Ipg Photonics Corporation

Other

Yuri Grapov

William D Jones

Michael Digiantommaso

Felix Stukalin

Erik Hinrichsen

Kris Pruyn

Valentin Gapontsev

Nikhit Nair

Ning Liu

Dmitry Starodubov

Barbara Previtali

Rene J Lyman

Michael M DiGiantommaso

Nam Ly

Stephen J Kasik, Jr

Gerard Theroux

Mark Warren

Bill Jones

Michael Digiantomasso

Vladlen Ivshin

Oleksiy Andrusyak

William Jones

Stefano Cattaneo

Lorenzo Rossotti

Daniele Colombo

Giovanni Moroni

Frank L Dubuque

Nikhit N Nair

Iurii V Markushov

Handheld laser

A laser welding head with movable mirrors may be used to perform welding operations, for example, with wobble patterns and/or seam finding/tracking and following. The movable mirrors provide a wobbling movement of one or more beams within a relatively small field of view, for example, defined by a scan angle of 1-2°. The movable mirrors may be galvanometer mirrors that are controllable by a control system including a galvo controller. The laser welding head may also include a diffractive optical element to shape the beam or beams being moved. The control system may also be used to control the fiber laser, for example, in response to the position of the beams relative to the workpiece and/or a sensed condition in the welding head such as a thermal condition proximate one of the mirrors.

Laser welding head with dual movable mirrors providing beam movement and laser welding systems and methods using same

A laser alignment system is used to align an output fiber with a fiber laser, for example, when coupling a feeding fiber to a process fiber using a beam coupler or switch. The alignment system includes a laser alignment apparatus that is coupled at a first end to the output fiber and at a second end to a beam dump/power meter. The alignment apparatus defines a light passage and a light capture chamber along the light passage. When light is not aligned into the core of the output fiber, at least a portion of the light passing out of the output fiber will be captured by the light capture chamber and detected by a photodetector in optical communication with the light capture chamber. By monitoring the readings of the photodetector, the output fiber may be properly aligned with the laser light from the fiber laser.

Laser alignment apparatus and system for alignment of output fiber of a fiber laser

A laser cutting head with movable mirrors may be used to move a beam, for example, to provide beam alignment and/or to provide different wobble patterns for cutting with different kerf widths. The laser cutting head includes a cutting nozzle for directing the laser beam together with a gas to a workpiece for cutting. The movable mirrors provide a wobbling movement of the beam within a relatively small field of view, for example, within an aperture of the cutting nozzle. The movable mirrors may be galvanometer mirrors that are controllable by a control system including a galvo controller. The control system may also be used to control the fiber laser, for example, in response to the position of the beams relative to the workpiece and/or a sensed condition in the cutting head such as a thermal condition proximate one of the mirrors.

Laser cutting head with dual movable mirrors providing beam alignment and/or wobbling movement

A laser welding head with movable mirrors may be used to perform welding operations, for example, with wobble patterns and/or seam finding/tracking and following. The movable mirrors provide a wobbling movement of one or more beams within a relatively small field of view, for example, defined by a scan angle of 1-2&#xb0;. The movable mirrors may be galvanometer mirrors that are controllable by a control system including a galvo controller. The laser welding head may also include a diffractive optical element to shape the beam or beams being moved. The control system may also be used to control the fiber laser, for example, in response to the position of the beams relative to the workpiece and/or a sensed condition in the welding head such as a thermal condition proximate one of the mirrors.

A laser cutting head includes a controllable collimator with movable collimator lenses for controlling beam diameter and/or focal point location. The laser cutting head may be used in a laser cutting system with a control system for controlling the position of the movable collimator lenses. The lenses may be moved, for example, to adjust the beam spot size for cutting different types of material or material thicknesses. The lenses may also be moved to adjust a focal point back to the workpiece after changing the distance of the laser cutting head relative to the workpiece.

Laser cutting head with controllable collimator having movable lenses for controlling beam diameter and/or focal point location

The disclosure is a method and system for monitoring the condition of an optical protective component in a laser system associated with a data processor. In one embodiment, the method begins with directing light from the process head of a laser through the optical protective component onto a workpiece. A return light via the workpiece causes light signals coupled through the protective component and into to a fiber which extends proximate the protective component and thereafter flexibly to a sensor. The sensed signals allow monitoring the condition of the protective component during use. The method and system is operative for use with optical protective elements downstream of the process head.

