Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the performance of a welding method carried out on a metal workpiece, in particular an electric arc welding or laser welding method, with the following steps: introducing one or more extracts of the initial image each having at least one presumed projection, as input to at least one neural network, in particular a convolutional neural network, so as to classify the presumed projections as confirmed or unconfirmed projections, carrying out a second digital processing operation on the initial image comprising the previously classified projections so as to determine at least one parameter representative of the quantity of confirmed projections chosen from the surface of one or more projections.

Abstract: A method of combined laser and oxy-cutting, including heating an area of the material to be cut to an enabling temperature range with a laser beam and introducing an oxygen stream into the heated area, thus cutting the material. Wherein the laser beam is directed in a periodic path.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for focusing a laser. Embodiments of the invention provide a multiple focal mirror device having at least a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface and a light condensing device. An incident laser beam is reflected from each of the reflective surfaces to produce resultant, respective partial laser beams. The partial laser beams are directed to the light condensing device which operates to focus the partial laser beams according to respective focal points of the partial laser beams, the focal points being different from each other.