Calibrating a scanner device
AssigneeTRUMPF Laser- und Systemtechnik GmbH
InventorsMatthias Allenberg-Rabe, Jürgen Ortmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to calibrating scanner devices for positioning laser beams in a processing field, and includes, e.g.: arranging a retroreflector in the processing field of the scanner device, the processing field being formed in a processing chamber for irradiating powder layers; detecting laser radiation reflected back into the scanner device when the laser beam passes over the retroreflector; determining an actual position of the laser beam in the processing field using the detected laser radiation; and calibrating the scanner device by correcting a laser beam target position specified for the scanner device in the processing field using the determined actual position of the laser beam in the processing field.
Claims17
A method for calibrating a laser scanner for positioning a laser beam in a processing field, the method comprising:
- arranging a retroreflector in or above the processing field of the laser scanner and also between a processing sample in the processing field and the laser scanner, wherein the processing field is formed in a powder layer processing chamber;
- detecting laser radiation that is reflected back into the laser scanner from the retroreflector as the laser beam passes over the retroreflector;
- determining an actual position of the laser beam in the processing field based on the detected laser radiation;
- calibrating the laser scanner by correcting a target position of the laser beam specified for the laser scanner in the processing field based on the determined actual position of the laser beam in the processing field;
- directing an additional laser beam at an additional processing field formed in the powder layer processing chamber;
- detecting additional laser radiation that is reflected back into an additional laser scanner as the additional laser beam passes over the retroreflector;
- determining an actual position of the additional laser beam in the additional processing field based on the additional laser radiation detected;
- and
- calibrating the additional laser scanner by correcting a target position specified for the additional laser scanner based on the actual position of the additional laser beam in the additional processing field.
A machining device for producing three-dimensional components by irradiating powder layers, the machining device comprising:
- an irradiation device comprising a laser source and a laser scanner configured to direct a laser beam from the laser source toward a processing field;
- a processing chamber in which the processing field is located wherein the processing chamber comprises a powder layer support surface on which the powder layers are applied and wherein the processing chamber comprises a retroreflector arranged in or above the processing field of the laser scanner and also between a processing sample in the processing field and the laser scanner;
- a photodetector arranged to detect laser radiation reflected back into the laser scanner from the retroreflector as the laser beam passes over the retroreflector;
- a computer coupled with non-transitory computer-readable medium encoding instructions that cause the computer to perform operations comprising
- determining an actual position of the laser beam in the processing field based on the detected laser radiation,
- specifying a target position of the laser beam in the processing field, and
- correcting the specified target position based on the determined actual position;
- an additional laser scanner configured to direct an additional laser beam in an additional processing field of the processing chamber;
- and
- an additional photodetector arranged to detect additional laser radiation reflected back into the additional laser scanner by the retroreflector as the additional laser beam passes over the retroreflector, wherein the operations further comprise
- determining an actual position of the additional laser beam in the additional processing field based on the additional laser radiation detected,
- specifying a target position of the additional laser beam in the additional processing field, and
- correcting the specified target position based on the determined actual position of the additional laser beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.