Laser Processing Method and Equipment for Adjusting the Light Transmittance of Plastic Parts for Vehicle Lights

Abstract

The present invention relates to technical fields such as laser rapid prototyping equipment, and provides a laser processing method and equipment for adjusting the light transmittance of headlight plastic parts. A headlight plastic part in a single light-transmitting state is formed through an injection molding process. The headlight plastic part is made of a light-transmitting polymer material. The value of the required light transmittance change inside the headlight plastic part is determined according to user requirements, and the pattern distribution position and size that need to be subjected to light transmittance adjustment are determined. A laser processing equipment corresponding to the characteristics of the light-transmitting polymer material is selected, and laser parameters matching the light-transmitting polymer material and the light transmittance are set on the laser processing equipment. The laser processing equipment is controlled according to the set laser parameters to perform laser modification on the positions inside the transparent headlight plastic part that need to be subjected to light transmittance adjustment, so as to change the composition of the material in local areas inside the headlight plastic part, thereby changing the light transmittance of the material, obtaining a pattern distribution with different light transmittances of the headlight plastic part, realizing green and pollution-free processing, and improving the processing efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical fields of laser rapid prototyping equipment, vehicle part manufacturing, vision inspection based on image data processing, data recognition, etc., and particularly relates to a laser processing method and a laser processing device for adjusting the light transmittance of vehicle lamp plastic parts. Background Art

[0002] As an important type of vehicle parts, vehicle lamp plastic parts can provide light transmission, decoration, and protection for vehicle lamps. In the prior art, the processing process of vehicle lamp plastic parts generally includes injection molding of vehicle lamp plastic parts, overall light-shielding spraying or ink printing of vehicle lamp plastic parts, and laser processing of the light-transmitting parts on the vehicle lamp plastic parts. The overall light-shielding spraying or ink printing of vehicle lamp plastic parts not only causes pollution, but also makes the processing technology of vehicle lamp plastic parts too complex, resulting in a reduction in the processing efficiency of vehicle lamp plastic parts and an increase in the production cost.

[0003] In summary, the existing processing of vehicle lamp plastic parts has technical problems such as easy pollution caused by overall light-shielding spraying or ink printing, low processing efficiency, and high production cost. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention provides a laser processing method and a laser processing device for adjusting the light transmittance of vehicle lamp plastic parts to avoid the pollution caused by overall light-shielding spraying or ink printing of vehicle lamp plastic parts, improve the processing efficiency, and reduce the production cost.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a laser processing method for adjusting the light transmittance of vehicle lamp plastic parts, including:

[0006] Forming a transparent vehicle lamp plastic part with a single light-transmitting state through an injection molding process, where the vehicle lamp plastic part is made of a light-transmitting polymer material;

[0007] Determine the required light transmittance change value inside the vehicle lamp plastic part according to user requirements, determine the pattern distribution position and size where the light transmittance needs to be adjusted, select a laser processing device corresponding to the characteristics of the light-transmitting polymer material, and set laser parameters on the laser processing device that match the light-transmitting polymer material and the light transmittance;

[0008] Control the laser processing device according to the set laser parameters to perform laser modification on the positions inside the transparent vehicle lamp plastic part where the light transmittance needs to be adjusted, so as to change the composition of the material in the local area inside the vehicle lamp plastic part, thereby changing the light transmittance of the material and obtaining a pattern distribution with different light transmittances of the vehicle lamp plastic part.

[0009] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a laser processing device, which uses the above-mentioned laser processing method for adjusting the light transmittance of a plastic car headlight component to perform laser modification on the positions inside the transparent plastic car headlight component where the light transmittance needs to be adjusted, so as to change the composition of the material in local areas inside the plastic car headlight component, thereby changing the light transmittance of the material and obtaining a pattern distribution with different light transmittances of the plastic car headlight component.

