Patent ID: 7528344
Filing Date: 2009-05-05
Classification: B23K

Abstract:
1. A method for determining a relative positioning of a laser beam and an associated gas jet of a laser processing tool, the method comprising: providing a laser beam position indicator the position of which correlates with the position of the laser beam; providing a gas jet position indicator the position of which correlates with the position of the gas jet; causing relative motion between the position indicators and a position detection element, such that the position indicators traverse at least a leading edge of the position detection element, while detecting when each of the two position indicators engages the position detection element; and determining an actual relative positioning of the light beam and gas jet as a function of motion between the detected engagements, causing relative motion between the position indicators and a position detection element such that the position indicators are each moved into a same position on an axis associated with the relative motion, with respect to the position detection element; detecting positions, as positions in a coordinate system of the laser processing tool, of the position indicators as moved into said same position; comparing the detected positions of the position indicators with each other; and determining an actual relative positioning of the laser beam and the gas jet as a function of a difference between the detected positions of the position indicators.