Laser processing machines for processing workpieces

Abstract

A laser processing machine (1) for processing a workpiece, wherein the laser processing machine (1) comprises: a working space (6), wherein the working space has a laser processing device arranged therein for processing a workpiece in the working space (6), and an unloading area (4) for unloading the workpiece processed in the working space (6), wherein the unloading area (4) comprises an extraction station (40), wherein the extraction station has a component storage portion (41) and an extraction bevel (42), wherein the extraction bevel is connected to the component storage portion (41), so that the workpiece processed in the working space (6) can be transported along a conveyor relative to the workpiece through the extraction bevel (42). The workpiece is extracted into the component storage section (41) in a transverse direction of the direction (18), and is characterized in that the protective cover (44) of the extraction station (40), the extraction bevel (42) and / or the component storage section (41) are constructed and arranged relative to each other and / or relative to the processing part (48) of the laser processing device so that the direct laser radiation of the laser processing device and the laser radiation reflected once cannot be emitted from the extraction opening (43.2), and the extraction opening is used to unload the processed workpiece extracted into the component storage section (41), and the extraction opening is arranged between the component storage section (41) and the protective cover (44).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a laser processing machine. Background Art

[0002] This type of laser processing machine is used to laser cut workpieces, particularly tubes, using its laser processing device. Laser cutting takes place in a working space of the laser processing machine, which is enclosed by a housing. The housing shields the surroundings of the laser processing machine from the laser radiation that is directed onto the workpiece at the processing location during the processing process within the working space.

[0003] The workpiece to be processed is moved forward into the interior of the workspace through an inlet in the enclosure along an axial workpiece conveying direction. The processed workpiece produced by the laser cutting process in the workspace is removed from the workspace in an unloading area along a removal direction extending transversely to the workpiece conveying direction.

[0004] After the final separating cut, the processed workpiece first reaches the unloading area under the action of gravity on the extraction ramp of the extraction station, which is arranged below the processing position. The processed workpiece leaves the working space via the extraction ramp through the component storage located in the extraction direction.

[0005] DE 20 2017 107 190 U1 relates to a laser processing machine. A radiation shield is located above the unloading area of the laser processing machine, completely shielding the unloading area. This prevents laser radiation emitted by the laser processing device in the workspace from escaping from the unloading area into the surrounding environment accessible to personnel. However, during processing by the laser processing machine, the unloading area is inaccessible because the radiation shield must be opened, causing the laser radiation to escape and potentially pose a health hazard to personnel in the surrounding area of the unloading area.

[0006] DE 10 2016 204 161 B4 also relates to a laser processing machine. In this laser processing machine, the enclosing cover of the workspace includes a delimiting member that is flexible in the extraction direction, so that the workpiece being processed that moves in the extraction direction can reach the component storage through it. Here, the enclosing cover is widened in the vertical direction below the processing area by forming a widening portion in the extraction direction and extends above the component storage with the widening portion. Here, the delimiting member of the protective enclosing cover that is flexible in the extraction direction defines the widening portion of the enclosing cover in the extraction direction and is arranged in the vertical direction above the component storage. The component storage is therefore arranged outside the enclosing cover so that the processed and extracted workpieces can be removed. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a laser processing machine in which the laser radiation in the unloading area can be shielded in a particularly simple and cost-effective manner and in which unloading without risk to personnel is possible even while further workpieces are being processed by the laser processing machine.

[0008] This object is achieved by the laser processing machine of the present application. Accordingly, a laser processing machine for processing workpieces is proposed, wherein the protective cover of the removal station, the removal bevel, and / or the component storage are configured and arranged relative to each other and / or relative to the processing position of the laser processing device in such a way that direct laser radiation and once-reflected laser radiation of the laser processing device cannot be emitted from an extraction opening for unloading the processed workpiece removed from the component storage, the extraction opening being arranged between the component storage and the protective cover.

