The SCAN FIELD CALIBRATOR

In industries such as additive manufacturing, battery production, and electronics, precision and efficiency are vital to success. Here, laser processing requires exact calibration to maintain high-quality standards across large, complex fields. Yet, traditional calibration methods are time-consuming and prone to human error, impacting both productivity and consistency. 

The SCAN FIELD CALIBRATOR SFC 600 addresses these needs by automating the entire calibration process, reducing calibration time by up to 96%. Supporting both single-field calibration up to 600 x 600 mm² and multi-field setups with overlapping fields, the SCAN FIELD CALIBRATOR SFC 600 provides precision alignment and consistency, even across extensive processing areas. Its multi-field capability is particularly beneficial for applications requiring multiple scan fields to seamlessly align without disruptions, ensuring continuous laser performance across large parts. 

Operators benefit from a calibration process that maintains high precision, with a correction accuracy of ±15 μm, across each overlapping area, achieving greater uniformity and minimizing errors between fields. The SCAN FIELD CALIBRATOR SFC 600 transforms calibration into a seamless and automated process that directly enhances both product quality and profitability, even in the most complex, largescale laser applications.

SEAMLESS CALIBRATION FOR SINGLE AND MULTI-FIELD SETUPS

The SCAN FIELD CALIBRATOR SFC 600 is an advanced, automated calibration system designed to deliver precision and reliability for laser process fields. With this capability, it directly addresses the needs of high-demand industries like additive manufacturing, battery production, and electronics. The SFC replaces labor-intensive manual calibration with a streamlined, automated process, significantly reducing both downtime and calibration errors. 

For customers, this means a major increase in productivity and consistency. The shorter duration of a calibration step results in less downtime of the machine and, thus, higher utilization. The easy and automated calibration workflow also allows additional calibration steps, which can improve part quality and reproducibility. 

With these features, the SCAN FIELD CALIBRATOR SFC 600 empowers users to achieve their quality and efficiency goals with minimal setup time and maximum reliability, making it an essential tool for maintaining high standards in large-scale laser applications. 

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Additionally, the processing fields are usually arranged overlapping to achieve high flexibility. The overlap can range from a small field overlap to 100% field overlap of neighboring processing fields. This places high demands on the calibration of both the individual processing fields and the fields in relation to each other. 

Manual Calibration is time-consuming and often a bottleneck for part quality 

Although calibration is crucial for productivity, most machine park operators still rely on very time-consuming manual calibration of their AM machines. During the calibration, it is necessary to correct the deflection units’ focus z-level, adjust the individual processing fields and align neighboring fields to each other. For a LPBF machine with 8 units (4 next to each other “side by side” plus another 4 in front “face to face”) and an overlap of neighboring processing fields of 50%, the manual calibration can easily take 60 hours of working time of 2 engineers each. And the manual process is also error-prone. Quite often, the required quality for the products can no longer be achieved through manual calibration.

Improved Production due to Higher Machine Uptime and more reliable Part Quality 

With the SCAN FIELD CALIBRATOR SFC 600 a production facility can achieve a faster, more efficient calibration which will greatly improve the part quality and consistency. With 58 hours saved in downtime per cycle, the production company can see a significant boost in productivity and machine availability. The high accuracy of the calibration minimizes defects and rework, resulting in lower scrap rates and cost savings on materials. In addition, the calibration system opens up new possibilities for machine operators, who can check the calibration of their machine in the shortest possible time after a long production run and in this way provide their customers with proof of consistent production quality.

Laser applications are increasingly reliant on highly accurate calibration. For example, in manufacturing large bipolar plates for hydrogen fuel cells, multiple lasers and deflection units are necessary to cover the extensive surface areas of these plates. A critical challenge, as the junctions between welding seams must align perfectly. Misalignment can easily create gaps or uneven welds, compromising fuel cells' gas-tightness. Similar high requirements are found in battery production. Here, laser welding must join thin electrode layers with extreme precision to ensure durability and efficiency of the battery. Hence, achieving high precision is essential, as reliability directly impacts product performance and safety.

