# US 12,594,625 B1 · Laser material fusion under vacuum, and associated systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,594,625 B1 - Document ID: US12594625B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/487,898 - Filed: 2023-10-16 - Granted: 2026-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-28 - Assignees: Blue Origin Manufacturing, LLC - Applicants: Blue Origin Manufacturing, LLC - Inventors: Nicholas James Keleshian; Christina Michelle Valenzuela; Chad Michael Ellison; Christopher Ryan Long - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594625B1 ## CPC - B23K 26/24: Seam welding - B23K 26/032: {using optical means} - B23K 26/083: {Devices involving movement of the workpiece in at least one axial direction} - B23K 26/0869: {Devices involving movement of the laser head in at least one axial direction} - B23K 26/1224: {in vacuum} - B23K 31/125: {Weld quality monitoring} - B23K 26/342: Build-up welding - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - 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 - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING ## Abstract Systems and methods for laser beam welding in a vacuum and for controlling laser beam welding processes, such as for use in manufacturing aerospace parts, are described herein. In some embodiments, a laser beam welding system can include an optical head movably positioned within a vacuum chamber. The optical head can be configured to direct a laser beam toward a part positioned within the vacuum chamber to melt and fuse the part. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A laser beam welding (LBW) system, comprising: a vacuum chamber carried by a mobile platform; and an optical head movably and rotatably positioned within the vacuum chamber, wherein the optical head is positioned to direct a laser beam toward a part positioned within the vacuum chamber to heat and melt a portion of the part. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The LBW system of claim 1, further comprising a part support positioned to releasably secure the part within the vacuum chamber, wherein the part support is movable within the vacuum chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The LBW system of claim 2 wherein the part support is movable back and forth along at least a first axis and a second axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The LBW system of claim 1, further comprising a roughing pump fluidly coupled to the vacuum chamber, wherein the roughing pump is configured to reduce the pressure in the vacuum chamber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The LBW system of claim 4 wherein the roughing pump is configured to reduce the pressure in the vacuum chamber to between 10-100,000 mTorr. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The LBW system of claim 1 wherein the vacuum chamber is not airtight. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The LBW system of claim 1, further comprising a camera positioned within the vacuum chamber and positioned to capture image data of the heated and melted portion of the part. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The LBW system of claim 7, further comprising a controller operably coupled to the camera, wherein the controller includes a computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of the controller, cause the controller to perform operations including: receiving the image data from the camera; and determining one or more characteristics of the heated and melted portion of the part based at least in part on the image data. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The LBW system of claim 8 wherein the one or more characteristics include at least one of (a) a shape, size, and/or depth of a keyhole formed in the heated and melted portion of the part, (b) a shape, size, vibration frequency, motion characteristic, and/or fluidity characteristic of a molten metal pool formed in the heated and melted portion of the part, and (c) a shape and/or size of a weld seam formed across the heated and melted portion of the part. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The LBW system of claim 8 wherein the controller is operably coupled to the optical head, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors of the controller, further cause the controller to perform operations including modifying a parameter of the laser beam based at least in part on the determined one or more characteristics, and wherein the parameter includes at least one of (a) a power of the laser beam and (b) a rate of movement of the laser beam relative to the part. ### Claim 11 A laser beam welding (LBW) system, comprising: a mobile platform having a first interface positioned to move across a surface of a part; a vacuum chamber carried by the mobile platform, a second interface of the mobile platform protruding from an outer surface of the vacuum chamber; and an optical head movably positioned within the vacuum chamber, wherein the optical head is positioned to direct a laser beam toward the surface of the part, through an opening in the first interface and the second interface, to heat and melt a portion of the part. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The LBW system of claim 11 wherein the optical head is rotatably positioned within the vacuum chamber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The LBW system of claim 11, further comprising a roughing pump fluidly coupled to the vacuum chamber to reduce the pressure in the vacuum chamber. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The LBW system of claim 11 wherein the vacuum chamber is not airtight. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The LBW system of claim 11 wherein the second interface includes a platform-part seal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The LBW system of claim 11, further comprising: a camera positioned within the vacuum chamber and positioned to capture image data of the heated and melted portion of the part; and a controller operably coupled to the camera, wherein the controller includes a computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of the controller, cause the controller to perform operations including: receiving the image data from the camera; and determining one or more characteristics of the heated and melted portion of the part based at least in part on the image data. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The LBW system of claim 16 wherein the controller is operably coupled to the optical head, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors of the controller, further cause the controller to perform operations including modifying a parameter of the laser beam based at least in part on the determined one or more characteristics. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The LBW system of claim 16 wherein the controller is operably coupled to the mobile platform, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors of the controller, further cause the controller to perform operations including modifying a parameter of the mobile platform based at least in part on the determined one or more characteristics, and wherein the parameter includes at least one of (a) a speed of the mobile platform and (b) a direction of movement of the mobile platform.