Hand held powder-fed laser fusion welding torch

A hand-held laser fusion welding torch system, comprising:

• a body having a first end and a second end, the body first end adapted to couple to a laser beam delivery system;
• a handle coupled to the body and dimensioned to be grasped by a hand;
• a nozzle coupled to the body second end, the nozzle having an aperture about a first axis through which a laser beam from the laser beam delivery system may pass;
• and
• a filler material nozzle assembly operable to supply filler media along a direction that is not aligned with the first axis,
• wherein the laser beam and the feed assembly are configured such that each may be manipulated and controlled independent of one another.

A hand-held laser fusion welding torch system, comprising:

• a body having a first end and a second end, the body first end adapted to couple to a laser beam delivery system;
• a handle coupled to the body and dimensioned to be grasped by a hand;
• a nozzle coupled to the body second end, the nozzle having a nozzle aperture through which a laser beam from the laser beam delivery system may pass;
• and
• an annular powder delivery orifice arrangement formed in the nozzle.

A hand-held laser fusion welding torch system, comprising:

• a body having a first end and a second end, the body first end adapted to couple to a laser beam delivery system;
• a handle coupled to the body and dimensioned to be grasped by a hand;
• a nozzle having a first end, a second end, and an outer surface, the nozzle first end coupled to the body second end, the nozzle second end including an aperture through which a laser beam from the laser beam delivery system may pass;
• one or more filler material supply channels extending between an inlet port formed in the nozzle outer surface and an outlet port formed in the nozzle second end;
• and
• an annular channel formed in the nozzle second end and surrounding the nozzle aperture, the annular channel configured to provide fluid communication between each of the filler material supply channel outlet ports.

A method of treating a surface of a workpiece using a hand-held laser welding torch, the method comprising the steps of:

• directing a laser beam through the torch and onto the workpiece surface, to thereby create a melt pool on the workpiece surface;
• supplying filler material from a filler material source to the melt pool;
• and
• manually manipulating the torch and filler material source.