Method Of Determining Intensity Of Laser Light Delivered To A Weld Area By Laser Delivery Bundles
AssigneeBranson Ultrasonics Corporation
InventorsScott CALDWELL, Christopher ALMONTE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for sensing intensity of laser light in a simultaneous laser welding system includes placing a smart part in a weld area. The smart part includes at least a laser light intensity sensor for sensing laser light directed at it. Laser light intensity is sensed by the laser light intensity sensor of the smart part which provides an output signal indicative thereof to a controller.
Claims14
A method for determining intensity of laser light at a weld area of a simultaneous laser welding system, the simultaneous laser welding system having a plurality of laser channels controlled by a controller and a corresponding plurality of fiber optic bundles with each one of the laser channels coupled to an associated one of the plurality of fiber optic bundles, each laser channel having a laser light source, the method comprising:
- placing a smart part having a laser light intensity sensor corresponding to each fiber optic bundle in the weld area;
- directing laser light from the laser light source of each laser channel through the fiber optic bundle corresponding to that laser channel to the weld area;
- sensing the laser light from each fiber optic bundle with the laser light intensity sensor of the smart part corresponding to the fiber optic bundle;
- outputting from each laser light intensity sensor an output signal indicative of the intensity of the laser light sensed by that light intensity sensor and providing each output signal to a controller;
- and
- determining with the controller the intensity of laser light at the weld area provided by each laser channel based on the output signal from each laser light intensity sensor.
A simultaneous laser welding system comprising:
- a plurality of laser channels, wherein each laser channel has a laser light source;
- a corresponding plurality of fiber optic bundles each having two ends, wherein each laser channel is coupled to an associated one of the plurality of fiber optic bundles at the first ends of each of the plurality of fiber optic bundles;
- a weld area defined by the second ends of each of the plurality of the fiber optic bundles;
- a smart part located in the weld area, wherein the smart part is comprised of at least a laser light intensity sensor corresponding to each fiber optic bundle, wherein the laser light intensity sensor generates and transmits an output signal indicative of the intensity of laser light sensed by the laser light intensity sensor;
- and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of laser channels, the controller is configured to receive the output signal from the laser light intensity sensor, and the controller is configured to determine the intensity of laser light at the weld area provided by each laser channel based on the output signal from each laser light intensity sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.