Abstract: A laser processing machine for laser processing a workpiece by a processing laser beam includes a laser beam generator for generating the processing laser beam, a processing optical unit for directing the processing laser beam onto the workpiece, and a frequency-comb-based distance sensor. The distance sensor includes a laser source that is fed back in a frequency-shifted manner for generating a sensor laser beam with a frequency comb that spectrally shifts over time. The sensor laser beam is divided into a measurement beam and a reference beam along a measurement path and a reference path, respectively. The distance sensor further includes a detector, and an evaluation device configured to ascertain a distance value based on a frequency difference, resulting from a time-of-flight difference of the measurement beams and the reference beams superimposed on the detector, of two frequency combs originating from the measurement path and the reference path.

Abstract: A method for joining two components of a battery includes welding the two components to one another by scanner welding using a processing beam provided by a welding apparatus, and guiding a measurement beam of an OCT sensor system optically coaxially with the processing beam while the welding apparatus is performing the scanner welding. The measurement beam and the processing beam are guided at a substantially matching angle of incidence relative to at least one processing surface of the two components.

Abstract: A method for determining at least one geometrical outcome variable and/or at least one quality feature of a weld seam on at least one workpiece includes scanning the weld seam using a measurement beam during laser beam welding of the weld seam in order to acquire data points. The measurement beam is moved along at least one measurement path on the weld seam. The acquired data points indicate a height and/or a depth of the weld seam in relation to a workpiece surface of the at least one workpiece. The method further includes determining the at least one geometrical outcome variable and/or the at least one quality feature by evaluating the acquired data points.

Abstract: A welding optical unit for shaping a processing beam of a processing head of a welding apparatus includes a collimation lens, a focusing lens, and a beamforming insert for forming one or more spots of the processing beam on at least one workpiece to be processed. The beamforming insert has a base face and one or more side faces lying opposite the base face, which converge at a common point or in a common plateau of the beamforming insert.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a laser welding process for welding workpieces by a welding laser beam is provided. The method includes, during the laser welding process, directing a measuring beam of an optical coherence tomograph onto an interaction area in which the welding laser beam interacts with the workpieces. The measuring beam penetrates the workpieces in the interaction area in a through weld of the workpieces. The measuring beam penetrating the workpieces is incident on a reference element. The method further includes acquiring measured values using the measuring beam, defining a first measured value range corresponding to detection of a material of the workpieces, defining a second measured value range corresponding to detection of the reference element, and determine a ratio of a number of measured values lying in the first measured value range and a number of measured values lying in the second measured value range.

Abstract: A method for welding at least two aluminum-containing components includes subdividing an output laser beam into multiple partial beams directed onto the at least two components, so that multiple laser spots are generated on a surface of the at least two components, and traversing a welding contour with the multiple laser spots on the surface of the components. Centers of at least three laser spots of the multiple laser spots are arranged in a ring formation. The output laser beam is generated by a multifiber, so that each laser spot of the multiple laser spots on the surface of the components has a core portion and a ring portion. The welding contour is traversed at least partially a second time after the welding contour has been traversed a first time.

Abstract: A welding optical unit includes a collimator for collimating a laser beam, a focusing device for focusing the laser beam toward a workpiece, an adjustable beam shaper configured to shape the laser beam. The beam shaper includes a beam subdivision assembly that includes a cylindrical lens pair comprising two cylindrical lenses with diametrically opposite focal lengths and mutually parallel optical planes. The two cylindrical lenses extend with a curve on at least one side with respect to a common refraction direction perpendicular to the optical planes, and extend translationally invariantly with respect to a common non-refraction direction parallel to the optical planes. The refraction direction and the non-refraction direction extend perpendicularly to the optical axis of the welding optical unit. The welding optical unit further includes a spot distance adjusting device configured to displace the two cylindrical lenses relative to one another with respect to the refraction direction.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a laser welding process for welding workpieces by a welding laser beam is provided. The method includes, during the laser welding process, directing a measuring beam of an optical coherence tomograph onto an interaction area in which the welding laser beam interacts with the workpieces. The measuring beam penetrates the workpieces in the interaction area in a through weld of the workpieces. The measuring beam penetrating the workpieces is incident on a reference element. The method further includes acquiring measured values using the measuring beam, defining a first measured value range corresponding to detection of a material of the workpieces, defining a second measured value range corresponding to detection of the reference element, and determine a ratio of a number of measured values lying in the first measured value range and a number of measured values lying in the second measured value range.

