The present invention provides a compact coaxial nozzle useful in laser welding operations where the welding piece has a restricted or confined geometry. The nozzle is generally conical in shape, terminating in a relatively small tip. The nozzle includes a central laser discharge opening. The conical shape allows movement of the nozzle in confined areas. The nozzle includes a cooling jacket for proving coolant to the nozzle. The nozzle also includes a powder mixing chamber that provides good mixing of powdered filler material with a coaxial discharge around the laser. Finally, the nozzle further provides for inert gas to pass from an upper inlet, through passageways, out of a ring discharge. The ring discharge is also coaxially disposed around the central laser. Further the ring discharge provides mixing of the inert gas in order to minimize turbulent flow problems associated with restrictor plates.

Compact coaxial nozzle for laser cladding

An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate to a pattern of a mask by use of exposure light. The apparatus includes an optical system for directing the exposure light from a light source to the substrate, the optical system having an optical element, a first casing for accommodating therein an optical surface of the optical element, and a second casing for accommodating therein the optical element and the first casing, a first port provided in the first casing, a second port provided in the second casing, a supplier for supplying an inert gas into the first casing and the second casing, and a supplier for supplying an inert gas into the first casing and the second casing through the first port and the second port.

Exposure apparatus and method of cleaning optical element of the same

Control is exercised such that an arc discharge from a GMA electrode is performed after or simultaneously with start of oscillation of laser light from a laser oscillator, and oscillation of the laser light from the laser oscillator is stopped after or simultaneously with termination of the arc discharge from the GMA electrode. A coaxial laser beam machining head is configured such that the GMA electrode is disposed in a space portion between a first divisional laser beam and a second divisional laser beam, which have been formed by division by first and second reflecting mirrors, coaxially with the laser beams. Alternatively, the coaxial laser beam machining head is configured such that the GMA electrode is disposed in a space portion, which has been formed in a body of laser light by withdrawing part of the laser light outwardly with the use of first and second reflecting mirrors, coaxially with the body of the laser light.

Laser machining apparatus

A laser welding device includes a laser that generates a laser beam, an optics, and a limiting apparatus The optics has a focal length of at least 200 nm and being configured to focus the laser beam onto a processing zone of a workpiece The limiting apparatus limits a mixture of welding gases and heated ambient air, produced during laser welding, within the laser beam to a region that is less than the focal length from a surface of the workpiece

Laser welding device and method

A laser processing machine having a laser processing head that is open to a workpiece has a device for providing gas to the laser beam guide that introduces a first gas through a first gas inlet into the laser beam guide and introduces a second gas through a second gas inlet into the laser beam guide.

Laser processing machines and methods for providing a gas to the beam guide of a laser processing machine

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely shield a welding part by providing an opening with a clean air filled in a beam transmission line and blowing a shield gas against the laser beam converged from the opening and the welding part through a special shield gas feedling section. SOLUTION: The clean air is fed from an air feeding port 8 into the beam transmission line 3 and discharged from the opening 18 under a converging mirror 2. The clean air is filled in the beam transmission line 3 to keep cleanliness in the beam transmission line 3. Furthermore, the shield gas is blown against the weld zone 4 from a shield gas nozzle 6. The weld zone 4 is separated from the atmosphere with an inert gas such as Ar, He or the like used as the shield gas to prevent the generation of welding defects such as oxidation in the weld zone and voids owing to the air entrupment or the like. In addition, the reduction of the generating laser inductive plasma in the weld zone is restrained with the function of the inert gas, whereby the generation of a burn through is prevented.

Masanori Moribe

Papers

Laser welding device