[0010] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0011] The present invention provides a laser processing method and a laser processing device for adjusting the light transmittance of a plastic car headlight component. A transparent plastic car headlight component in a single light transmission state is formed by an injection molding process. The plastic car headlight component is made of a light-transmitting polymer material. The value of the required light transmittance change inside the plastic car headlight component is determined according to user requirements, and the pattern distribution position and size where the light transmittance needs to be adjusted are determined. A laser processing device corresponding to the characteristics of the light-transmitting polymer material is selected. Laser parameters matching the light-transmitting polymer material and the light transmittance are set on the laser processing device. The laser processing device is controlled according to the set laser parameters to perform laser modification on the positions inside the transparent plastic car headlight component where the light transmittance needs to be adjusted, so as to change the composition of the material in local areas inside the plastic car headlight component, thereby changing the light transmittance of the material and obtaining a pattern distribution with different light transmittances of the plastic car headlight component, achieving green and pollution-free processing, avoiding the pollution caused by overall light-shielding spraying or ink printing of the plastic car headlight component, improving the processing efficiency, and reducing the production cost. Description of the Drawings

[0012] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of the present invention. The schematic embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation to the present invention. Some specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail later with reference to the drawings in an exemplary rather than restrictive manner. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar components or parts. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0013] Figure 1 is a schematic flow chart of a laser processing method for adjusting the light transmittance of a plastic car headlight component according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a laser processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a laser processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention equipped with a pulse fume extractor and a control host.

[0016] Description of the Reference Numerals:

[0017] 1. Laser processing equipment; 10. Fixture; 11. Vision lens assembly; 12. Chassis door; 13. Smoking device; 14. Machine platform; 140. Loading and unloading processing table; 15. Frame; 150. Bottom box; 151. Middle box; 152. Top box; 16. Chassis; 17. Laser processing assembly; 170. X-axis assembly; 171. Z-axis assembly; 172. Laser scanner with galvanometer scanner; 18. Precision UVW vision alignment platform;

[0018] 2. Plastic parts for vehicle lamps;

[0019] 3. Pulse fume extractor;

[0020] 4. Control host. Detailed implementation manners

[0021] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the solution of the present invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0022] Refer to Figures 1 - 3 As shown in [figure reference], the embodiment of the present invention provides a laser processing method and laser processing equipment for adjusting the light transmittance of plastic parts for vehicle lamps. The laser processing equipment uses the laser processing method for adjusting the light transmittance of plastic parts for vehicle lamps to perform laser processing on the positions on the plastic parts for vehicle lamps that need to adjust the light transmittance, so as to change the surface microstructure of the material at the local positions of the plastic parts for vehicle lamps and obtain light-transmitting parts and light-blocking parts.

[0023] Refer to Figures 1 - 3 As shown in [figure reference], the laser processing method for adjusting the light transmittance of plastic parts for vehicle lamps includes:

[0024] S201. Form a transparent plastic part for vehicle lamps in a single light-transmitting state through an injection molding process. The plastic part for vehicle lamps is made of a light-transmitting polymer material;

[0025] S202. Determine the required light transmittance change value inside the plastic part for vehicle lamps according to user requirements, and determine the pattern distribution position and size that need to adjust the light transmittance. Select a laser processing equipment corresponding to the characteristics of the light-transmitting polymer material. Laser parameters matching the light-transmitting polymer material and the light transmittance are set on the laser processing equipment;

[0026] S203. Control the laser processing equipment according to the set laser parameters, and perform laser modification on the positions inside the transparent headlight plastic part that need to adjust the light transmittance, so as to change the composition of the material in the local area inside the headlight plastic part, thereby changing the light transmittance of the material, and obtaining a pattern distribution with different light transmittances of the headlight plastic part.