[0009] The proposed laser processing machine thus enables simple and cost-effective shielding of the laser radiation in the unloading area by eliminating the need for complex and costly complete shielding of the unloading area. Instead, components already present in the removal station are used, i.e., appropriately designed, dimensioned, and arranged relative to one another, to achieve shielding without requiring heavy and bulky protective covers for complete shielding. A removal opening is provided, which allows workpieces already processed by the laser processing device to be removed or unloaded and placed in a component storage area while other workpieces are being processed.

[0010] Thus, personnel removing processed and removed workpieces from the unloading area are not exposed to laser radiation in a manner that could be harmful to their health, since direct and once-reflected laser radiation cannot escape the unloading area through the removal opening. Although multiply-reflected laser radiation could escape the removal opening, the findings of the present invention are based on the knowledge that multiply-reflected laser radiation has a high degree of scattering or a low energy density upon exiting the removal opening and is therefore harmless.

[0011] In this case, the working space may include an access opening for introducing a workpiece to be processed and a closing hood surrounding the working space.

[0012] Furthermore, a loading area for loading workpieces into the working space can be provided, which loading area is arranged upstream of the inlet of the working space in the workpiece conveying direction of the workpieces to be processed.

[0013] In particular, the unloading area can have a section extending into the workspace and a further section preferably downstream of the workspace, as viewed in the workpiece conveying direction. This would mean that the unloading area is located partially within the enclosure of the workspace and can additionally have a further enclosure arranged downstream of the enclosure of the workspace in the workpiece conveying direction.

[0014] The protective cover, the extraction bevel and / or the component storage are designed and arranged relative to each other and / or relative to the processing part of the laser processing device so that the direct laser radiation and the laser radiation reflected once by the laser processing device cannot be emitted from the extraction opening. This can be achieved by the configuration of the protective cover, the extraction bevel and / or the component storage and by their relative arrangement relative to each other and relative to the processing part. Thus, the protective cover can be designed, for example, at a specific distance from the extraction bevel and / or the processing part and with a specific geometry or with specific dimensions. The extraction bevel can also be designed, for example, at a specific distance from the protective cover, at a specific angle of inclination and with a specific length. The extraction opening can also be designed, for example, with a specific length.

[0015] The workpiece can be, in particular, a tube. The cross section of the tube or tube can be any desired shape, for example circular, triangular, quadrilateral or the like.

[0016] The laser processing machine may also have a workpiece holder in a loading area. Before the laser processing machine starts processing, the workpiece can be placed on the workpiece holder by a loading movement carried out in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal direction of the workpiece. The workpiece holder in the loading area can be guided on the machine bed in a manner that allows it to be raised and lowered. Here, the placement or unloading of the workpiece onto the workpiece holder can be carried out manually from the operator side of the machine bed or with the aid of a loading device, which can be arranged on the back side of the machine bed away from the operator side. The workpiece placed on the workpiece holder extends with its longitudinal direction along the feed direction or the workpiece conveying direction, and the workpiece supported by the workpiece holder is arranged upstream of the working space of the laser processing machine along the feed direction or the workpiece conveying direction, in particular, the working space is completely enclosed in the enclosing cover of the laser processing machine except for the entrance and exit.

[0017] The laser processing machine may also include a feed unit. A workpiece placed on a workpiece holder at a longitudinal end thereof, distal from the working space of the laser processing machine, is grasped by the feed unit. The feed unit may be configured to move along the machine bed in the workpiece conveying direction and in the opposite direction. The feed unit's corresponding movement guides the workpiece secured to the feed unit into the working space through an entrance to the enclosed hood of the machine's working space. The desired processing is then performed on the portion of the workpiece guided into the working space of the machine using a laser processing device disposed in the working space.

[0018] Finally, the removal station removes the processed workpieces transversely to the workpiece conveying direction via a removal ramp to a component storage area. There, the processed and removed workpieces can be removed from a removal opening while being shielded from direct laser radiation and once-reflected laser radiation.

