Abstract: A method of manufacturing structural sheet metal products whereby a number of portions of sheet metal are fed simultaneously along concurrent planes so that the leading edge of one portion cooperates with a face of an adjacent portion along the plane of contact between the two portions; respective sheets are cut simultaneously off the portions; and the sheets are welded together along the respective planes of contact; cutting and welding being performed using laser heads.

Abstract: A laser cutting apparatus (10) whereby the laser beam (11) is directed on to a cutting portion (13) of the workpiece (15), and a jet (18) of gas is guided, fully enclosed within solid walls, on to the cutting portion (13, 13a) in an inclined direction in relation to the beam (11) and at such a velocity as to control the fluid-thermodynamic effects caused by interaction with the beam (11) and with the material liquefied by the same, and to flush the liquefied material out of the cut (16) in steady, controlled manner. The jet (18) is supplied by means of a solid-walled conduit (21), the end portion of which conveniently presents an opening (37) enabling passage of the beam (11) on to the cutting portion (13, 13a). (FIG.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for manufacturing structural steel metal products in which a strip of sheet metal is fed along a plane and cut by a laser into a number of sheets with each sheet secured to a respective supporting surface of a rotary work holder and welded by an additional laser to the previous sheet along a common edge.

Abstract: There is described a method for welding thin metal sheets (A, B) by the localized heating of limited juxtaposed zones of the metal sheets to be welded to cause their fusion and to form spot welds (S). In each weld zone, the metal sheets (A, B) are heated and fused along a closed line so that each weld spot (S) has a substantially annular configuration in cross section in a plane parallel to the metal sheets.This welding may be achieved for example with the use of a laser (2) produced by a laser source (1), or by electrical resistance welding with a pair of opposed electrodes (6, 7) the ends whereof which are intended to grip the metal sheets (A, B) are suitably shaped.

Abstract: A method for butt welding two metal pieces which are difficult to weld, particularly pieces of medium or high carbon content steel with the use of laser beams is accomplished by forming a groove in at least a surface of one of the pieces to be welded to define a pair of longitudinal ribs having flat frontal surfaces. The flat surfaces are placed against the surface of the other piece in welding position and the two ribs are welded simultaneously by means of opposed laser beams moving along the zone of contact between the ribs and the surface of the other piece. An alternate method involves the use of a sheet of welding material having an aperture therein which is located between the two pieces to be welded. The two laser beams move along opposite surfaces of the apertured sheet to weld the two pieces together by means of the intermediate sheet.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a laser radiation generator which directs a laser beam onto a workpiece to be treated, and a reflector capable of re-directing onto the workpiece undergoing treatment the radiation reflected and/or scattered by the piece. The reflector is formed in such a way as to cause the radiation reflected and scattered by the piece to be re-focused in a zone that is different from but adjacent the zone struck directly by the radiation emitted by the laser generator. In this way a pre-heating or a post-heating of the zone of the workpiece struck directly by the radiation emitted by the generator may be effected.

Abstract: A sheet metal welding process is described in which limited zones of contact of metal sheets (A, B) are heated locally by a power laser so as to cause fusion in the manner of spot or seam welds (P, C). Such spot or seam welds are achieved by deep penetration welding of juxtaposed metal sheets joined by a plurality of welding spots or seams, these may be spaced apart such that the sheet metal portions between the spots or seams can deform in an elastic-plastic manner under stress.

Abstract: The method allows a treatment (cutting, welding, alloying or surface hardening, etc.) to be carried out on a metal piece with the addition of an added material and with the use of a power laser. The metal piece is heated locally and the added material is brought into a plastic or liquid state by means of laser radiation so as to fuse it with the piece. The added material used is a powder.

Abstract: A laser microdrilling method uses a power laser beam the action of which causes solid workpiece metal to be transformed into both liquid and vapor phases. In order to improve the surface finish and dimensional accuracy of a hole formed, the workpiece is heated to a temperature sufficient to cause both the liquid phase formed directly by the action of the laser beam and the liquid phase caused by the condensation of the vapor phase on the wall of the hole being formed, to be maintained in the liquid state for a period of time long enough to permit the uniform spreading of these liquid phases over the wall of the hole.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating a metal workpiece includes a laser radiation generator arranged to generate and focus a laser beam onto a workpiece, and a part-spherical mirror so positioned as to refocus onto said workpiece the radiation reflected therefrom. The provision of the mirror increases the percentage of the laser radiation energy absorbed by the workpiece.