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Innovation potential and applications
New applications often place special demands on hardware. Our wobble technology allows beam wobbling in the z-direction with frequencies up to 2000 Hz for dynamic beam shaping. As a result, dross-free cuts and speed advantages of up to 40% can be achieved in laser cutting without increasing the laser power. The profitability of the systems can thus be increased. Our Zwobbel® can also enable new innovative processes in laser welding and glass processing.
Your Advantages
High focusing speeds in the smallest installation space with simultaneous performance stability are the advantages of Zwobbel technology. It is used as a 90° deflection mirror and in combination with a focusing lens of your choice, you can flexibly adjust the focusing in the z-direction. The module is available for wavelengths between 1020nm and 1080nm – other wavelengths are available on request.
How it works
Laser machining relies on a laser beam that is focused onto a workpiece. The spot is guided along every plane of that workpiece using a laser scanner. However, under large deflection angles and/or thick workpieces, the laser’s focus loses its position in the z-direction.
All mirrors based on Zwobbel®-technology can hold their focus in the scanning plane as it dynamically changes its shape upon activation. At minimal deflection of the Zwobbel®, the focal length of the system is held constant at the nominal focal length of the focusing lens. At the maximum deflection, the focal length of the focusing lens is maximally shifted.
Zwobbel will be delivered as a set of
Technical specification Zwobbel 102
On request
Dynamic beam shaping (DBS) is the modification of the spatial and temporal energy distribution of a laser spot. Doing so, improves the laser machining processes in such a way that the machining quality and speed increases. While for static beam shaping several optical components such as phase plates are available on the market, dynamic beam shaping needs actuators. The standard wobbling process as the dynamic movement of a spot in a scanning plane is used in laser welding and laser cutting.
ROBUST AO enables an innovative wobbling process along the z-axis alone. Thus, the spot zwobbles. This additional oscillation in the beam direction offers the possibility of developing entirely new manufacturing processes in laser-cutting, welding, and hardening, and of establishing them in industrial applications.
Figure xxx shows some measurements of a virtual increase of the focal length in relation to a static spot. It can be seen that the spot diameter increases and the “Rayleigh distance” (up to the beam diameter doubling) also increases. Thus permits the possibility to influence the temperature distribution around and in the focal spot of laser manufacturing.
Some applications require 3D dynamic beam shaping. We enable this by the combination of our Zwobbel-technology with 2D scanners. Doing so enables sophisticated 3D intensity distributions such as helix structures and many more!
Still need more innovation? Zwobbel DBS.
The easy access to multi kW laser powers results in an increase of used laser power levels to double digit ones. The Zwobbel-technology supports these developments as it is also double digit capable: 10kW CW lasers may be accelerated by our mirrors.
Available laser head optics limit maximum applicable power to 10kW in standard configuration and up to 30kW in the highest power setups. Our target audience uses their equipment with its maximum power up to 10kW but is interested to increase machining speed and machining quality as excessive laser power decreases for example the cut quality.
The Zwobbel enables more quality and speed from maximum applicable power. Doing so enables separations cutting speeds with quality cut cutting edges.
What’s more, the Zwobbel® works with single- and multi-mode lasers.
Our mirror technology is based on glass substrates and has therefore access to standard high reflectivity coating techniques. Therefore, we provide Zwobbel systems for IR, CO2 and blue laser. Subsequently, the different optical specifications are outlined.
CO2-Coating
IR-Coating
Blue-Coating
Other coating upon request.
Our goal are the smallest possible integration barriers for our customers. Thus, our closed loop-controlled system has different control options: Manuel, Ethernet-based and fully integrated
The manual control activation uses the analog input of our ZwobbelCon via a function generator. This is standard for feasibility testing at various laser machines and in laboratory. Using manual control, the oscillation parameters in laser cutting experiments, may be set very straight forward and a quick.
Optional is a USB based output of the sensor data available. The included UI may be used by the customers to sample mirror temperatures, sensor data and input signals.
Dedicated software and electronics are available for 3D applications. We offer a Ethernet-based package that allows the control of the Zwobbel and the two additional axes of or 2D mirror. Additional software for 3D positioning is included.
Our fully integrated system is customer-orientated and is adapted to our customers’ machine control systems. Please let us know which BUS systems and protocols you use.
Our objective is to achieve rapid and accurate laser beam focusing. To accomplish this, we have integrated a highly precise measuring sensor into our Zwobbel mirror, allowing for precise closed-loop control.
Here are our key features and for the two use cases – step-wise activation and continious oscillation :
The Zwobbel® is designed as a ready to use solution in laser machining. In laser machining are laser heads used to collimate and focus the laser light. Our technology is insert in between as a 90° folding mirror changing the collimation of the beam. Thus, the resulting focus position of the focussing lens is changed easily. Figure shows a realization by Fraunhofer IWS in Dresden together with a dynamic 2D scanner.
3D remote applications require the implementation into robot arms. Here compactness, lightweight and adaptable cable length are required. Out 500g lightweight technology was integrated into JENOPTIK 3D laser cutting system. Here, the Zwobbel is also equipped with manual tiptilt control that is needed for optical alignment in robot arms. Additionally we installed a housing around the opto-mechanics to prevent contamination. Of course, all necessary cables are routed out.
Claudia Reinlein
Adaptive Optics Enthusiast | Founder | CEO
Mail: claudia.reinlein@robustao.de
Phone: +49 (0) 3641 55 418 1
Fax: +49 (0) 3641 55 418 99
ROBUST AO GmbH
Hans-Knöll-Straße 6
D-07745 Jena
Germany
E-Mail: info@robustao.de