[0019] A stopper for workpieces being processed and removed from the component storage unit may be arranged at an end of the component storage unit in a direction transverse to the conveying direction, with the removal opening being arranged between the stopper and the protective cover. As a stopper for workpieces being processed and removed, the stopper prevents movement of the workpieces in the removal direction. Furthermore, the stopper defines the removal opening in the direction from the component storage unit to the protective cover.

[0020] It can be provided that the stop is designed and arranged relative to the protective cover, the removal bevel, and / or the processing area in such a way that direct laser radiation and once-reflected laser radiation from the laser processing device cannot escape from the removal opening. For this purpose, the stop can also extend, for example, at a specific height relative to the component storage area or the component placement surface of the component storage area. For this purpose, the stop can also be arranged, for example, at a specific distance from the protective cover, the processing area, and / or the removal bevel.

[0021] It can also be provided that the stop and the removal bevel are designed and arranged relative to one another, in particular also relative to the processing location, such that laser radiation from the laser processing device that is reflected once at the removal bevel strikes the stop. For this purpose, it can be provided in particular that the stop extends at least at a height relative to the component placement surface of the component storage, so that laser radiation impinging on the highest point on the removal bevel still strikes the stop, but cannot escape from the removal opening.

[0022] Furthermore, it can be provided that the component storage and the protective cover are arranged at a distance from one another such that direct laser radiation from the laser processing device cannot impinge on the stop. In this case, the direct laser radiation is blocked by the protective cover before it impinges on the stop. This prevents a first reflection on the stop, thereby increasing scattering and reducing the energy density at which the multiply reflected laser radiation can ultimately be emitted from the removal opening.

[0023] It can also be provided that the protective cover comprises an intervention shield at an end of the protective cover that is transverse to the conveying direction, or that the intervention shield is arranged on the protective cover and that the removal opening is arranged between the component storage and the intervention shield.

[0024] It can be provided that the intervention protection device is designed and arranged relative to the protective cover, the removal bevel, and / or the processing area such that direct laser radiation and once-reflected laser radiation from the laser processing device cannot escape from the removal opening. For this purpose, the intervention protection device can also be arranged, for example, at a defined distance from the component storage area or the component placement surface of the component storage area. The intervention protection device prevents an operator from reaching into the working space of the machine.

[0025] Furthermore, the intervention protection device can extend the protective cover to a protective wall of the removal station, which extends transversely to the workpiece conveying direction. In particular, the protective wall can be arranged to the side or adjacent to the closure cover. This prevents an operator from reaching between the removal ramp and the closure cover.

[0026] The protective cover may further include a first protective cover section extending transversely to the conveying direction and a second protective cover section extending from the first protective cover section toward the component storage area. The first protective cover section may be arranged on the closure cover. The second protective cover section may extend perpendicularly from the first protective cover section toward the component storage area to limit the angle of direct laser radiation incident on the component placement surface of the component storage area.

[0027] Furthermore, it can be provided that the protective cover and / or the component storage extends along the processing line of the laser processing device. The stop can also extend along the processing line. It can then be provided that the laser head of the laser processing device is designed to be movable along the processing line within a predetermined processing area during processing. In other words, the processing area moves along the processing line or in the loading direction. Direct laser radiation and once-reflected laser radiation can then be shielded regardless of the position of the laser head along the processing line.

[0028] In this case, the components of the removal station, namely the component storage, protective cover, removal ramp, stop and / or intervention protection device, and the processing location, are designed and arranged relative to one another in a labyrinthine manner for the laser radiation emitted by the laser processing device. This allows the processed and removed workpieces to be removed safely from the component storage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Further details and advantageous embodiments of the invention can be gathered from the following description, with the aid of which exemplary embodiments of the invention are described and explained in detail.

[0030] In the attached figure:

[0031] Figure 1 A perspective view showing a laser processing machine according to the prior art is shown.