[0027] It should be noted that in this embodiment, a laser processing method for adjusting the light transmittance of a headlight plastic part is proposed. First, a transparent headlight plastic part in a single light-transmitting state is formed through an injection molding process. Then, according to the user's requirements, the value of the light transmittance change required inside the headlight plastic part is determined, and the position and size of the pattern distribution that needs to adjust the light transmittance are determined. A laser processing equipment corresponding to the characteristics of the light-transmitting polymer material is selected. The laser parameters matching the light-transmitting polymer material and the light transmittance are set on the laser processing equipment. Then, control the laser processing equipment according to the set laser parameters, and perform laser modification on the positions inside the transparent headlight plastic part that need to adjust the light transmittance, so as to change the composition of the material in the local area inside the headlight plastic part, thereby changing the light transmittance of the material, and obtaining a pattern distribution with different light transmittances of the headlight plastic part. This can completely abandon the pollution caused by traditional whole-piece spraying or printing, maintain the dimensional accuracy and good optical quality of the parts by using injection molding in one step, obtain different light-transmitting parts on a headlight plastic part substrate at the same time, so as to meet the complex appearance requirements of coexistence of light guiding, decoration and shielding of the headlight, simplify the production chain fundamentally, improve the production efficiency of the headlight plastic part, reduce the production cost, and meet the goal of green manufacturing.

[0028] In some preferred embodiments, the set laser parameters include a laser wavelength, an energy density, a pulse frequency, and a scanning speed that are matched with the modification of the light-transmitting polymer material. The laser wavelength range for laser modification is 355 - 1064 nm. The energy density range for laser modification is 0.1 to 100 J / cm². The pulse frequency range for laser modification is 0.5 ns to 500 ns. The scanning speed range for laser modification is 10 to 2000 mm / s.

[0029] It should be noted that the absorption peak positions, thermal conductivities, and molecular chain fracture thresholds of different polymer materials are different. Adjusting a single parameter cannot take into account the processing depth, surface quality, and processing efficiency. In this embodiment, by aligning the wavelength with the material absorption spectrum, efficient light energy coupling is ensured; by precisely controlling the deposition energy of a single pulse through the energy density, the thickness of the molten or carbonized layer can be predicted; by adjusting the pulse frequency, the balance between heat accumulation and processing speed is controlled; and then, in combination with the scanning speed and the linear energy distribution, the processing uniformity and edge transition are controlled. The four-parameter linkage of the laser wavelength, energy density, pulse frequency, and scanning speed provides a process window that can be calculated, repeated, and batch-cured, supports the whole-line automatic adjustment, avoids the unqualified rate caused by empirical machine adjustment, further improves the yield, and reduces the single-piece processing time. In addition, the laser wavelength is limited to 355 - 1064 nm, which can cover the three bands (355 / 532 / 1064 nm) with the highest cost and performance maturity in current industrial lasers. Beyond this range (such as 266 nm, 2 µm), although processing is also possible, the corresponding lasers are expensive, power-consuming, and have high maintenance costs, which is not conducive to the economy of mass production of automotive parts. At the same time, too short a wavelength is prone to difficult fiber coupling, and too long a wavelength results in insufficient energy coupling. In this embodiment, through the two-way constraint of the wavelength upper and lower limits, the equipment selection and material absorption are reasonably matched. In addition, when the energy density is less than 0.1 J / cm², it is difficult to generate sufficient local temperature rise and change the light transmittance; when the energy density is greater than 100 J / cm², carbonization penetration or foaming instability is likely to occur, affecting the mechanical integrity of the part. The energy density range of 0.1 to 100 J / cm² covers the whole process from mild modification, refractive index modulation to complete modification and light shielding, and continuous transition of gray scale and blackness can be achieved through segmented adjustment, providing rich design freedom for automotive lighting styling; at the same time, it is also a process window with relatively high versatility after the mutual conversion of the equipment average power, scanning speed, and pulse overlap degree, which helps to quickly replicate across vehicle models and materials. In addition, considering the low thermal diffusion coefficient of polymer materials, if the frequency is too low (less than 0.5 ns), the cooling between pulses is excessive, and the line speed needs to be reduced to maintain overlap, resulting in a decrease in efficiency; if it is too high (greater than 500 ns), the energy of a single pulse is insufficient, and heat accumulation is likely to cause wrinkling of the carbonized layer. In this embodiment, the setting of the pulse frequency range from 0.5 ns to 500 ns not only covers all models of common MOPA and solid pulse lasers, but also can optimize the modulation depth through the frequency and duty cycle to achieve the balance between high speed and quality. In addition, when the scanning speed is limited to the range of 10 - 2000 mm / s, for wide light-transmitting bands or large-area light-shielding areas, high-speed scanning can be used to increase production capacity; for fine light guide patterns, low speed is used to ensure uniform depth.

