Method and apparatus for laser processing of materials

Abstract

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for laser processing of materials, said materials comprising connected webs and flanges. The method includes: a) controlling a laser processing head to cut the web in a closed-path movement to form a hollow portion corresponding to the bevel to be processed on the flange, the hollow portion including a weld hole, wherein the web between the hollow portions is not cut, and controlling the hollow portion cut by the laser processing head to include or exclude additional holes according to the shape and position of the bevel to be processed; b) controlling the laser processing head to cut the bevel to be processed on the flange, wherein slag generated from cutting the intersection of the web and the flange is discharged through the corresponding hollow portion; and c) controlling the laser processing head to cut the web between the hollow portions to separate a part containing the bevel and the weld hole. The invention also provides a corresponding apparatus for laser processing of materials.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of materials processing, and more specifically to methods and apparatus for laser processing of materials. Background Technology

[0002] Laser processing is frequently used to produce parts from raw materials. However, if there are intersecting structures in the material (such as connected flanges and webs), the laser cutting will be hindered by the material at the intersection, preventing proper slag removal. Therefore, when there are intersecting structures in the laser cutting path, it is necessary to first cut a semi-finished part from the raw material, and then perform further laser processing on the semi-finished part to obtain the final desired part, especially when processing bevels that pass through intersecting structures.

[0003] However, this necessitates fixing and positioning the cut-off semi-finished parts, which requires complex holding devices and increases processing costs. Moreover, if the total length of the semi-finished parts is shorter than the travel limit of the holding device, even with a holding device, it is impossible to fix and position the semi-finished parts.

[0004] Therefore, a new technology is urgently needed to effectively solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to overcome the above-mentioned and / or other problems in the prior art. The method and apparatus for laser processing of materials provided by the present invention eliminate the need to pre-cut parts from the incoming material, effectively solving the slag removal problem while directly processing the required parts from the incoming material. This eliminates the need for additional holding devices, is applicable to parts of various lengths, and significantly improves processing efficiency.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for laser processing a material comprising a web and flanges connected together is provided. The method may include the following steps: a) controlling a laser processing head to cut the web in a closed-path movement to form a hollow portion corresponding to the bevel to be processed near the location on the flanges, the hollow portion comprising a weld hole, wherein the web between the hollow portions is not cut, and controlling the hollow portion cut by the laser processing head to include or exclude additional holes according to the shape and position of the bevel to be processed; b) controlling the laser processing head to cut the bevel to be processed on the flanges, wherein slag generated from cutting the intersection of the web and the flanges is discharged through the corresponding hollow portion; and c) controlling the laser processing head to cut the web between the hollow portions to separate a part comprising the bevel and the weld hole.

[0007] According to a second aspect of the invention, an apparatus for laser processing a material comprising a web and flanges connected together is provided. The apparatus may include a laser processing head and a control unit. The control unit is configured to: control the laser processing head to cut the web in a closed-loop trajectory to form a hollow portion corresponding to the bevel to be processed near the location on the flanges, the hollow portion including a weld hole, wherein the web between the hollow portions is not cut, and to control the hollow portion cut by the laser processing head to include or exclude additional holes according to the shape and position of the bevel to be processed; control the laser processing head to cut the bevel to be processed on the flanges, wherein slag generated from cutting the intersection of the web and the flanges is discharged through the corresponding hollow portion; and control the laser processing head to cut the web between the hollow portions to separate a part comprising the bevel and the weld hole.

[0008] The method and apparatus of this invention ingeniously enable laser processing of bevels on flanges without cutting off the workpiece by forming a hollowed-out portion on the web corresponding to the bevel to be processed. Compared with the prior art, which requires cutting off the workpiece before laser processing the bevel, the hollowed-out portion formed in this invention provides a slag removal path for laser processing of the bevel, thus allowing the finished workpiece to be cut from the incoming material after all processing of the workpiece is completed. In other words, processing of the workpiece can be completed without additional fixing of the workpiece, which greatly improves process continuity and processing efficiency, while also eliminating the need for additional fixing devices and reducing costs.

[0009] Optionally, when the hollowed-out portion cut by the laser processing head includes an additional hole, the laser processing head can be controlled to remove the portion of the material including the additional hole.

[0010] Optionally, the material can be placed on a support. During part processing, the support may not contact the portion of the material containing the part, allowing the part to automatically detach from the material at the end of cutting the web between the cut-out portions, thus directly producing the finished part.

[0011] Optionally, the bevel on the part may include a Y-type bevel and an X-type bevel.

[0012] According to a third aspect of the invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having encoded instructions recorded thereon, which, when executed, implement the method for laser processing of materials according to the invention as described above.

