# US 10,500,690 B2 · Method and apparatus for aligning a process gas jet nozzle and laser machining beam > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,690 B2 - Document ID: US10500690B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/793,138 - Filed: 2017-10-25 - Published: 2019-04-25 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-25 - Assignees: United Technologies Corporation - Applicants: United Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Anthony Pizzola - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500690B2 ## CPC - B23Q 17/2275: {of a tool-axis relative to a workpiece-axis} - B23K 26/1462: {Nozzles; Features related to nozzles} - B23K 26/702: {Auxiliary equipment} - B23K 37/00: Auxiliary devices or processes, not specially adapted for a procedure covered by only one of the other main groups of this subclass - B23Q 3/186: {Aligning devices} - B23K 15/0013: {Positioning or observing workpieces, e.g. with respect to the impact; Aligning, aiming or focusing electron beams} - B23K 26/035: Aligning the laser beam (automatically B23K26/042) - B23Q: DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING (tools of the kind used in lathes or boring machines B23B27/00); MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM ## Abstract An alignment tool for a laser machine tool includes a frame that is mountable to the laser cutting head of the laser machine tool; a first indicator mounted to the frame along an X-axis; a second indicator mounted to the frame along a Y-axis; a position device mounted to the frame, the position device operable to reference upon a surface of the laser cutting head to align the first indicator along an X-axis of the laser cutting head, and to align the second indicator along a Y-axis of the laser cutting head; and a fastener mounted to the frame, the fastener operable to retain the frame to the laser cutting head. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An alignment tool for a laser machine tool, comprising: a frame that is mountable to a laser cutting head of the laser machine tool; a first indicator mounted to the frame along an X-axis; a second indicator mounted to the frame along a Y-axis; a position device mounted to the frame, the position device operable to reference upon a surface of the laser cutting head to align the first indicator along an X-axis of the laser cutting head, and to align the second indicator along a Y-axis of the laser cutting head; and a fastener mounted to the frame, the fastener operable to retain the frame to the laser cutting head. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The alignment tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the first indicator and the second indicator are digital gauges each with a probe that contacts a process gas nozzle of the laser cutting head. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The alignment tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the position device references upon a flat surface of the laser cutting head. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The alignment tool as recited in claim 3, wherein the position device comprises a pad with a flat surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The alignment tool as recited in claim 4, wherein the position device is spring biased to retract the pad of the position device from the flat surface of the laser cutting head. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The alignment tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the position device comprises a rod of a predetermined length between a pad and a button, the position device operable to align the first indicator along an X-axis of the laser cutting head, and to align the second indicator along a Y-axis of the laser cutting head. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The alignment tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the fastener is threaded to the frame. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The alignment tool as recited in claim 7, wherein the fastener contacts a collar of the laser cutting head, the collar receives a process gas jet nozzle such that the gas jet nozzle is positioned within the collar by a multiple of adjustment screws. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The alignment tool as recited in claim 8, further comprising displaying coordinates of the movement between the laser cutting head and the process gas jet nozzle on at least one of the indicators in response to movement of at least one of the multiple of adjustment screws located in the collar. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The alignment tool as recited in claim 9, wherein the first indicator contacts the process gas jet nozzle along the X-axis and the second indicator contacts the process gas jet nozzle along the Y-axis. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The alignment tool as recited in claim 10, wherein two diametrically opposed adjustment screws are aligned along the respective X-axis and Y-axis. ### Claim 12 A laser machine tool, comprising: a laser cutting head that defines a laser beam axis; a process gas jet nozzle adjustable with respect to the laser cutting head, the process gas jet nozzle defines a gas jet axis; and an alignment tool mountable to the laser cutting head of the laser machine tool, the alignment tool references upon a surface of the laser cutting head to align a first indicator along an X-axis of the laser cutting head, and align a second indicator along a Y-axis of the laser cutting head, the alignment tool operable to track movement of the process gas jet nozzle with respect to the laser cutting head during adjustment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The laser machine tool as recited in claim 12, further comprising a position device of the alignment tool, the position device references upon the surface of the laser cutting head, the surface being a flat surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The laser machine tool as recited in claim 12, wherein a fastener of the alignment tool is threaded into contact with the collar of the laser cutting head. ### Claim 15 A method for adjusting a process gas jet nozzle with respect to a laser cutting head to align a gas jet axis with respect to a laser beam axis of a laser machine tool, the method comprising: mounting an alignment tool with respect to a surface of the laser cutting head to align a first indicator along an X-axis of the laser cutting head, and align a second indicator along a Y-axis of the laser cutting head; zeroing the first indicator and the second indicator; and adjusting a process gas jet nozzle in the X-Y plane until the first indicator and the second indicator indicate a correction such that the gas jet axis is coaxially aligned with the laser beam axis. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, wherein mounting the alignment tool with respect to the surface of the laser cutting head comprises orienting the alignment tool relative to the laser cutting head and contacting a flat reference surface of the laser cutting head with a position device of the alignment tool. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, wherein mounting the alignment tool with respect to the surface of the laser cutting head comprises depressing a position device of the alignment tool to contact the surface of the laser cutting head while a fastener of the alignment tool is tightened to retain the frame to the laser cutting head, the surface being a flat surface on the laser cutting head. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, wherein adjusting the process gas jet nozzle in the X-Y plane comprises adjusting a multiple of adjustment screws on a collar between the laser cutting head and the process gas jet nozzle to adjust the process gas jet nozzle in an X-Y plane to thereby adjust a gas jet axis with respect to a laser beam axis. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising running an alignment subroutine on a controller of the laser machine tool to determine the correction in an X-Y plane between the laser beam axis with respect to the gas jet axis, the alignment subroutine comprises: determining a location of the laser beam axis based on a position of the laser cutting head; cutting a hole in a sacrificial workpiece with the laser of the laser cutting head; measuring the hole with a process gas jet nozzle mounted to the laser cutting head to determine a location of a gas jet axis at a center of the hole; comparing the location of the gas jet axis with respect to the location of the laser beam axis. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising running an alignment subroutine on a controller of the laser machine tool to determine the correction in an X-Y plane between the laser beam axis with respect to the gas jet axis, the position device ensuring that the alignment tool is mounted to align the indicators to correspond with the X and Y axes in the X-Y plane of the laser machine head such that the indicators then show movement in the X and Y axes during adjustment of the process gas jet nozzle until the correction is reached, at which point the gas jet axis and the laser beam axis are coaxial.