Precise Calibration and Field Alignment 

The SCAN FIELD CALIBRATOR SFC 600 addresses this need by calibrating the working field with an accuracy of ±15 μm. The SFC 600 also performs z-calibration, ensuring precise focus and beam positioning across the entire working field. This is particularly critical in applications requiring uniform welding quality over large surfaces. Additionally, the SFC 600 aligns multiple deflection units with high precision, which is essential for seamless stitching of welding seams in applications such as fuel cell bipolar plates. With its user-friendly software, the SFC 600 automates the calibration process, significantly reducing downtime and operational errors associated with manual adjustments by the user. The SFC 600 integrates easily into existing workflows, simplifying calibration and improving process reliability. These capabilities support higher throughput and consistent quality. 

Rapid Return on Investment with improved process quality 

With its capacity to handle large fields, multiple deflection units, and z-axis calibration, the SFC 600 ensures uniform performance across large areas, even in complex manufacturing setups. However, the benefits of precise calibration extend beyond quality improvements. By reducing downtime, eliminating waste, and ensuring consistent reliability, the SFC 600 provides a rapid return on investment. For example, a fuel cell manufacturing line can quickly offset calibration costs by minimizing defects and avoiding rework. Similarly, in battery production, consistently high-quality welds reduce warranty claims and enhance customer satisfaction. These advantages drive operational excellence and enable manufacturers to confidently meet industry demands.

Calibration can either be a detailed, time-consuming manual process or a streamlined, automated workflow. This comparison shows how the SCAN FIELD CALIBRATOR SFC 600 transforms each step into a seamless process, eliminating repetitive tasks, reducing human error, and drastically shortening calibration time. By switching to automated calibration, manufacturers achieve consistent, high-precision results with minimal downtime.

With significant reductions in calibration time, improved part quality, and minimized downtime, investing in the SCAN FIELD CALIBRATOR SFC 600 quickly proves its value. The following examples showcase how various production setups benefit from faster, more efficient operations, delivering rapid ROI through time and cost savings.

The SCAN FIELD CALIBRATOR SFC 600 provides advanced capabilities in xy calibration, correction of tilted workplanes, and the alignment of multiple fields, addressing key challenges in laser-based manufacturing processes. These features ensure precise laser positioning, consistent beam focus, and seamless integration across overlapping fields, directly enhancing the quality and efficiency of production. 

IMPROVED ACCURACY WITH XY CALIBRATION 

Calibration in the xy-plane eliminates distortions and ensures precise positioning across the entire scan field. This is critical for achieving uniformity and reducing errors in processes requiring high positional accuracy, such as additive manufacturing or high-precision laser welding and structuring. With the SFC 600, the average error can be reduced by almost two orders of magnitude. Using this optimized xy-calibration, manufacturers benefit from improved process stability, reduced waste, and higher product quality.

RELIABLE Z-AXIS CALIBRATION FOR TILTED WORKPLANES 

Z-axis calibration compensates for tilted or uneven work planes, ensuring that the laser maintains a consistent focus across the entire surface. By adjusting for angular deviations, the z- calibration guarantees uniform energy distribution and optimal beam positioning. This capability is essential for maintaining weld consistency and preventing defects caused by variations in focal precision, particularly on larger or irregularly positioned parts.

SEAMLESS INTEGRATION OF MULTI-FIELD SYSTEMS 

When multiple deflection units operate in parallel, alignment becomes critical to avoid errors between neighboring processing fields. The multi-field calibration capability ensures perfect alignment across overlapping fields. To do so, it marks a combined pattern with all deflection units on a single calibration plate. This enables seamless transitions and eliminating stitching defects. This is particularly valuable in large-field applications like fuel cell manufacturing, where precise welding is crucial for maintaining gas-tightness and functionality.