Abstract: A method for welding at least two aluminum-containing components is provided. The components have an aluminum content of at least 75% by weight. The method includes subdividing an output laser beam into multiple partial beams directed onto the components, so that multiple laser spots are generated on a surface of the components, and traversing a welding contour on the surface of the components with the multiple laser spots. Laser spot centers of at least three laser spots of the multiple laser spots are arranged in a ring formation. The output laser beam is generated by a multifiber, so that each laser spot of the multiple laser spots on the surface of the components has a core portion and a ring portion, with a mean power density in the core portion being higher than a mean power density in the ring portion.

Abstract: A method for welding at least two aluminum-containing components is provided. Each component has a content of at least 75% by weight of aluminium. The method includes subdividing an output laser beam into multiple partial beams directed onto the components such that multiple laser spots are generated on a surface of the components, and traversing a welding contour on the surface of the components with the multiple laser spots. Laser spot centers of at least three laser spots of the multiple laser spots are arranged in a ring formation. The output laser beam is generated by a multifiber such that each laser spot of the multiple laser spots on the surface of the components has a core portion and a ring portion. The welding contour is at least partially traversed by pivoting a first mirror in a controlled manner by a scanner optical unit.

Abstract: Laser beam welding a workpiece includes: generating first and second beam areas on the workpiece by first and second laser beams, respectively. The beam areas are guided in a feed direction relative to the workpiece. Centroids of the beam areas are not coinciding. The first beam area runs ahead of the second beam area. A length of the first beam area, measured transversely to the feed direction, is greater than or equal to that of the second. A surface area of the first beam area is greater than that of the second. A width of the first beam area, measured in the feed direction, is greater than or equal to that of the second. A laser power of the first laser beam is greater than that of the second. The second laser beam is irradiated into a weld pool generated by the first laser beam.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods and systems for deep welding a workpiece, a surface of the workpiece being irradiated by a first laser beam and a second laser beam. In a workpiece surface plane (OE) a first beam width B1 of the first laser beam is larger than a second beam width B2 of the second laser beam and in at least the workpiece surface plane (OE) the second laser beam lies inside the first laser beam. The intensity of the first laser beam alone is sufficient to produce a keyhole in the workpiece. The keyhole produced in the workpiece has a width KB in the workpiece surface plane (OE), KB substantially equaling B1, and B2?0.75*KB. The methods and systems provide good seam quality, high penetration depth, and high welding speed.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods and systems for deep welding a workpiece, a surface of the workpiece being irradiated by a first laser beam and a second laser beam. In a workpiece surface plane (OE) a first beam width B1 of the first laser beam is larger than a second beam width B2 of the second laser beam and in at least the workpiece surface plane (OE) the second laser beam lies inside the first laser beam. The intensity of the first laser beam alone is sufficient to produce a keyhole in the workpiece. The keyhole produced in the workpiece has a width KB in the workpiece surface plane (OE), KB substantially equaling B1, and B2?0.75*KB. The methods and systems provide good seam quality, high penetration depth, and high welding speed.

