# US 9,040,867 B2 · Manufacturing machine with magnetic field beam steering > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,040,867 B2 - Document ID: US9040867B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/724,380 - Filed: 2012-12-21 - Published: 2014-06-26 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-21 - Assignees: United Technologies Corporation - Applicants: United Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Benjamin Joseph Zimmerman; Adam Z. Doherty; Benjamin T. Fisk - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9040867B2 ## CPC - B23K 15/02: Control circuits therefor - B23K 15/00: Electron-beam welding or cutting - B23K 15/002: {Devices involving relative movement between electron beam and workpiece} - B23K 15/0026: {Auxiliary equipment} - H01J 37/30: Electron-beam or ion-beam tubes for localised treatment of objects - B23K 15/0086: {welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. build-up welding} - 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 - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract According to an example embodiment, a machine includes, among other things, a housing and a support situated for supporting a work piece in a selected position relative to the housing. A radiation source is situated for emitting a beam of radiation in the housing. A magnetic field generator is situated for generating a magnetic field in the housing near the support. The magnetic field has a selectively variable strength at a plurality of locations in the housing for selectively steering the beam of radiation toward the support. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A machine, comprising: a housing; a support situated for supporting a work piece in a selected position relative to the housing; a radiation source situated for emitting a beam of radiation in the housing; and a magnetic field generator situated for generating a magnetic field in the housing near the support, the magnetic field having a selectively variable strength at a plurality of locations in the housing for selectively steering the beam of radiation toward the support. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The machine of claim 1, comprising a controller and wherein the magnetic field generator comprises a plurality of electromagnets, the controller selectively controlling the electromagnets for generating a selected magnetic field strength. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The machine of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to control the electromagnets to vary a strength of the magnetic field over time at each of a plurality of locations in the housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The machine of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to control the electromagnets to generate a magnetic field that guides the beam of radiation in a predetermined pattern across a reference plane associated with the support. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The machine of claim 4, wherein the predetermined pattern includes the beam being perpendicular to the reference plane at a location where the beam intersects the reference plane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The machine of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a first region in which the magnetic field generator generates a first portion of the magnetic field; the housing includes a second region in which the magnetic field generator generates a second portion of the magnetic field; the first portion of the magnetic field has a consistent strength throughout the first region; and the second portion of the magnetic field has a plurality of strengths at a corresponding plurality of locations within the second region. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The machine of claim 1, wherein there is a three-dimensional space above the support within the housing between the support and a top of the housing; the three dimensional space corresponds to a size of the support; the radiation source is located outside of the three-dimensional space; and the beam of radiation passes through the three-dimensional space. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The machine of claim 7, wherein the support is situated at a first vertical position relative to the housing; and at least a portion of the radiation source is located at a second vertical position relative to the housing, the second vertical position being beneath the first vertical position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The machine of claim 1, wherein the radiation beam follows a path between the radiation source and a reference plane associated with the support; and the path includes a first portion along a first direction, a second portion along a second direction that is transverse to the first direction and a third portion along a third direction that is opposite to and generally parallel with the first direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The machine of claim 1, wherein the radiation source generates an electron beam. ### Claim 11 A method of operating a machine that includes a support situated for supporting a work piece in selected position relative to a housing, comprising the steps of: emitting a beam of radiation in the housing; generating a magnetic field in the housing near the support; selectively varying a strength of the magnetic field at a plurality of locations in the housing for selectively steering the beam of radiation toward the support. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the machine includes a plurality of electromagnets and the method comprises selectively controlling the electromagnets for generating a selected magnetic field strength. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, comprising varying a strength of the magnetic field over time at each of a plurality of locations in the housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, comprising generating a magnetic field that guides the beam of radiation in a predetermined pattern across a reference plane associated with the support. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined pattern includes the beam being perpendicular to the reference plane at a location where the beam intersects the reference plane. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, comprising generating a first portion of the magnetic field in a first region within the housing; and generating a second portion of the magnetic field in a second region within the housing; wherein the first portion of the magnetic field has a consistent strength throughout the first region; and the second portion of the magnetic field has a plurality of strengths at a corresponding plurality of locations within the second region. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein there is a three-dimensional space above the support within the housing between the support and a top of the housing and the method comprises generating the beam of radiation at a location outside of the three dimensional space; and steering the beam into and within the three-dimensional space. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, comprising steering the radiation beam along a path toward a reference plane associated with the support, wherein the path includes a first portion along a first direction, a second portion along a second direction that is transverse to the first direction and a third portion along a third direction that is opposite to and generally parallel with the first direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the beam of radiation comprises an electron beam.