[0032] Figure 2A perspective view showing an extraction station of a laser processing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention,

[0033] Figure 3 Shown cut Figure 2 Cross-section of the extraction station. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] like Figure 1 The laser processing machine 1 for tube processing shown has a working area 2, a loading area 3, and an unloading area 4. The laser processing machine 1 shown corresponds to the laser processing machine from DE 20 2017 107 190 U1. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The exemplary laser processing machine 1 according to the present invention differs in its unloading area 4. Thus, an embodiment of the laser processing machine 1 according to the present invention may be Figure 1 In addition to the features of the unloading area 4 shown in FIG, there are Figure 1 Features of the laser processing machine 1.

[0035] A workspace 6, provided with an enclosure 5, is located in the working area 2 of the laser processing machine 1. The enclosure 5 of the working space 6 is closed, except for an inlet in the wall of the enclosure 5 facing the loading area 3, which is covered by a radiation protection tunnel 20 and is therefore not shown in this view, and an outlet in the wall of the enclosure 5 facing the unloading area 4, which is also covered. Arranged in the working space 6 within the enclosure 5 is a laser processing device, not visible, in the example shown, a laser cutting device for cutting workpieces, in particular tubes.

[0036] A machine bed 8 serving as a supporting structure is arranged in the loading area 3 of the laser processing machine 1 and extends from the workspace side into the enclosure 5. Guide rails 9 extending along the machine bed 8 are mounted on the upper side of the machine bed 8. Furthermore, a workpiece support 10 of conventional construction is guided on the machine bed 8 so that it can be raised and lowered.

[0037] A workpiece feed unit in the form of a feed station 11 can be moved along the machine bed 8. The feed station 11 is provided in a known manner on the workspace side with a chuck for securing the tube to be machined in the workspace 6. The chuck can be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the workpiece.

[0038] When the feed station 11 moves along the machine bed 8, the feed unit is guided on the guide rails 9. A conventionally constructed rack drive is provided as a motor drive for the feed station 11, comprising a rack and a motor-driven drive pinion, which extends on the machine bed 8 parallel to the guide rails 9 and is not shown for the sake of clarity. The drive pinion is provided on the feed station 11 and meshes with the rack of the rack drive.

[0039] In the loading area 3 of the laser processing machine 1, a motor-driven loading device 14 is arranged on the back side 13 of the machine base 8, facing away from the operator side 12 of the machine base 8. A loading device 14 is for example the one sold by TRUMPF under the name "LoadMaster Tube".

[0040] In a known manner, the loading device 14 has a workpiece magazine in which a large number of workpieces to be processed can be stored. The workpieces in the workpiece magazine move in their longitudinal direction parallel to the machine bed 8. After the workpieces stored in the workpiece magazine have been sorted out, they are transferred to the machine bed 8 in a known manner by means of a conveying device and are placed on the workpiece holder 10 that is now extended. Before being transferred to the workpiece holder 10, the workpiece moves past an optical detector (not shown). The optical detector (whose detection direction extends parallel to the machine bed 8) is used to check whether the workpiece set for transfer to the machine bed 8 actually has the following cross-sectional geometry, for which the laser processing device arranged in the work space 6 is set at the relevant time point for processing this cross-sectional geometry.

[0041] Arrow 16 indicates the direction of the loading movement which is automatically carried out by the loading device 14 and by which the workpiece to be machined is transferred to the machine bed 8 or the extended workpiece carrier 10 .

[0042] Alternatively, the machine bed 8 can be manually loaded with the workpiece to be machined from the operator side 12. The direction of the manual loading movement is indicated by the arrow 17, which also extends in the transverse direction of the workpiece.