Abstract: A laser welding optical apparatus includes: a laser beam source; a collimation optical unit collimating the provided laser beam; a beam splitter splitting the collimated laser beam into partial beams, the beam splitter having a first setting facility, which variably sets the splitting of the collimated laser; and a focusing optical unit focusing the partial beams onto the welding workpiece The laser beam source has a multiclad fiber having a core and ring fiber, and a second setting facility, which variably splits an input laser beam at an end of the multiclad fiber between the core and ring fiber. A second end of the multiclad fiber provides the laser beam for the collimation optical unit. The beam splitter splits the collimated laser beam among two leading and trailing partial beams. The first setting facility sets the energy distribution between the leading and the trailing partial beams.

Abstract: Methods for determining the quality of a weld of a workpiece welded by laser-beam welding, wherein at least a partial region of a molten pool and/or of a surrounding area of the molten pool is observed by means of a measuring system during the laser-beam welding and the quality of the weld of the welded workpiece is determined on the basis of the observation result. At least one characteristic value that correlates with molten pool oscillation of the molten pool is observed during the laser-beam welding and a measure of an amplitude of the molten pool oscillation and/or a measure of a frequency of the molten pool oscillation is determined from the observed time curve of the characteristic value. A probability and/or a frequency for the occurrence of hot cracks at the weld of the workpiece is inferred.

Abstract: Laser beam welding a workpiece includes: generating first and second beam areas on the workpiece by first and second laser beams, respectively. The beam areas are guided in a feed direction relative to the workpiece. Centroids of the beam areas are not coinciding. The first beam area runs ahead of the second beam area. A length of the first beam area, measured transversely to the feed direction, is greater than or equal to that of the second. A surface area of the first beam area is greater than that of the second. A width of the first beam area, measured in the feed direction, is greater than or equal to that of the second. A laser power of the first laser beam is greater than that of the second. The second laser beam is irradiated into a weld pool generated by the first laser beam.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods and systems for deep welding a workpiece, a surface of the workpiece being irradiated by a first laser beam and a second laser beam. In a workpiece surface plane (OE) a first beam width B1 of the first laser beam is larger than a second beam width B2 of the second laser beam and in at least the workpiece surface plane (OE) the second laser beam lies inside the first laser beam. The intensity of the first laser beam alone is sufficient to produce a keyhole in the workpiece. The keyhole produced in the workpiece has a width KB in the workpiece surface plane (OE), KB substantially equaling B1, and B2?0.75*KB. The methods and systems provide good seam quality, high penetration depth, and high welding speed.

Abstract: Methods for determining the quality of a weld of a workpiece welded by laser-beam welding, wherein at least a partial region of a molten pool and/or of a surrounding area of the molten pool is observed by means of a measuring system during the laser-beam welding and the quality of the weld of the welded workpiece is determined on the basis of the observation result. At least one characteristic value that correlates with molten pool oscillation of the molten pool is observed during the laser-beam welding and a measure of an amplitude of the molten pool oscillation and/or a measure of a frequency of the molten pool oscillation is determined from the observed time curve of the characteristic value. A probability and/or a frequency for the occurrence of hot cracks at the weld of the workpiece is inferred.

Abstract: In some aspects, a tool cartridge for detachably holding tool parts includes a cartridge base body, a punch holder configured to detachably hold a processing punch, and a die holder configured to detachably hold a processing die. The punch holder and the die holder project from a front side of the cartridge base body and are arranged one above another to form an intervening space. The cartridge base body is defined along a rear side that is opposite from free ends of the punch holder and the die holder by a base body rear wall. The base body rear wall defines, within the intervening space, a wall opening that is open for receiving a third tool part holder. A base-body-side fastening device is provided on the cartridge base body, by which the third tool part holder received in the wall opening is connected to the cartridge base body.

Abstract: Defibrillator electrodes are sealed to the inside of a rigid enclosure. The enclosure is hinged to open and expose the electrodes for deployment. The electrode gel is sealed against moisture loss between the moisture impervious electrode backing and the inner surface of the enclosure. The enclosure may further include an electrical circuit for electrode self-testing, the circuit being broken when the enclosure is opened.