Abstract: A processing machine includes a laser irradiation device that emits an annular laser beam, and a wire feeding device that feeds a wire from an inside of the annular laser beam. When a workpiece irradiation proportion parameter (WIP) represented by an equation WIP=Pwp/P (Pwp: laser beam power introduced onto a workpiece surface when the wire exists in an irradiation region of the laser beam, P: the laser beam power introduced onto the workpiece surface when the wire does not exist in the irradiation region) is defined, a control device controls the wire feeding device so that a wire end abuts on the workpiece surface at a beginning of additive manufacturing. The control device determines initial power P0 based on the WIP at the beginning of the additive manufacturing, and controls the laser irradiation device so that the workpiece is irradiated with the laser beam at the initial power P0.

Abstract: An additive-manufacturing head is used for performing additive manufacturing by feeding a material to a workpiece and irradiating the workpiece with a laser beam. The additive-manufacturing head includes: a ring-shape laser beam forming unit configured to form a laser beam in a ring shape; a laser beam emitting unit configured to emit the ring-shape laser beam toward a workpiece; and a material feeding unit having an outlet which is disposed inside the ring-shape laser beam emitted from the laser beam emitting unit and from which the material is released, and configured to feed the material from the outlet toward the workpiece. The head configured in this manner can improve the material usage efficiency for the directed energy deposition method.

Abstract: An additive-manufacturing head includes: a ring-shape laser beam forming unit having axicon lenses facing each other and a convex lens between the axicon lenses to form a laser beam entering through the axicon lens into a ring-shape laser beam and emit the ring-shape laser beam from the other axicon lens; a lens moving mechanism to move the convex lens in the optical axis direction of the laser beam; a laser beam emitting unit to emit the ring-shape laser beam toward a workpiece; and a material powder feeding tube having an outlet which is disposed inside the ring-shape laser beam emitted from the laser beam emitting unit and from which material powder is released, to feed the material powder from the outlet toward the workpiece. Accordingly, the additive-manufacturing head capable of freely controlling the size of the laser-beam-irradiated region and the laser beam intensity distribution on the workpiece is provided.

Abstract: A machine for additive manufacturing positions a film having additive material relative to a substrate. The additive material is melted onto the substrate or previously formed layers of a workpiece using a laser. The substrate/workpiece and/or the film can be positioned in multiple axes so that complex shapes can be formed without extraneous supporting structures. The film-based delivery of the additive material allows deposition in orientations other than horizontal as is required for powder-only additive manufacturing and also avoids the inconvenience of collecting and recycling unused loose powdered metal.

Abstract: An additive-manufacturing head includes: a ring-shape laser beam forming unit having axicon lenses facing each other and a convex lens between the axicon lenses to form a laser beam entering through the axicon lens into a ring-shape laser beam and emit the ring-shape laser beam from the other axicon lens; a lens moving mechanism to move the convex lens in the optical axis direction of the laser beam; a laser beam emitting unit to emit the ring-shape laser beam toward a workpiece; and a material powder feeding tube having an outlet which is disposed inside the ring-shape laser beam emitted from the laser beam emitting unit and from which material powder is released, to feed the material powder from the outlet toward the workpiece. Accordingly, the additive-manufacturing head capable of freely controlling the size of the laser-beam-irradiated region and the laser beam intensity distribution on the workpiece is provided.

Abstract: An additive-manufacturing head is used for performing additive manufacturing by feeding a material to a workpiece and irradiating the workpiece with a laser beam. The additive-manufacturing head includes: a ring-shape laser beam forming unit configured to form a laser beam in a ring shape; a laser beam emitting unit configured to emit the ring-shape laser beam toward a workpiece; and a material feeding unit having an outlet which is disposed inside the ring-shape laser beam emitted from the laser beam emitting unit and from which the material is released, and configured to feed the material from the outlet toward the workpiece. The head configured in this manner can improve the material usage efficiency for the directed energy deposition method.

Abstract: A machine for additive manufacturing positions a film having additive material relative to a substrate. The additive material is melted onto the substrate or previously formed layers of a workpiece using a laser. The substrate/workpiece and/or the film can be positioned in multiple axes so that complex shapes can be formed without extraneous supporting structures. The film-based delivery of the additive material allows deposition in orientations other than horizontal as is required for powder-only additive manufacturing and also avoids the inconvenience of collecting and recycling unused loose powdered metal.

Abstract: A control system, for a machine tool of the kind in which electrical energy passes across a gap between a tool electrode and a workpiece to erode the workpiece, comprises means for forming signals representative of the rate of erosion of the workpiece and the rate of undesirable erosion or "wear" of the tool electrode, and a computer means which receives the signals and combines them with a signal received from a data input device, which signal represents a desired optimum relationship between the two rates of erosion, and forms an appropriate output signal for controlling the machine tool. The data input device is usable, in rough machining operations where the tool electrode may be relatively cheaper than machine time, to ensure that machining is done in the shortest time by allowing a relatively high rate of tool wear and, in fine machining where the tool electrode is expensive, to ensure minimal tool wear at the cost of machine time.