[0043] The workpiece, which has been transferred to the machine bed 8 and supported by the projecting workpiece support 10, is clamped in a known manner at its longitudinal end facing away from the working space 6 by the chuck of the feed unit 11. Subsequently, the workpiece is moved from its starting position in the workpiece conveying direction 18 by means of the feed unit 11 and, from there, is guided through the inlet of the closure 5 into the working space 6 of the laser processing machine 1 with the longitudinal end that arrives first in the direction of movement. In the working space 6, the workpiece is processed separately by means of the laser processing device arranged there. The following processing situation can be considered, in which the workpiece is moved by means of the feed unit 11 during the processing. For example, in order to cut a contour on the wall of the workpiece, the feed unit 11 is moved in the workpiece conveying direction 18 and in the opposite direction during the cutting process. At the same time, the tube is rotated about the tube axis by means of the chuck of the feed unit 11.

[0044] In the exemplary embodiment shown, the workpiece is cut into smaller workpieces by means of a laser cutting device within the working space 6. After the respective separation process, the smaller workpieces are passed from the working space 6 in the longitudinal direction of the workpiece through the outlet of the closure 5 into the unloading area 4 of the laser processing machine 1. After leaving the working space 6, each processed workpiece is removed from the laser processing machine 1 along the removal direction 19. Alternatively, the workpieces can also be removed directly after separation.

[0045] In this prior art, the unloading area 4 of the laser processing machine 1 is completely covered by a radiation shield 20. The radiation shield 20 shields the outlet of the closure 5 to prevent laser radiation from escaping from the working space 6 into the environment accessible to personnel of the laser processing machine 1.

[0046] Figure 2 An embodiment of an extraction station 40 of a laser processing machine 1 according to the invention is shown, said laser processing machine having a relative Figure 1 Improved unloading area 4. The extraction station 40 has a component storage portion 41, a protective cover 44, a removal opening 43.2, Figure 3 1, the stop 46, the intervention protection device 47. The removal opening 43.2 can be covered, for example, by an elastic, flexible strip not shown in the figure.

[0047] exist Figure 3 1 shows a section through the removal station 40 transversely to the workpiece transport direction 18 , in which the unloading opening 43 . 1 and the removal opening 43 . 2 can be clearly seen.

[0048] Figure 3The figure shows the processing of a workpiece, in this case a tube, by means of a laser processing machine 1 in a workspace 6. The processed tube is removed by gravity in a removal direction 19, i.e., transversely to the workpiece conveying direction 18, by means of a removal ramp 42. The removal ramp 42 is arranged at an angle relative to a component placement surface 45 of a component storage 41. A stop 46 is located at the end of the component storage 41.

[0049] The protective cover 44 comprises a first protective cover section 44.1 and a second protective cover section 44.2, wherein the first protective cover section is arranged on the closure cover 5 and the second protective cover section extends vertically from the first protective cover section 44.1 in the direction of the component storage portion 41. An intervention protection device 47 is arranged on the protective cover 44 along the extraction direction 19. A removal opening 43.2 is constructed between the intervention protection device 47 and the stop 46, through which the processed workpiece can be removed. The unloading opening 43.1 has a clear width in the area between the protective cover 44 and the extraction bevel 42, which is Figure 3 Indicated by arrow 43.3. Figure 3 As can be seen, the cross section of the relief opening 43 . 1 or the clear width 43 . 3 of the relief opening is defined by the edge 44 . 3 of the protective cover section 44 . 2 .

[0050] The intervention protection device 47 extends to the protective wall 55 on one side of the removal station 40 and thereby provides radiation protection and prevents an operator from reaching his hands through the removal station 40 into the working space 6 .

[0051] The protective cover 44, the extraction bevel 42, the stop 46 and the component storage part 41 are constructed, in particular dimensioned and arranged relative to each other and to the processing part 48 of the processing device so that the laser radiation L.1, L.2 emitted by the laser head of the laser processing device when processing the workpiece at the processing part 48 can be radiated through the clear width 43.3 of the unloading opening 43.1, but cannot be emitted from the removal opening 43.2.

