Precitec Optronik Gmbh

Precitec Gmbh & Co. Kg

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Markus Kogel-Hollacher

Martin Schönleber

Thibault Bautze

Christoph Dietz

Andreas Rudolf

Henning Hanebuth

Matthias Strebel

Martin Schoenleber

Daniel Regulin

Axel Hatwig

Martin Schöleber

Christian Staudenmaier

Heinz-Ingo Schneider

Christian Fraas

The invention relates to a device () for an additive manufacture. The device () comprises a laser device () for machining material using a laser beam (), said laser device () being designed to deflect the laser beam () onto a machining region of a workpiece (); at least one supply device () for a supply material, said supply device being designed to supply the supply material to the machining region; and an interferometer () which is designed to measure a distance to the workpiece () by means of an optical measuring beam ().

Apparatus and method for additive manufacturing

A processing head for a laser processing device adapted for processing a workpiece using laser radiation has: adjustable focusing optics to focus laser radiation in a focal spot having an adjustable distance from the processing head; an optical coherence tomograph to measure a distance between the processing head and the workpiece by measuring an optical interference between measuring light reflected by the workpiece and measuring light not reflected by the workpiece; a path length modulator that can change, synchronously with and dependent on a change of the focal spot distance from the processing head, an optical path length in an optical path along which measuring light propagates; a scanning device, which deflects the laser radiation in different directions; and a control device, which i) controls a focal length of the focusing optics in such a way that the focal spot is situated at a desired location on the workpiece, ii) receives, from the coherence tomograph, information representing the distance between the processing head and the workpiece, and iii) uses information received from the coherence tomograph for a continuous correction of a positioning of the focal spot on the workpiece.

Machining head for a laser machining device

The invention pertains to measuring, adjusting and/or controlling a distance between a machining head, particularly a laser machining head, and a workpiece, comprising a measurement light source, a beam splitter that splits the light of the measurement light source into a measurement light beam and a reference light beam, a reference arm, through which the reference light beam is guided, an optical system for coupling the measurement light beam into a processing beam path featuring a focusing lens, an optical device for superimposing the measurement light beam, and a measurement and evaluation unit.

Method and device for measuring and controlling a distance between a machining head and a workpiece

The invention relates to a machining head for a laser machining device, which is equipped for machining a workpiece () using laser radiation (). The laser machining head comprises an adjustable focusing optical unit (), which focuses the laser radiation () in a focal spot (). The distance between the focal spot () and a machining head can be modified by modifying the focal length of the focusing optical unit (). A scanning apparatus () deflects the laser radiation () in different directions. An optical coherence tomography device () measures a distance between the treatment head and the workpiece (). Here, measuring light (), which was generated by a measuring light source () and reflected by the workpiece (), interferes in the coherence tomography device () with measuring light, which traveled an optical path length in a reference arm (). A path-length modulator () is disposed in the reference arm () and it updates the optical path length in the reference arm () synchronously with, and dependent on, a change in the focal length of the focusing optical unit ().

According to a method for measuring the distance between a workpiece and a machining head of a laser machining apparatus, a machining head is provided, which has a housing that has an interior and an opening for emergence of the laser radiation from the machining head. The laser radiation is directed on to the workpiece, after it has passed through the interior and the opening. An object beam is directed on to the workpiece by a light source of an optical coherence tomograph in such a manner that the object beam passes through the interior and the opening before being incident upon the workpiece. In addition to the object beam, a measuring beam passes through the interior. The measuring beam is used to compensate falsifications of the measured distance that have been caused by pressure fluctuations in the interior. The measuring beam in this case may be reflected at a reflective face that is formed on an inner face of an outlet nozzle that comprises the opening, which inner face delimits the interior.

Method for measuring the distance between a workpiece and a machining head of a laser machining apparatus

A material-working device with working beams of a beam generator and with in-situ measurement of a working distance between the beam generator and a workpiece, the material-working device including a working laser; a laser scanner for the working laser, the laser scanner including a two-dimensional deflecting device with scanner mirrors and a variable refocusing device at varying working distances; and a sensor device including a spectrometer and at least one sensor light source, wherein measuring beams together scan a working area of the workpiece by the laser scanner and an objective lens while gathering the working distance, and the measuring beams of at least two of the light sources of the sensor device being linearly polarized and being coupled into a working beam path of the laser scanner of the material-working device by an optical coupling element in a collimated state with crossed polarization directions.

Material-working device with in-situ measurement of the working distance

The invention relates to a machining device () comprising at least one machining head () designed to provide at least one high-energy machining beam (), especially an electron or laser beam. Such a machining device is used to remove material from workpieces () or for connecting workpieces () by bonding, especially by means of welding. According to the invention, at least one scanning device () designed as an optical coherence tomograph and provided for surface scanning is associated with the machining head (). The invention also relates to a method for machining material using a high-energy machining beam for scanning surface areas of a workpiece which is machined, not yet machined, or being machined, by means of an optical coherence tomograph.

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Haibach, Germany

Markus Kogel-Hollacher