Abstract: The present invention relates to the production of a series of holes in a layer of material, in particular to the production of a target rupture line in a first layer of an airbag cover. The radiation of a plasma that forms during the production of each hole is detected from the surface that is being machined. From the signal pattern derived, the time of the beginning of the signal and the time of the appearance of a falling edge that meets a predetermined edge criterion are detected and stored. The point in time at which the falling edge appears is a switching criterion for switching off the laser. The difference between the two points in time stored for each hole constitutes a quality criterion for the respective hole.

Abstract: The system comprises a buckling arm robot with a robot frame (1) and an articulated arm (2) and a fiber optic cable (5) which is connected to one end of the articulated arm (2) and through which a laser beam (11) with a beam axis (10) is coupled into the articulated arm (2) in the direction of a first axis of the articulated arm (2). The fiber optic cable (5) is indirectly connected to the stationary end of the articulated arm (2) via an alignment unit (6) which comprises a collimating lens system (13) and at least two alignment mirrors (12.1, 12.2), each of which mirrors can swivel about at least one axis of rotation and move along at least one axis of translation, with the axes of rotation and the axes of translation being disposed at right angles to each other so that the beam axis (10) of the laser beam (11) can be made to coincide with the optical axis (4).

Abstract: The system comprises a buckling arm robot with a robot frame (1) and an articulated arm (2) and a fiber optic cable (5) which is connected to one end of the articulated arm (2) and through which a laser beam (11) with a beam axis (10) is coupled into the articulated arm (2) in the direction of a first axis of the articulated arm (2). The fiber optic cable (5) is indirectly connected to the stationary end of the articulated arm (2) via an alignment unit (6) which comprises a collimating lens system (13) and at least two alignment mirrors (12.1, 12.2), each of which mirrors can swivel about at least one axis of rotation and move along at least one axis of translation, with the axes of rotation and the axes of translation being disposed at right angles to each other so that the beam axis (10) of the laser beam (11) can be made to coincide with the optical axis (4).

Abstract: The present invention relates to the production of a series of holes in a layer of material, in particular to the production of a target rupture line in a first layer of an airbag cover. The radiation of a plasma that forms during the production of each hole is detected from the surface that is being machined. From the signal pattern derived, the time of the beginning of the signal and the time of the appearance of a falling edge that meets a predetermined edge criterion are detected and stored. The point in time at which the falling edge appears is a switching criterion for switching off the laser. The difference between the two points in time stored for each hole constitutes a quality criterion for the respective hole.

Abstract: A CO2 laser machining head with machining optics comprising at least one lens, through which a CO2 laser beam is directed to a workpiece, and a monitoring device for monitoring defects and contamination in the machining optics, comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes and photodiodes which are directed to an optically active surface of the machining optics so as to be distributed around the CO2 laser bean in order to determine defects and contamination of the optically active surfaces of the machining optics by detecting reflected components and stray components of the radiation of the light emitting diodes.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process to cut, perforate, or inscribe repeating patterns in continuously-moving flat material by locally vaporizing the flat material with at least one controllable laser beam from at least one beam deflection system whereby each laser beam is moved relative to the flat material in two perpendicular directions (x and y) from a fixed point, and a device to implement the procedure.