another metal. A laser beam (8) is applied to the galvanized steel sheet (1) or the sheet of another metal, thereby welding the sheets with the laser beam. As a result, porosity is prevented from being formed in a weld bead (9), and the weld bead (9) has a constant width.

Abstract: Both a system and method are provided for laser welding the inner walls of conduits, such as the sleeves used to repair the heat exchanger tubes of nuclear steam generators. The system generally comprises an elongated tubular housing, a fiber-optic cable for conducting remotely generated laser light into the tubular housing, a beam deflection mechanism supported within the distal end of the tubular housing and including a rotating mirror for radially reflecting and focusing light received from the fiber-optic cable around the inner wall of the sleeve, and a tracking assembly mounted on the distal end of the tubular housing for maintaining a constant radial distance between the mirror of the beam deflection mechanism and the inner wall of the sleeve despite any irregularities which may be present in the roundness of the sleeve.

Abstract: A laser beam machining method of processing a machining path having an acute angle in a CNC laser machining apparatus. A numerical control device (CNC) previously reads a machining program, to thereby detect an acute angle not greater than an allowable angle in the machining path. A machining operation is executed under normal machining conditions before a vertex (33) of the acute angle is reached and is stopped at the vertex (33) of the acute angle, and the region near the vertex (33) is cooled for a predetermined time by a cooling medium, whereby a lowering of the cut surface roughness due to an overheating by a laser beam (7) is prevented. After the cooling, the cutting work is executed under drilling conditions to continue the machining.

Abstract: A powder supply device for use in the formation of a coating by a laser beam treatment has its delivery pipe from the powder and carrier gas dispensing apparatus fitted with an expansion chamber into which the powder and gas enter via an inlet pipe carrying a powder diffuser. The expansion chamber has a conical part leading into an outlet pipe for carrying powder and gas to a discharge nozzle at a reduced rate determined by the rate of escape of gas from the expansion chamber via an exhaust pipe fitted with a flow regulator.

Abstract: A method of laser transformation hardening adapted to irradiate a laser beam in a sense of P polarization on a work piece at an angle of incidence to a surface of the work piece of 60.degree. or more which comprises steps of: forming a plurality of triangular ridges on a horizontal plane adjacent to a surface of the work piece, having a first plurality of inclined surfaces inclined at a first angle to the horizontal plane and a second plurality of inclined surfaces inclined at a second angle to the horizontal plane, the first angle being smaller than the second angle; and irradiating the laser on the work piece at the angle of incidence to the surface of the work piece of 65.degree. to 70.degree. from a direction on the side of the second plurality of inclined surface.

Abstract: A process and 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 for the focusing and deflection of a laser beam (57) propagated within the probe (1), mainly along its longitudinal axis (10), at least one optical element (41, 65), which generates a deflected laser beam (59) focused on a focal point (F) lying outside the probe (1), the direction of whose propagation is oriented obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis (10). By this means, both the thermal stress on the deflecting elements (41, 65) mounted within the probe (1) and any precipitation of welding material in the interior of the probe (1) are reduced.

Abstract: Complex small objects such as ophthalmic lenses are quickly and accurately fabricated from plastic or glass blanks of ablatable material such as plastic or glass by cutting, shaping, and radiusing the blank entirely by laser light, using appropriate masks with focusing and imaging optics.

Abstract: The laser beam welding of a spacer grid assembly is accomplished by dividing a laser beam (21) into at least two beam segments (37). These beam segments (37) are then routed around the mixing vanes (31) and focused below the vanes (31). The focus and coincidence (34) of the beam segments (37) may be moved down along the intersection to provide an elongated smaller diameter weld. The spacer grid assembly of the present invention has an improved Departure from Nucleate Boiling performance, increased strength against buckling, and a reduced detrimental effect on the coolant flow.

Abstract: The present invention involves a hold-down fixture which is usable in connection with bonding an integrated circuit package to a printed circuit board in a surface mount environment. The purpose of the fixture is to hold each of the leads of the package in intimate contact with corresponding contact pads on the printed circuit board during the bonding process. The fixture includes a base with two bars for each group of leads extending from the perimeter of the housing of the package. Together the bars compressively force the entire foot of each lead to set flatly against its pad. The bars are spaced such that an aperture, which is defined by an opening through the base and positioned between the bars, can admit a bonding means, such as a laser beam, to reflow a solder composition at the lead/pad junction. Accordingly, with the leads compressed against the pads by the bars of the fixture, and with the reflow of the solder composition by means of the laser, a good bond between each lead and pad will be formed.