[0013] Other features and aspects of the invention will become clearer from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The invention can be better understood by describing exemplary embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0015] Figure 1 A flowchart of a method for laser processing of materials according to the present invention is shown;

[0016] Figure 2(a) shows an example of the material;

[0017] Figures 2(b)-2(f) A schematic diagram of various bevels to be processed in the material is shown;

[0018] Figure 3 A simplified schematic diagram illustrating the laser processing method for materials according to the present invention is shown as an example.

[0019] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a variant embodiment of the method for laser processing of materials according to the present invention;

[0020] Figure 5 A schematic block diagram of an apparatus for laser processing of materials according to the present invention is shown; and

[0021] Figures 6(a)-6(c) A simplified side view of an example semi-finished part and material is shown, illustrating a method for laser processing of materials according to existing technology. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. More details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can obviously be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein. Those skilled in the art can make similar extensions and derivations based on actual application situations without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should not be limited by the content of this specific embodiment.

[0023] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in the claims and description shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The use of terms such as "a" or "one" in the description and claims of this application does not indicate a limitation of quantity, but rather indicates the presence of at least one. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the elements or objects preceding "comprising" or "including" encompass the elements or objects listed following "comprising" or "including" and their equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects.

[0024] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for laser processing of materials is provided.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2(a), material 200 may include a web 202 and one or more flanges 204 connected to the web 202. One or more bevels may be formed on the flanges 204, such as... Figures 2(b) to 2(f) The V-shaped upper bevel, V-shaped lower bevel, Y-shaped upper bevel, Y-shaped lower bevel, and X-shaped bevel shown all pass through the intersection of the web and the flange. One or more weld holes can be formed on the web near the intersection, and these weld holes can correspond to each bevel.

[0026] refer to Figure 1 The invention illustrates a method 100 for laser processing of materials according to the present invention, the method 100 comprising steps 110, 120 and 130.

[0027] In step 110, the laser processing head is controlled to cut the web in a closed-loop trajectory to form a hollow portion corresponding to the bevel to be processed near the location on the flange. This hollow portion includes weld holes, wherein the web between the hollow portions is not cut, and the hollow portion cut by the laser processing head may or may not include additional holes depending on the shape and position of the bevel to be processed.

[0028] Figure 3 A simplified schematic diagram illustrating the processing of material 200 is shown in the image. (Reference) Figure 3 The laser processing head can be controlled to cut the web 202 of the material in closed movement trajectories 310 and 320, forming hollowed-out portions 224 and 226 on the material's flange 204 near the location where a bevel is to be formed, corresponding to the bevel to be processed. It can be seen that the web between the hollowed-out portions 224 and 226 is not cut at this time. Holes 224 and 226 each contain weld holes 208A and 208B, but hollowed-out portion 224 also includes an additional hole 214, while hollowed-out portion 226 does not, depending on the shape and location of the bevel to be processed.

[0029] The principle of laser cutting is to use a high-power laser beam to heat the material until it vaporizes or liquefies, and then use air blowing to remove the vaporized or liquefied material, thus creating a kerf and cutting the material. Therefore, a slag removal path must be reserved before laser cutting; otherwise, the molten slag will not be able to be discharged normally and will re-cool and solidify within the kerf, essentially welding the kerf back into a closed state, thus preventing the desired laser cutting effect from being achieved. Figure 3In the example shown, it is desired to cut a Y-shaped upper bevel 204A on the upper flange as shown by arrows A and B, and to cut a Y-shaped lower bevel 204B on the lower flange as shown by arrows C and D. It can be seen that when cutting the bevels on the upper flange as shown by arrows A and B, the laser cutting path will pass through the material intersection. At this point, if the material at the intersection obstructs the path, proper slag removal will be impossible; that is, a slag removal path is lacking. Since the hollowed-out portion 224 includes a weld hole 208A, when the laser cutting along the direction of arrow B reaches the plane of the web 202 (i.e., the intersection of the web 202 and the flange 204), slag removal can be achieved through the weld hole 208A. The hollowed-out portion 224 also includes an additional hole 214, which can be used as follows: Figure 3 The area shown is formed to intersect the laser cutting path A' of bevel 204A, so that when cutting bevel 204A in the direction of arrow A, slag can be discharged through the additional hole 214 when cutting to the plane of web 202. When cutting bevel 204B on the lower wing plate as shown by arrows C and D, even when cutting to the plane of web 202, slag can be discharged through the weld hole 208B, so no additional hole is needed.

[0030] Figure 3 The examples given are for illustrative purposes only. It should be understood that the shape and location of the bevel to be formed can be used to determine whether a slag removal path exists along the laser cutting path of the bevel, thereby determining whether an additional hole needs to be formed and, if so, its shape. In various embodiments, the bevel to be formed can be any type of bevel, such as an X-bevel, a Y-bevel, etc. For example, in one embodiment, the bevel to be formed is an X-bevel (not shown) at the right end of any flange, whose laser cutting path does not intersect with the corresponding weld hole, so there is no slag removal path in the web, and therefore an additional hole needs to be formed; while in another embodiment, the bevel to be formed is a Y-bevel (not shown) at the right end of the flange, whose laser cutting path intersects with the weld hole, so there is always a slag removal path, and therefore no additional hole needs to be formed.

