Laser material processing system with multiple laser sources apparatus and method

Abstract

A computer controlled laser material processing system has a plurality of laser sources the beams of which are selectively operable between two modes. In a first raster engraving mode the beams are separated and independently controllable in synchronism with the motions of a beam delivery system to form plural, parallel, spaced apart scan lines on the surface of the workpiece for affecting the surface at high speed. In a second vector cutting mode the beams are combined such that they are collinear and have a power approximately equal to the sum of the powers of each individual laser source for cutting the surface at high power. The system may be switched by moving an optical element which, in the vector mode position, combines the beams and, in the raster mode position, separates the beams by either incrementally adjustably controlling the beams to provide a predetermined pitch between the scanned lines or by fixedly establishing a predetermined angle between the beams coupled with scanning in a variable interleaved pattern to achieve the desired pitch and image quality. Alternatively, an optical element may be inserted in the path of the collinear beams to separate them into parallel or angled beams for use in multi line scanning in the raster mode. The reverse sequence is followed to switch from raster to vector mode.