Patent ID: 6504127
Filing Date: 2003-01-07
Classification: B23K,B23P,B33Y,F01D

Abstract:
In a laser process for fabricating components, the steps of:(a) providing a substrate; (b) supplying material to the substrate at a controlled rate in a direction substantially normal to the substrate; (c) providing a plurality of beams of laser energy arranged around the material supply and symmetrically directed to form an annulus around the area where the material reaches the substrate, the laser beams being at an angle in the range of 25Â° to 30Â° to the normal; (d) controlling the energy and size of the laser beams so that the added material melts and forms together with underlying material a molten zone maintained spherical under the influence of surface tension; and (e) causing relative movement between the substrate and the material supply and laser beams whereby the supplied material solidifies and forms a uniform ridge with a semi-circular cross section and a linear edge along the substrate.