[0030] In some preferred embodiments, the light-transmitting polymer material is selected from at least one of polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate or polystyrene. It should be noted that the light-transmitting polymer material selected from at least one of polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate or polystyrene is only a preferred example. In practice, the selection of the light-transmitting polymer material includes but is not limited to polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate or polystyrene. The laser processing equipment adopts one or more combinations of infrared laser, ultraviolet laser or green laser. It should be noted that the headlight housing has strict requirements on light transmittance, impact resistance, weather resistance and dimensional stability, and polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate or polystyrene have been proven to be mature in the automotive lighting industry. In addition, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate or polystyrene have weak absorption in the near-infrared region (1064 nm), and are prone to melting and recondensation mechanisms dominated by photothermal effects, which are suitable for deep shading; in the 355 nm ultraviolet region, the molecules have strong absorption and mainly follow the photochemical chain rupture path, which can obtain fine patterns with lower heat-affected zones and smaller carbonization color differences; 532 nm green light has both absorptivity and beam quality, which is suitable for high-speed scanning. The band can be selected according to the different requirements of the light transmission band width, resolution and color of the headlights, or the dual-wavelength sequential processing can be used to achieve both low cost and high resolution.

[0031] In some preferred embodiments, the laser processing is performed by multiple scans to gradually reduce the light transmittance of a local area of the vehicle lamp plastic part. An interval time is set between each scan of the multiple scans to control the thermal accumulation effect of the vehicle lamp plastic part. It should be noted that a single high-energy scan is likely to generate abrupt stresses and carbonization cracks locally, thereby affecting the mechanical strength and appearance quality of the part; while the layer-by-layer progressive processing can gradually adjust the refractive index and scattering degree through the accumulation effect to obtain a smoother optical transition. The multiple-scan method also facilitates the operation of a single laser with low power and high repetition rate, saving equipment investment. In addition, adding an interval time between multiple scans can adapt to the characteristics of high molecular materials with low heat capacity and slow heat dissipation. If the continuous scan interval is insufficient, the thermal accumulation will push the local temperature above the glass transition temperature, resulting in large-area melting or collapse; if the interval is too long, the cycle will be slowed down. Adding an interval time between multiple scans can ensure the stability of the material structure and improve the overall efficiency of the equipment. Further, when using the multiple-scan method, the gray level and scan number mapping table is automatically determined and the one-key process call is realized. Specifically, after receiving the laser processing task call instruction for the target vehicle lamp plastic part, the preset light transmission and light shielding design pattern file of the vehicle lamp plastic part is imported into the algorithm module, and the pattern file is converted into a two-dimensional pixel matrix containing the gray level information of the target processing area; according to the gray level of each pixel in the two-dimensional pixel matrix, the corresponding target scan number, single-pulse energy density and scan speed parameters are retrieved in the pre-established gray level and scan number mapping table; when the gray level is between two calibrated mapping points, the approximate scan number is calculated by linear interpolation or polynomial fitting and the corresponding laser parameter set is updated synchronously to ensure that the gray level change and light transmittance adjustment are continuously controllable; according to the mapping result, a process instruction set containing the spatial coordinates of the processing path, the scan number sequence, the laser energy density, the scan speed and the temperature threshold is generated and sent to the motion control unit and the power control unit of the laser processing equipment at one time. The laser processing equipment automatically completes workpiece positioning, layer-by-layer scanning, real-time temperature monitoring and closed-loop parameter adjustment according to the process instruction set, so as to realize the batch and automatic precise adjustment of the light transmittance of the vehicle lamp plastic part without manual step-by-step setting.

[0032] In some preferred embodiments, during the laser processing, the temperature change of the processed area is monitored in real time, and the temperature rise of the processed area is controlled by adjusting the laser energy density and the scan speed. It should be noted that millisecond-level temperature feedback can be realized by arranging infrared temperature measurement or photoacoustic detection near the processing point, and then the energy density or the scan speed is dynamically modified to avoid processing inconsistencies, local bubbles or stress cracking caused by process drift.