[0031] Back Figure 1 After step 110, method 100 proceeds to step 120: controlling the laser processing head to cut a bevel to be processed on the wing plate, wherein the slag generated from cutting the intersection of the web plate and the wing plate is discharged through the corresponding hollowed-out part.

[0032] Still for reference Figure 3The laser processing head can be controlled to cut a bevel 204A on the flange 204 along arrows A and B. The slag generated from cutting the intersection of the web 202 and the flange 204 is discharged through the hollowed-out section 224 (through weld hole 208A and additional hole 214). The laser processing head can be controlled to cut a bevel 204B on the flange 204 along arrows C and D. The slag generated from cutting the intersection of the web 202 and the flange 204 is discharged through the hollowed-out section 226 (through weld hole 208B). Note that the web between the hollowed-out sections 224 and 226 is still connected at this time.

[0033] Subsequently, in step 130, the laser processing head is controlled to cut the web between the hollowed-out portions to separate the part containing the bevel and weld holes.

[0034] That is, such as Figure 3 The web plate before the cutout portions 224 and 226 are shown to separate the finished part containing bevels 204A, 204B and weld holes 208A, 208B.

[0035] Existing laser processing methods, in order to obtain a finished part including bevels and weld holes, first process weld holes 608A and 608B on the web 602, as shown in Figure 6(a). Then, as shown in Figure 6(b), the semi-finished part 610, including weld holes 608A and 608B, is completely cut off from the material, and then beveling is performed on the flange 604 of the semi-finished part 610. While this ensures efficient removal of waste, because the semi-finished part 610 is separated from the material during beveling, additional fixation (e.g., ...) is required for the semi-finished part 610, in addition to the support 612 used to support the material. Figure 6(a) and 6(b) The additional support component 612' shown is required to perform beveling on the semi-finished part 610; otherwise, the semi-finished part 610 will fall freely. Such an additional support component undoubtedly increases equipment cost and operational complexity. Moreover, if the total length of the semi-finished part being processed is shorter than the stroke limit of the support component (as shown in Figure 6(c)), even with the support component, it is impossible to fix and position the semi-finished part. Furthermore, the semi-finished part may change position when separated from the material. If the coordinates of the part are not repositioned and calibrated, the processing quality will inevitably be affected; however, repositioning and calibrating the coordinates of the part will greatly reduce production efficiency.

[0036] Through extensive experimentation, the inventors ingeniously optimized the processing technology. This invention's laser processing method effectively removes waste slag without cutting the web, allowing for the cutting of finished parts in a single step after all welding hole and beveling processes are completed. This significantly improves laser processing efficiency while maintaining processing accuracy and quality. Furthermore, since there's no need to separately secure the cut semi-finished parts during beveling, even short parts remain unaffected, saving on equipment costs associated with additional securing devices.

[0037] Optionally, when the cut-out portion includes an additional hole, method 100 may further include step 140 after step 130: controlling the laser processing head to remove the portion of the material including the additional hole, such as... Figure 4 As shown.

[0038] Again Figure 3 For example, as previously stated, the additional hole 214 is to provide a slag removal path when machining the bevel according to the trajectory shown by the dashed line A'. Therefore, the portion 230 containing the additional hole 214 is not the target part to be machined. Thus, after separating the finished part, the remaining material containing the portion with the additional hole can be removed (e.g., along...). Figure 3 The cutting line H' is shown to facilitate the processing of the next part.

[0039] In the example described above, the part to be processed is on the right side of the final finished part, which was originally connected to other incoming materials. However, it is understood that the laser processing method of the present invention can also be applied to processing other parts of the final finished part where the part to be processed is located.

[0040] Furthermore, the material in the above example may have a web and flanges connected to the web, forming an intersecting structure. However, it is also understood that the material structure applicable to the laser processing method of the present invention is not limited to this, but can be applied to any material with an intersecting structure in the laser cutting path. In one embodiment, the material may have an I-shaped (or H-shaped) structure, for example, H-beam steel.

[0041] Alternatively, it can be as follows Figure 3 The material 200 is placed on the support 212 as shown. It should be understood that, although... Figure 3The support member 212 is shown as a fixing component for clamping material, but in various embodiments of the invention, the support member can be any component known to those skilled in the art capable of fixing material, such as a robotic arm. The support member 212 does not contact the portion of the material from which the final finished part is formed, so that when step 130 is completed in method 100, the final finished part is automatically detached from the incoming material, i.e., the finished part is automatically unloaded, thereby further improving processing efficiency.

