Ipg Photonics Corporation

Ingo Schramm

Artjom Fuchs

Valentin Gapontsev

Valentin Fomin

Andrey Abramov

Eugene Shcherbakov

Holger Mamerow

Andreas Michalzik

Andreas Siewert

Manfred Barz

Jörg Thieme

Anton Starovoytov

Sergei Stobbe

A hand displaceable laser welding gun is configured with an elongated support column extending along a longitudinal axis and made from lightweight material. A support plate is displaceably mounted to the column while supporting thereon an optical head axially which is provided with optics. The optics is configured to direct a laser beam along a path towards a welding zone through a protective window of the optical head. The laser welding gun further is structured with a first arm mounted to the support plate and extending along a longitudinal axis of the gun diametrically opposite to the optical head. The inner surface of the displaceable arm has an inner surface defining a tunnel which is aligned with the optical head and axially traversed by the laser beam, a first axially flowing stream of pressurized gaseous medium, and a second axially flowing stream of gaseous medium. The second stream, entering the tunnel at a pressure lower than that one of the first stream in response to a pressure gradient generated in the column, does not generate vortexes within the column. The first and second streams exit through the downstream end of the tunnel next to the welding zone. As the streams flow out, they carry out welding debris flowing within the tunnel to the optical head.

Hand maneuverable welding gun

The invention relates to a machine for material processing with a laser beam, in particular laser welding. It is comprised of a machine guided protective housing with an outlet opening surrounding the laser beam that is pointed at the material during processing. To create a machine for laser beam welding which ensures improved operator and personal safety without completely enclosing the machine, it is suggested that the protective housing contains at least one sensor which measures certain chemical or physical properties. The sensor is connected to the machines control unit which compares the current values with reference values for a measure and, depending on current/reference value comparison, interrupts the laser beam or prevents laser beam activation. In addition a method and arrangement for improved operator and personal safety for operation of such a machine is presented.

Machine and method for the material processing of workpieces by way of a laser beam

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Burbach, Germany

Ingo Schramm