Method and system for monitoring output of high power fiber laser system

The present invention relates to a head assembly for a laser processing system, preferably a fiber laser processing system. An assembly system allows a secure and a slidingly focusing displacement of a focusing lens assembly relative to a beam path in a laser processing system. The assembly system provides easy replacement of desired focusing lens assemblies. Adaptive modifications are operative to provide computerized processor control of the focusing displacement and detection of an installed optical assembly and position thereof.

Laser head assembly for laser processing system

A beam coupler alignment system for a fiber laser system is disclosed. The system includes a focus adjust collimator assembly having an inner and outer housing assembly portion. The inner assembly includes a coupler housing assembly and a modified lens housing received within and adjustable relative to via a mechanism configured and arranged to apply an asymmetric binding force in a predictable and repeatable manner. A lever assembly contacts the lens housing and exerts an off-center (asymmetric) force relative to coupler housing assembly creating a friction bind eliminating X and Y axis movement yet allowing Z axis movement with minimal effort. The assembly may further include an alignment mechanism configured and arranged to optically align an input collimator unit and an output collimator unit of a complex fiber laser system about a common optical axis using the proposed assembly.

Beam coupler alignment system and method

A fiber laser system is configured with a nonlinear resonator cavity which includes a plurality of mirrors. One of the mirrors is a piezoelectric mirror capable of being displaced between multiple positions in response to a control signal generated by a digital controller. The generation of the control signal is caused by mismatch between a fundamental frequency, imputed into the resonant cavity and further split by a nonlinear crystal into resonant and harmonic frequencies, and the resonant frequency. The positions of the piezoelectric mirror and time interval the piezoelectric mirror may occupy these position are controlled so that the output radiation at the harmonic may be periodically interrupted which results in a pulsed output radiation.

Apparatus for controlling resonant conditions within nonlinear resonator

The present invention relates to a fiber laser system for processing materials involving a system of interconnected operational components for combining and optionally distributing beams from multiple beam emitters. More particularly, the present invention provides a system for combining and distributing fiber laser beams having different wavelengths and a method for operating the system thereof. Multiple beam combiners may be optionally linked with a beam distribution system. In exemplary use, multiple fiber laser sources generating different wavelength outputs are combined in a single beam incident of a work piece comprising multiple layers.

Beam combiner and distributor system and method therefore

An assembly for distributing laser energy is provided that is formed using a compact rigid housing with a sealed beam path contained therein. The assembly employs a monolithic housing with modular collimator and mirror switching components installed therein to reduce its size while maintaining a sealed beam path thereby reducing the possibility of contamination of the beam path. Other than the optics and mirror, there are no elements of the distribution device contained within the beam path. In one embodiment, the assembly distributes incoming energy from a single source to one or more outputs. In another embodiment, the assembly operates as a beam combiner to direct energy from one or more sources to a single output.

Apparatus for selectively distributing energy from a laser beam

A method and system for converting one frequency into another include a MOPA configuration radiating a light at a first frequency which is coupled into a frequency conversion unit. Further included are a control unit operative to monitor the other frequency and a pump unit operative to vary its output power provided that the monitored frequency does not substantially match a reference value stored in the control unit. The output power of the pump unit varies while the master oscillator scans its cavity in search for the desired resonant frequency.

MOPA seed source with wavelength control for resonant frequency conversion

A coupler assembly for a fiber laser is disclosed. The assembly includes a tubular housing having a sidewall with an interior surface, an exterior surface, a first end and a second end. An input collimator unit is also included and configured to be received within the first end of the sidewall of the tubular housing. An output collimator unit received within the second end of the sidewall of the tubular housing. Further included is a compression mechanism configured and arranged to concentrically align the input collimator unit and the output collimator unit about a common central axis. The assembly may further include an alignment mechanism configured and arranged to optically align the input collimator unit and the output collimator unit about a common optical axis. Optionally, a fluid coolant system may also be included.

Growing community of inventors

Sutton, MA, United States of America

Yuri Grapov