[0052] This is shown by way of example for the case of direct laser radiation L.1, which strikes the component placement surface 45 of the component storage 41 before reaching the stop 46. For this purpose, the stop 46 is spaced appropriately from the processing location 48 of the laser head. The protective hood 44 also has a defined distance from the component placement surface 45, since the laser radiation directed directly at the stop 46 is already reflected at the protective hood 44.

[0053] This is shown by way of example for the case of laser radiation L.2 that has been reflected once, which strikes the removal bevel 42 and is reflected once from there onto the stop 46. The stop 46 is accordingly designed at a height relative to the component placement surface 45 relative to the removal bevel 42 in order to prevent the laser radiation L.2 from escaping from the removal opening 43.2.

[0054] This ensures that the processed and extracted workpiece can be removed from the component storage portion 41 without danger to people during the processing of the workpiece, because direct laser radiation and laser radiation reflected once cannot be emitted from the removal opening 43.2, and the laser radiation reflected multiple times and can be emitted from the removal opening 43.2 has a very low energy density.

Claims

1. A laser processing machine (1) for processing a workpiece, wherein: The laser processing machine (1) comprises: a working space (6) having a laser processing device arranged therein for processing a workpiece in the working space (6), - an unloading area (4) for unloading workpieces processed in the working space (6), The unloading area (4) comprises an extraction station (40), which has a component storage portion (41) and an extraction slope (42), wherein the extraction slope is connected to the component storage portion (41), so that the workpiece processed in the working space (6) can be extracted into the component storage portion (41) through the extraction slope (42) in a transverse direction relative to the workpiece conveying direction (18), and is characterized in that The protective cover (44) of the extraction station (40), the extraction bevel (42) and / or the component storage section (41) are constructed and arranged relative to each other and / or relative to the processing part (48) of the laser processing device so that the direct laser radiation and the laser radiation reflected once of the laser processing device cannot be emitted from the extraction opening (43.2), the extraction opening is used to unload the processed workpiece extracted into the component storage section (41), and the extraction opening is arranged between the component storage section (41) and the protective cover (44), wherein the stopper (46) for the processed workpiece extracted into the component storage section (41) is arranged at a position relative to the component storage section (41). For the end in the transverse direction of the conveying direction (18), wherein the removal opening (43.2) is arranged between the stop (46) and the protective cover (44), wherein the stop (46) is constructed and arranged relative to the protective cover (44), the extraction bevel (42) and / or the processing part (48) so that the direct laser radiation and the laser radiation reflected once of the laser processing device cannot be emitted from the removal opening (43.2), wherein the stop (46) and the extraction bevel (42) are constructed and arranged relative to each other so that the laser radiation of the laser processing device reflected once on the extraction bevel (42) hits the stop (46).

2. The laser processing machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein: The component storage (41) and the protective cover (44) are arranged at such a distance from one another that direct laser radiation from the laser processing device cannot impinge on the stop (46).

3. The laser processing machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The protective cover comprises an intervention protection device (47) at an end of the protective cover (44) in a transverse direction relative to the conveying direction (18), or the intervention protection device (47) is arranged on the protective cover, and the removal opening (43.2) is arranged between the component storage portion (41) and the intervention protection device (47).

4. The laser processing machine (1) according to claim 3, wherein: The intervention protection device (47) is designed and arranged relative to the protective cover (44), the extraction bevel (42) and / or the processing location (48) such that direct and once-reflected laser radiation of the laser processing device cannot escape from the extraction opening (43.2).

5. The laser processing machine (1) according to claim 3, wherein: The intervention protection device (47) extends the protective cover (44) to a protective wall (55) of the extraction station (40), which extends in a transverse direction relative to the workpiece transport direction (18).

6. The laser processing machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The protective cover (44) comprises a first protective cover section (44.1) extending in a transverse direction relative to the conveying direction (18) and a second protective cover section (44.2) extending from the first protective cover section (44.1) in a direction toward the component storage portion (41).

7. The laser processing machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The protective cover (44) and / or the component storage portion (41) extend along a processing line of the laser processing machine (1).

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