[0042] According to embodiments of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, on which encoded instructions are recorded, which, when executed, enable the aforementioned method for laser processing of materials according to the present invention. The computer-readable storage medium may include hard disk drives, floppy disk drives, optical disc read / write (CD-R / W) drives, digital universal disk (DVD) drives, flash memory drives, and / or solid-state storage devices, etc.

[0043] refer to Figure 5 The diagram shows a schematic block diagram of an apparatus 500 for laser processing of a material according to the present invention, the material comprising a connected web and a wing, the apparatus 500 comprising a laser processing head 502 and a control unit 504.

[0044] The control unit 504 can be configured to: control the laser processing head 502 to cut the web in a closed-loop trajectory to form a hollow portion corresponding to the bevel to be processed on the flange, the hollow portion including a weld hole, wherein the web between the hollow portions is not cut, and control the hollow portion cut by the laser processing head 502 to include or exclude additional holes according to the shape and position of the bevel to be processed; control the laser processing head 502 to cut the bevel to be processed on the flange, wherein slag generated from cutting the intersection of the web and the flange is discharged through the corresponding hollow portion; and control the laser processing head 502 to cut the web between the hollow portions to separate the part containing the bevel and the weld hole.

[0045] Optionally, the control unit 504 may be further configured to: when the hollowed-out portion cut by the laser processing head 502 includes an additional hole, after separating the part, control the laser processing head 502 to remove the portion of the material including the additional hole.

[0046] Optionally, the device 500 may further include a support 506 on which material is placed. During part processing, the support 506 does not contact the portion of the material containing the part, such that the part automatically detaches from the material when the web between the cut-out portions is finished.

[0047] Optionally, the bevel to be processed may include Y-type bevels and X-type bevels.

[0048] The aforementioned apparatus 500 can realize the method for laser processing of materials according to the present invention as described above. Many of the design concepts and details applicable to the laser processing method of materials according to the present invention are also applicable to the aforementioned apparatus 500 and can achieve the same beneficial technical effects, which will not be repeated here.

[0049] The various aspects of the present invention have been described above through exemplary embodiments. However, it should be understood that various modifications can be made to the above exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, if suitable results can be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order and / or if components in the described system, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in different ways and / or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents, then correspondingly, these modified other embodiments also fall within the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for laser processing a material, said material comprising a connected web and a flange, the method comprising the following steps: a) Control the laser processing head to cut the web plate with a closed movement trajectory to form a hollow portion corresponding to the bevel to be processed near the position of the bevel to be processed on the flange plate. The hollow portion includes a weld hole. The web plate between the hollow portions is not cut. The hollow portion cut by the laser processing head is controlled to include or exclude additional holes according to the shape and position of the bevel to be processed. b) Control the laser processing head to cut the bevel to be processed on the wing plate, wherein the slag generated from cutting the intersection of the web plate and the wing plate is discharged through the corresponding hollowed-out portion; as well as c) Control the laser processing head to cut the web between the hollowed-out portions to separate the part containing the bevel and the weld hole.

2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When the hollowed-out portion cut by the laser processing head includes an additional hole, the method further includes the following steps after step c): The laser processing head is controlled to remove the portion of the material including the additional hole.

3. The method as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The material is placed on the support. During steps a) to c), the support does not contact the portion of the material that includes the part, so that the part automatically detaches from the material at the end of step c).

4. The method as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The bevels include Y-type bevels and X-type bevels.

5. An apparatus for laser processing of a material, said material comprising a connected web and a wing, said apparatus comprising: Laser processing head; Control unit, the control unit being configured to: The laser processing head is controlled to cut the web plate with a closed movement trajectory to form a hollow portion corresponding to the bevel to be processed near the position of the bevel to be processed on the wing plate. The hollow portion includes a weld hole. The web plate between the hollow portions is not cut. The hollow portion cut by the laser processing head is controlled to include or exclude additional holes according to the shape and position of the bevel to be processed. The laser processing head is controlled to cut the bevel to be processed on the wing plate, wherein the slag generated from cutting the intersection of the web plate and the wing plate is discharged through the corresponding hollowed-out part; as well as The laser processing head is controlled to cut the web between the hollowed-out portions to separate the part containing the bevel and the weld hole.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, The control unit is further configured to: When the hollowed-out portion cut by the laser processing head includes an additional hole, after separating the part, the laser processing head is controlled to remove the portion of the material including the additional hole.

7. The apparatus as described in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The device further includes: Support member, on which the material is placed. During the processing of the part, the support does not contact the portion of the material that includes the part, so that the part automatically detaches from the material when the web between the cut-out portions is finished.

8. The apparatus as described in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The bevels include Y-type bevels and X-type bevels.

9. A computer-readable storage medium having encoded instructions recorded thereon, which, when executed, implement the method of laser processing of a material as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

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