US 4,545,018 AGranted

Calibration of automated laser machining apparatus

AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.

InventorsJack W. Clements, John R. Faulkner

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Abstract

A computer controlled apparatus is disclosed for controlling a sequence of machine steps utilizing a laser beam whose power level is adjusted in accordance with its parameters as a function of a measurement of the power level of the generated laser beam. The laser apparatus includes a laser source or rod for emitting a laser beam and means in the illustrative form of a laser lens assembly for focusing and directing the laser beam onto the work piece. The laser source is associated with excitation means in the form of lamps for pulse driving or exciting the laser rod to emit a like sequence of laser pulses, whose parameters, e.g. pulse width and frequency, are selectively varied and controlled. The power level of the laser beam is calibrated by first measuring the power level of the laser beam as directed onto the laser piece, and then by using the measurement of laser power to calibrate or to adjust the degree of lamp excitation.

Claims17

Dependent claims

Computer controlled apparatus for laser machining a work piece in a sequence of at least first and second laser machining steps, the first and second laser machining steps including machining with a laser beam generated in accordance with at least first and second sets of distinct lasing parameters corresponding to first and second machining modes, respectively, said laser machining apparatus comprising:

(a) a laser source for emitting a laser beam;
(b) means responsive to a control signal for exciting said laser source to emit the laser beam of a power corresponding to said control signal;
(c) optical means for directing the beam along a laser path onto the work piece;
(d) means disposable to intercept the laser path for measuring the power of the laser beam as it would be directed onto the work piece;
and
(e) computer control means coupled to each of said exciting means and said measuring means, and including calibration means responsive to the measured power of the directed laser beam for providing the control signal for each of said first and second machining modes as a function of the measured power and the first and second sets of laser parameters, respectively.

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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.