Abstract: For monitoring the working of a workpiece (W) with pulsed radiation of an excimer laser the workpiece surface is periodically illuminated with visible light (B) synchronously with at least some of the laser pulses. A mirror arrangement (S) separates visible light from ultraviolet laser light so that an image corresponding to the working operation can be picked up with a video camera (VK).

Abstract: A charged particle beam lithography system includes a beam source of a charged particle beam, a beam shaping aperture for providing a predetermined cross section to the charged particle beam, a first focusing system for focusing the charged particle beam on a first crossover point located on the optical axis, a second focusing system provided between the first crossover point and an object for focusing the charged particle beam on a second crossover point located on the optical axis, a beam deflection system for deflecting the electron beam such that the beam is displaced on the surface of the object, a stage for supporting the object, a mask provided in a vicinity of said first focusing system, and an addressing system for selectively deflecting the charged particle beam such that the charged particle beam is passed through a selected aperture on the mask.

Abstract: A specular system for recovering the energy of a reflected laser beam is disclosed which has a plurality of reflecting surfaces positioned so as to further reflect the reflected laser beam back onto the workpiece surface. The normals of the reflecting surfaces are displaced from the point at which the laser beam impinges upon the workpiece from a laser head. The reflecting surfaces may be plane or curved and focusing such that they take the form of segments of spheres or cylinders, depending upon the particular application of the system. The reflecting surfaces are characterized by different curvatures or by discontinuous orientations. The reflecting surfaces may be formed on a common reflector, or may be individually formed on separate reflectors. In the latter instance, the separate reflectors may be mutually adjustable both with respect to each other and with respect to the laser head.

Abstract: A high precision system for machining substrates by means of an energy beam includes real time digital signal processor control and a deflection system providing control, within a predetermined field of the substrate, of the angle at which the beam machines the substrate. An electron beam is used in a vacuum chamber in a preferred embodiment. The system also includes an x-y table for positioning the substrate and may have provision for detecting the x-y position and angular misregistration of the substrate. Dynamic forms and stigmator control may be used to produce a uniform beam within the field. The system allows a high speed vector machining process, which optimizes the overall system throughput by minimizing the settling time of the deflection system.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a laminated magnetic core by laser welding successive core sheets, the core sheets are stacked one on another to form a stacked body of core sheets, and while the stacked body of core sheets is moved in a stepwise manner in a thickness direction perpendicular to a surface of the core sheet with respect to at least one optical fiber exit unit from which a laser beam is projected onto an outer surface of the stacked body of core sheets, the laser beam is intermittently projected onto the stacked body of core sheets such that at least successive three core sheets are welded together, and then the stacked body of core sheets is moved in the thickness direction over a distance substantially equal to at least a twice of the thickness of core sheets.

Abstract: A laser processing device includes a Z stage movable in the up and down directions with respect to a XY stage movable in the X, Y directions on which an object to be processed is provided. The surface of the object to be processed is image-sensed by a CCD camera through a lens of an electrically-driven revolver attached to the Z stage, which is projected in a monitor. When a defect of the object is displayed in the monitor, a laser beam is radiated to a defective portion of the object from a laser head provided in the Z stage and the defective portion is removed.

Abstract: A method of joining a covering layer (9) onto a substrate (10) comprises placing part of the covering layer (9) on the substrate (10) with the remaining part of the covering layer spaced from the substrate so as to expose a region of contact (5) between the covering layer and substrate. A focussed power beam such as a laser or electron beam impinges on the contact region (5) so as to bond or fuse the substrate (10) and covering layer (9) together. The spaced part of the covering layer (9) is then moved towards the substrate (10) so as to change the position of the contact region (5) and the focussed power beam is caused to impinge on the new contact region. These steps are repeated until the covering layer is bonded or fused to the substrate.

Abstract: An energy-beam welding method for two metal pieces is performed by bringing a cylindrical jig into axial engagement with one of the metal pieces at welding zone between them which are placed as joined, and irradiating an energy beam to the welding zone through the cylindrical jig in its axial direction, causing at least part of the energy beam reflected on inner peripheral wall of the cylindrical jig to be directed to the welding zone, whereby the metal pieces are mutually welded easily reliably.