Optimization and control of beam quality for material processing

摘要

Systems and methods are provided for adjusting a laser beam applied to a workpiece in a processing operation. A laser processing system receives the laser beam that is associated with a beam quality property. The laser processing system adjusts the laser beam to change the beam quality property based on a characteristic of the workpiece, a characteristic of the processing operation, or a combination thereof. The adjusted laser beam can also be delivered to the workpiece.

主权项

1. A method for adjusting a laser beam applied to a workpiece in a processing operation, the method comprising:
providing the laser beam to a laser processing system comprising an optical fiber, the laser beam being associated with a beam quality property; adjusting, by the laser processing system, the laser beam prior to the laser beam entering an input end of the optical fiber to change the beam quality property of the laser beam exiting from an output end of the optical fiber, wherein the adjusting of the laser beam at the input end of the optical fiber comprises at least one of displacing the laser beam from a center of the input end of the optical fiber by a first amount, or changing an angle of the laser beam relative to a longitudinal axis of the optical fiber by a second amount, wherein at least one of the first amount or the second amount is based on at least one of (i) a thickness of the workpiece, or (ii) a material type of the workpiece; and delivering the laser beam from the laser processing system to the workpiece.