Abstract: A laser machining system for machining a workpiece uses a laser beam, preferably for cutting or welding a workpiece using a laser beam. The laser machining system includes a machining head with a housing having an opening for emitting the laser beam from the machining head, a measuring device configured to direct an optical measurement beam through the opening, and an optical unit for aligning the laser beam and the optical measurement beam, the optical unit being settable to adjust the laser beam and the optical measurement beam perpendicular to the optical axis of the machining head in the region of the opening. The measuring device is further configured to determine a setting of the optical unit corresponding to the central alignment of the laser beam on the basis of measurement values based on reflections of the optical measurement beam for different settings of the optical unit.

Abstract: A machining head is provided for a laser machining system configured to machine a workpiece using a laser beam. The machining head includes a housing having an opening for emitting the laser beam from the machining head; at least one reflective reference at the housing; and a measuring device configured to direct an optical measurement beam towards the opening and the at least one reflective reference. The measuring device is further configured to determine a distance (d1) between the end portion and the workpiece on the basis of a first reflection (A) of the optical measurement beam from the at least one reflective reference and a second reflection (B) of the optical measurement beam from the workpiece.

Abstract: A laser machining system for machining a workpiece uses a laser beam, preferably for cutting or welding a workpiece using a laser beam. The laser machining system includes a machining head with a housing having an opening for emitting the laser beam from the machining head, a measuring device configured to direct an optical measurement beam through the opening, and an optical unit for aligning the laser beam and the optical measurement beam, the optical unit being settable to adjust the laser beam and the optical measurement beam perpendicular to the optical axis of the machining head in the region of the opening. The measuring device is further configured to determine a setting of the optical unit corresponding to the central alignment of the laser beam on the basis of measurement values based on reflections of the optical measurement beam for different settings of the optical unit.

Abstract: A machining head is provided for a laser machining system configured to machine a workpiece using a laser beam. The machining head includes a housing having an opening for emitting the laser beam from the machining head; at least one reflective reference at the housing; and a measuring device configured to direct an optical measurement beam towards the opening and the at least one reflective reference. The measuring device is further configured to determine a distance (d1) between the end portion and the workpiece on the basis of a first reflection (A) of the optical measurement beam from the at least one reflective reference and a second reflection (B) of the optical measurement beam from the workpiece.

Abstract: A laser processing head for processing a workpiece by means of laser beam, including a housing through which a beam path for the laser beam is led and which has a focusing optical unit for focusing the laser beam onto a joint of the workpiece to be processed. A light cutting device is fitted to the housing and has a light source for generating a light line on the workpiece. A camera is arranged in an observation beam path in front of the camera such that the camera images the light line at the location to be joined and also the portion. The system also includes an image processor which calculates a minimum distance between the stored target trajectory and the current welding path midpoint.

Abstract: The invention relates to a laser processing head (10) for processing a workpiece (10) by means of laser beam (12), comprising a housing (14), through which a beam path for the laser beam is led and which has a focusing optical unit (18) for focusing the laser beam onto a joint (42) of the workpiece to be processed, a light cutting device (30) fitted to the housing (14) and having a light source (34) for generating a light line (38) on the workpiece (16), which cuts a location to be joined at a predetermined distance (d) from the joint, a camera (24) with an optical bandpass filter (28) arranged in an observation beam path in front of the camera, wherein the light source (34) has an at least local emission maximum in the wavelength passband of the bandpass filter and the optical bandpass filter (28) is configured in such a way that the laser beam (12) is not transmitted, and wherein the camera images the light line at the location to be joined and also the portion—transmitted by the bandpass filter—of the proc

