Patent ID: 8847114
Filing Date: 2014-09-30
Classification: B23K,B23P

Abstract:
1. A laser-assisted micro-milling system adapted to perform a machining operation on a workpiece material, the system comprising: a spindle disposed so that said spindle and said workpiece material define a workspace therebetween; a micro-milling tool held by said spindle; a laser generating a laser beam; means for fixturing said micro-milling tool and said laser in fixed positions relative to each other during the machining operation performed by the system; a beam expander optically aligned with said laser and expanding said laser beam generated thereby to yield an expanded laser beam; a focusing element optically aligned with said beam expander and optically aligned with said laser via said beam expander for focusing said expanded laser beam to yield a focused laser beam having a fixed position that is fixed by said fixturing means relative to said micro-milling tool, said focusing element being optically aligned with a target spot on the workpiece material and substantially adjacent to a working end of said micro-milling tool such that the workpiece material is locally preheated by said focused laser beam prior to machining locally preheated workpiece material with a cutting section of said micro-milling tool; first and second mirrors located at least partially within said workspace and positioned with respect to said spindle so as to optically align said focusing element and said target spot such that said focused laser beam from said focusing element is reflected away from the workpiece material by said first mirror onto said second mirror and reflected by said second mirror toward the workpiece material to said target spot, said second mirror being oriented so that a final stage path of said focused laser beam has an angle of incidence of less than 30 degrees with a perpendicular of a surface of the workpiece material, said angle of incidence being fixed by said fixturing means relative to said micro-milling tool; and means for moving the workpiece material relative to said micro-milling tool and said focused laser beam as said locally preheated workpiece material is being machined by said cutting section of said micro-milling tool.