Apparatus and method of forming orifices and chamfers for uniform orifice coefficient and surface properties by laser

Abstract

A device and method that can form a plurality of chamfered orifices where the orifices are consistent dimensionally, such as, for example, the diameter, the surface roughness, and/or the geometry of the chamfers. The device includes a laser light source that emits generally coherent light along an axis towards a workpiece. The device also includes a splitter assembly that directs a first portion and a second portion of the generally coherent light about the axis such that at least one orifice and at least one chamfer is formed in the work piece. The device is configured such that it can form an orifice and at least one chamfer having a surface roughness of less than two microns and an orifice coefficient ratio at least 0.6. The preferred method includes providing at least a first beam and a second beam that are emitted from the laser light source, and forming at least one orifice in the work piece by directing at least one of the first and second beams towards the workpiece. The method further includes targeting the other of the at least one of the first and second beams to form the at least one chamfer in the at least one orifice to provide for an orifice coefficient of at least 0.6.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.