Patent US3540862A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5286947A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5286947A
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Apparatus and method for monitoring material removal from a workpiece
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1992-09-08
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Granted: 1994-02-15
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Expires: 2012-09-08
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for monitoring material removal from a workpiece by a beam of energy during a material processing operation are disclosed. A detector is positioned for sensing optical emissions from the workpiece caused by removal of material when an energy beam pulse is incident upon the surface of the workpiece. A computing circuit, algorithm or artificial neural network is provided for determining a quantity of material removed from the sensed optical emissions in real-time during the material processing operation. Analysis of the optical emission pulses caused by the material removal provides an indication of the efficiency of the material processing system and provides feedback for manual or automatic adjustment of material processing parameters during the material processing operation.
Inventors
- 👤 Diana R. C. Clyde
- 👤 Ralph M. Somers
- 👤 Jerry H. Carmichael
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 07:15
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K26/00; B23K26/02; B23K26/03; B23K26/032; B23K31/00; B23K31/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
55 words
An apparatus for monitoring material removal from a workpiece by a beam of energy during a material processing operation, comprising: a detector for sensing optical emissions caused by removal of material from the workpiece; and means for determining in real-time a quantity of material removed from said sensed optical emissions during the material processing operation.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
55 words
An apparatus for monitoring material removal from a workpiece by a beam of energy during a material processing operation, comprising: a detector for sensing optical emissions caused by removal of material from the workpiece; and means for determining in real-time a quantity of material removed from said sensed optical emissions during the material processing operation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for controlling said material processing operation in response to said quantity of material removed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said detector generates an electrical signal representative of said sensed optical emissions and the apparatus further comprises means for amplifying and conditioning said electrical signal to provide a processed signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said quantity determining means comprises means for computing a numerical average of an amplitude of said processed signal, said numerical average being proportional to said quantity of material removed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said computing means comprises an analog integration circuit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said computing means comprises an integration algorithm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said first portion of said electrical signal has a substantially larger amplitude than said tail portion, and said amplifying and conditioning means comprises at least one amplifier stage to amplify said electrical signal tail portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising means for limiting amplification of said electrical signal first portion to ameliorate saturation of the at least one amplifier stage.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said controlling means further comprises means for adjusting at least one of a set of material processing parameters during the material processing operation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said set of material processing parameters includes energy density of the beam, alignment of the workpiece and the energy beam, beam spot size, beam focus and angle of incidence of the beam.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said quantity determining means comprises an artificial neural network to provide an output representative of the quantity of material removed from the workpiece.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said output of said artificial neural network is a size of a passage being formed in the workpiece by the energy beam.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said energy beam is one of a laser beam, an electron beam and a plasma arc.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said detector generates an electrical emission pulse signal representative of said sensed optical emissions and said quantity determining means determines the quantity of material removed by analyzing the duration of said emission pulse signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said quantity determining means comprises: a comparator having an input for receiving said emission pulse signal, said comparator converting said emission pulse signal from an analog signal to a digital signal; and a summer for receiving said digital signal and adding a pulse width of said signal to a pulse width of any previously received digital signals.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
80 words
An apparatus for use in material processing, comprising: a source for generating a pulsed energy beam having a predetermined energy density to cause removal of material from a workpiece; means for directing said pulsed energy beam on a selected location of the workpiece to remove material therefrom; a detector for sensing optical emissions caused by removal of material from the workpiece; and means for determining a quantity of material removed from said sensed optical emissions during a material processing operation.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
80 words
An apparatus for use in material processing, comprising: a source for generating a pulsed energy beam having a predetermined energy density to cause removal of material from a workpiece; means for directing said pulsed energy beam on a selected location of the workpiece to remove material therefrom; a detector for sensing optical emissions caused by removal of material from the workpiece; and means for determining a quantity of material removed from said sensed optical emissions during a material processing operation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said detector generates an electrical signal representative of said sensed optical emissions and the apparatus further comprises means for amplifying and conditioning said electrical signal to provide a processed signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said quantity determining means comprises means for computing a numerical average of an amplitude of said processed signal, said numerical average being proportional to said quantity of material removed.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said quantity determining means comprises an artificial neural network to provide an output representative of the quantity of material removed from the workpiece.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising means for controlling said material processing operation in response to said quantity of material removed.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
61 words
An apparatus for monitoring material removal from a workpiece by a beam of energy during a material processing operation, comprising: means for sensing optical emissions caused by removal of material from the workpiece and for generating an emission signal representative of the sensed optical emissions; and means for analyzing a waveform of said emission signal to control the material processing operation.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
61 words
An apparatus for monitoring material removal from a workpiece by a beam of energy during a material processing operation, comprising: means for sensing optical emissions caused by removal of material from the workpiece and for generating an emission signal representative of the sensed optical emissions; and means for analyzing a waveform of said emission signal to control the material processing operation.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said analyzing means comprises signal processing means for expanding and enhancing said emission signal waveform for analysis of characteristics of said emission signal waveform, and said apparatus further comprising means for controlling said material processing in response to said waveform characteristics.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said analyzing means comprises means for comparing said emission signal to a reference signal, and said apparatus further comprising means for controlling said material processing in response to a deviation between said emission signal and said reference signal.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
64 words
A method for controlling material removal from a workpiece by a beam of energy during a material processing operation, comprising the steps of: detecting optical emissions caused by removal of material from the workpiece; determining a quantity of material removed from the detected optical emissions during the material processing operation; and controlling the material processing operation in response to the quantity of material removed.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
64 words
A method for controlling material removal from a workpiece by a beam of energy during a material processing operation, comprising the steps of: detecting optical emissions caused by removal of material from the workpiece; determining a quantity of material removed from the detected optical emissions during the material processing operation; and controlling the material processing operation in response to the quantity of material removed.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 24, wherein said detecting step comprises the step of generating an electrical signal representative of said detected optical emissions.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of amplifying and conditioning said electrical signal to provide a processed signal.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of computing a numerical average of an amplitude of said processed signal, said numerical average being proportional to said quantity of material removed.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 26, wherein said quantity determining step comprises the steps of: comparing said processed signal to a reference signal; converting said processed signal to a digital signal if said processed signal exceeds said referenced signal; and analyzing the duration of said processed signal to determine the quantity of material removed.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
63 words
A method for controlling material removal from a workpiece by a beam of energy during a material processing operation, comprising the steps of: detecting optical emissions caused by removal of material from the workpiece; generating an emission signal representative of the detected optical emissions during the material processing operation; and analyzing a waveform of the emission signal to control the material processing operation.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
63 words
A method for controlling material removal from a workpiece by a beam of energy during a material processing operation, comprising the steps of: detecting optical emissions caused by removal of material from the workpiece; generating an emission signal representative of the detected optical emissions during the material processing operation; and analyzing a waveform of the emission signal to control the material processing operation.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of controlling the material processing operation in response to characteristics of the waveform of the emission signal.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 29, wherein the step of analyzing the waveform comprises the step of comparing the emission signal to a reference signal, and said method further comprising the step of controlling the material processing operation in response to any deviation between the emission signal and the reference signal.
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-02-14 | 1997-08-16 | 1998-02-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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