[0033] In some preferred embodiments, the surface of the plastic automotive lamp part is cleaned before laser processing to remove surface impurities. Cleaning the surface of the plastic automotive lamp part before laser processing can solve the problem that the residual mold release agent, oil stain and dust on the injection molded part interfere with laser absorption and the focal position. Pollutants can cause uneven absorption and specular reflection, resulting in uneven processing depth or local burning. Pre-cleaning by plasma, ultrasonic or ionic wind electrostatic dust removal can improve and unify the surface energy, ensuring stable energy distribution of the laser beam.

[0034] In some preferred embodiments, the light transmittance data of the processing area is collected in real time during laser processing and fed back to the laser processing equipment to dynamically adjust the laser parameters. It should be noted that for light transmittance collection, an integrating sphere photometer or a linear CCD array can be used. The light transmittance data of the processing area collected in real time is compared with the target value, so as to correct the energy or the number of scans, offset the influence of material batch difference, environmental temperature fluctuation and optical path pollution, and ensure that the light transmission band of each plastic part reaches the design transmittance tolerance.

[0035] In some preferred embodiments, the laser processing method for adjusting the light transmittance of a plastic automotive lamp part further includes: when it is detected that a transparent plastic automotive lamp part 2 is placed on the fixture 10 at the workpiece processing station of the laser processing equipment 1, controlling the vision lens assembly 11 arranged above the workpiece processing station on the laser processing equipment 1 to take a picture of the plastic automotive lamp part 2 to obtain a plastic part placement image reflecting the fixed position of the plastic automotive lamp part 2 on the fixture 10; analyzing the placement position of the plastic automotive lamp part 2 in the plastic part placement image, and when the placement position of the plastic automotive lamp part 2 is offset, controlling the precision UVW vision alignment platform under the fixture of the laser processing equipment to correct the placement position of the plastic automotive lamp part on the fixture; when the placement position of the plastic automotive lamp part 2 is accurate, controlling the cabinet door 12 of the laser processing equipment 1 to close; when it is detected that the cabinet door 12 of the laser processing equipment 1 is closed, controlling the laser processing equipment 1 to perform laser modification on the position where the light transmittance of the transparent plastic automotive lamp part 2 needs to be adjusted, and simultaneously controlling the pulse fume extractor 3 located on one side of the laser processing equipment 1 to be turned on; the pulse fume extractor 3 is communicated with the smoke suction device 13 arranged above the workpiece processing station on the laser processing equipment 1 to perform pulse fume extraction on the workpiece processing station.

[0036] It should be noted that in this embodiment, when it is detected that the headlight plastic part 2 is placed on the fixture 10 at the workpiece processing station of the laser processing device 1, the vision lens assembly 11 provided above the workpiece processing station on the laser processing device 1 is controlled to take a picture of the headlight plastic part 2, so as to obtain a plastic part placement image reflecting the fixed position of the headlight plastic part 2 on the fixture 10. The placement position of the headlight plastic part 2 in the plastic part placement image is analyzed. When the placement position of the headlight plastic part 2 is offset, the precision UVW vision alignment platform 18 below the fixture of the laser processing device is controlled to correct the placement position of the headlight plastic part on the fixture. When the placement position of the headlight plastic part 2 is accurate, the cabinet door 12 of the laser processing device 1 is controlled to close. When it is detected that the cabinet door 12 of the laser processing device 1 is closed, the laser processing device 1 is controlled to perform laser processing on the position of the headlight plastic part 2 that needs transmittance adjustment, and at the same time, the pulse fume extractor 3 located on one side of the laser processing device 1 is controlled to be turned on. The pulse fume extractor 3 is communicated with the smoke suction device 13 provided above the workpiece processing station on the laser processing device 1 to perform pulse fume extraction on the workpiece processing station. Thereby, not only the processing efficiency of the headlight plastic part 2 is improved, the cost is reduced, and environmental protection processing is carried out, but also the placement position of the workpiece is corrected through vision alignment, so that the processing position of the headlight plastic part 2 is accurate and the processing precision of the headlight plastic part 2 is improved.

