Laser cladding system and method

A laser cladding head configured to receive weld material from a powder source and collimated light from a laser source, the laser cladding head comprising:

• a protective housing extending principally along a primary axis from a proximal end to a distal end;
• a focal array situated at the proximal end within the protective housing and oriented to receive and focus the collimated light in a laser beam along the primary axis, the focal array having a focal length and a focal point, the focal array comprising a plurality of mirrors, the plurality of alignment mirrors comprising:
• a first alignment mirror disposed to redirect the collimated light from the laser source into a first path substantially parallel to the primary axis, and separated from the primary axis by a first distance;
• a second alignment mirror disposed to redirect the collimated light from the first alignment mirror from the first path into a second path directed at least partially radially inward relative to the primary axis;
• and
• a third alignment mirror disposed to redirect the collimated light from the second alignment mirror from the second path into a third path coincident with the primary axis;
• a turning mirror situated at the distal end within the protective housing and disposed to redirect the laser beam in an emission direction transverse to the primary axis, towards a target point separated from the turning mirror by a working distance, the turning mirror comprising a nonfocal reflective surface indexable to alter an impingement location of the laser beam on the turning mirror;
• a powder nozzle situated at the distal end within the protective housing and configured to receive and direct the weld material towards the target point for melting by the laser beam;
• and
• a borescope having a probe extending along a direction parallel to but not coincident with the primary axis from a borescope body to an imaging head located at a distal end of the borescope probe and directed at the target point, in an imaging direction not parallel to the emission direction,
• wherein the borescope probe is separated from the primary axis by a borescope distance, and from the first path by a distance greater than the borescope distance, and wherein the third path is situated axially with respect to the primary axis between the borescope body and the imaging head,
• wherein the focal length is at least ten times the working distance and wherein the working distance is within a tolerance of the focal point, and
• wherein multiple of the plurality of alignment mirrors are separately adjustable to determine separate dimensional components of alignment of the laser beam, such that the plurality of alignment mirrors collectively determines the impingement location.