Abstract: The invention concerns a method for beam welding of hardenable steels using a short-time heat treatment. A preferred area of application of the invention is motor vehicle and mechanical engineering. In the method according to the invention, the short-time heat treatment occurs first as the sole preheating in a defined manner, and then the beam welding begins after a defined cooling time, at the latest.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for laser beam shaping, and in particular to a device for laser beam surface machining. The device includes at least one stationary beam-shaping mirror and at least one rotary mirror that is rotatably supported about a rotational axis and can be selectively driven for rotation. As viewed in the direction of propagation of the laser beam, the at least one static beam shaping mirror is disposed first, followed by the at least one rotary mirror. A perpendicular to a beam deflecting surface of the rotary mirror is inclined at a particular angle relative to the rotational axis by a tapered disc. The tapered disc is fastened to the side of the rotary mirror remote from the laser beam to provide the desired angle of inclination, and the beam deflecting surface of the rotary mirror may be made smooth. One of the stationary and rotary mirrors is configured so that the resulting outline of the beam on the surface to be treated includes an ellipse.

Abstract: An apparatus for optical monitoring of the surface of rod-shaped smoking articles and/or filter rods for the tobacco industry comprises a conveying means transporting the rods perpendicularly to their longitudinal direction and a high-pressure lamp which serves as light source and which is connected via an optical fibre cable to a sensor block; the optical fibre cable is divided amongst at least two cross-section transformers with strip-shaped light exit regions whose light rays are directed via a further optical system from above and below respectively onto the line-shaped region of the surface of the rod. In addition the sensor block contains a row of photoelectric transducers which simultaneously the line-shaped surface region in the longitudinal direction of the rod and thereby pick up the light reflected at the surface of the rod.