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for clamping components during machining, in particular during welding of sheet-metal components arranged in two or multiple layers. The apparatus includes a holder for a machining head, in particular for a laser machining head, a pressure-exerting element fitted on the holder in a movable fashion relative thereto, a pressure-exerting device provided operatively between the holder and the pressure-exerting element and having a first actuating element for moving the pressure-exerting element relative to the holder into a first direction, and a second actuating element for moving the pressure-exerting element into a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, and a force-setting device for controlling the pressure-exerting device in order to set a clamping force. During welding, the clamping force is exerted on the sheet-metal components by the pressure-exerting element.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and method for clamping components (12) during machining, in particular during welding of sheet-metal components arranged in two or multiple layers, having a holder (10) for a machining head (11), in particular for a laser machining head, which can be fitted on an industrial robot in order to guide the machining head (11) along a machining line, a pressure-exerting element (14) which is fitted on the holder (10) in a movable fashion relative thereto, and a pressure-exerting device (17) which is provided operatively between holder (10) and pressure-exerting element (14), with the aid of which the pressure-exerting element (14) can be moved relative to the holder (10).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for regulating an automatic treatment process. In order to ensure the desired quality of the treatment result and to improve it as compared with conventional methods, provision is made for a line of light (15) to be projected, by means of a light source (12) and first optics (13) arranged between the light source (12) and a workpiece (10) to be treated, onto a region of the workpiece (10) treated by means of a treatment head (24), for the line of light (15) to be projected onto a receiver arrangement (18) by second optics (17), and, by means of an evaluation circuit (22), for at least one treatment parameter of a treatment machine (23) to be regulated as a function of the comparison of an actual value of a parameter determined from the course of a profile with its desired value.

Abstract: An apparatus for observing and controlling a laser machining process. A working laser beam is focused in an interaction zone on a workpiece by means of a focusing mirror. The apparatus includes a radiation-sensitive receiver arrangement, and an observation mirror which deflects radiation coming from a region of the interaction zone and couples the radiation out of a working beam path onto the receiver arrangement. The observation mirror has substantially the same imaging properties as the focusing mirror. In addition, an evaluation circuit is provided to which output signals from the receiver arrangement of the observation apparatus are supplied, which processes the output signals received from the receiver arrangement and which supplies output signals for an open-loop and closed-loop control circuit, which in turn controls the laser beam and/or the laser machining process as a function of the output signals from the evaluation circuit.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method which can be carried out with a sensor device, for monitoring a laser machining operation to be performed on a work piece, in which for quality assurance with a local-resolution receiver assembly, a given field of observation is selected in the region of the interaction zone between laser beam and work piece, in which radiation coming from the selected field of observation is detected with a radiation-sensitive receiver which delivers an electrical signal corresponding to the detected radiation, in which the electrical signal is filtered in a signal processing circuit in order to detect rapid and/or short, fault-related changes in intensity of the detected radiation, and in which the filtered electrical signal for the detection of faults during the laser machining operation.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method which can be carried out with a sensor device, for monitoring a laser machining operation to be performed on a work piece (12), in which for quality assurance with a local-resolution receiver assembly (10, 11, 14) a given field of observation (13) is selected in the region of the interaction zone between laser beam (25) and work piece (12), in which radiation coming from the selected field of observation (13) is detected with a radiation-sensitive receiver (10) which delivers an electrical signal corresponding to the detected radiation, in which the electrical signal is filtered in a signal processing circuit (16) in order to detect rapid and/or short, fault-related changes in intensity of the detected radiation, and in which the filtered electrical signal for the detection of faults during the laser machining operation.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method which can be carried out with a sensor device, for monitoring a laser machining operation to be performed on a work piece (12), in which for quality assurance with a local-resolution receiver assembly (10, 11, 14) a given field of observation (13) is selected in the region of the interaction zone between laser beam (25) and work piece (12), in which radiation coming from the selected field of observation (13) is detected with a radiation-sensitive receiver (10) which delivers an electrical signal corresponding to the detected radiation, in which the electrical signal is filtered in a signal processing circuit (16) in order to detect rapid and/or short, fault-related changes in intensity of the detected radiation, and in which the filtered electrical signal for the detection of faults during the laser machining operation.