[0037] In this embodiment, by taking a picture of the headlight plastic part 2 through the vision lens assembly 11, the placement position image of the plastic part on the fixture 10 can be obtained in real time, providing an automated and non-contact method to detect the position of the plastic part. Through this automatic detection, the error of manual alignment can be avoided, the accuracy and speed of plastic part position detection can be improved, and a foundation for subsequent precise processing can be laid. This automatic detection method not only improves processing efficiency but also reduces manual intervention, thereby reducing operating costs. In some preferred embodiments, an optoelectronic sensor is installed on the edge of the fixture 10. The optoelectronic sensor emits a light beam. When the headlight plastic part 2 is placed, the light beam is blocked to generate a changed optical signal, and the optoelectronic sensor detects the changed optical signal to detect that the headlight plastic part 2 is placed on the fixture 10 at the workpiece processing station of the laser processing device 1.

[0038] In this embodiment, by analyzing the image of the placement of the plastic parts obtained by the camera, it is determined whether the automotive lamp plastic parts 2 are placed accurately. If a position deviation is found, the precise UVW vision alignment platform 18 under the fixture of the laser processing equipment corrects the placement position of the automotive lamp plastic parts on the fixture to ensure that each automotive lamp plastic part 2 is in an accurate position before processing, reducing the processing errors that may be caused by the position deviation, thereby improving the processing precision. Through this precise alignment and correction, not only can the processing accuracy be improved, but also the scrap rate can be reduced, and the material and processing costs can be lowered.

[0039] In this embodiment, after confirming that the cabinet door 12 is closed, the laser processing of the automotive lamp plastic parts 2 starts with a preset processing path to ensure the standardization and consistency of each processing. At the same time, the pulse fume extractor 3 is synchronously started, and the fumes generated during the processing are effectively removed through the smoke suction device 13, which not only improves the cleanliness of the processing environment and meets the environmental protection requirements, but also reduces the pollution and maintenance costs of the equipment. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the laser processing starts only after the cabinet door 12 is closed, and the smoke suction device 13 is connected to the synchronously started pulse fume extractor 3, so that the fumes are removed inside the cabinet 16, avoiding the pollution of the external air and harming human health. The fixture 10 is a rectangular fixture for adaptively placing the long-strip-shaped irregular substrate, and the smoke suction device 13 is a long-strip-shaped smoke suction device. The extension length of the long-strip-shaped smoke suction device above the workpiece processing station exceeds the length of the long-strip-shaped irregular substrate. It should be noted that the long-strip-shaped irregular substrate usually has a long length and an irregular shape, which increases the difficulty of fixing and positioning on the fixture 10. By designing a specific shape of the fixture 10 to adapt to this irregular substrate, the stable placement of the substrate on the fixture 10 can be ensured, thereby improving the accuracy during the processing. In addition, the extension length of the long-strip-shaped smoke suction device exceeds the length of the long-strip-shaped substrate, which means that the smoke can be effectively absorbed throughout the substrate processing area. Especially during large-area processing, the long-strip-shaped smoke suction device can evenly cover the entire length of the workpiece, ensuring that the smoke in all processing areas is removed in time to prevent the accumulation of smoke from having a negative impact on the processing environment and processing quality. By setting the long-strip-shaped smoke suction device, the deposition of smoke and dust can be effectively avoided, which not only helps to protect the cleanliness and stability of the processing equipment, but also improves the overall processing quality and meets the requirements of environmentally friendly processing.

[0040] In some preferred embodiments, when it is detected that the cabinet door 12 of the laser processing device 1 is not closed, a prompt is given to check the malfunction of the cabinet door 12 closing function. It should be noted that when the laser processing device 1 is operating, a high-energy laser beam will be generated. If the cabinet door 12 is not closed, the laser may leak out, posing a serious safety hazard to the operator. By setting the prompt function, it is ensured that the laser processing will not be started when the cabinet door 12 is not closed, thus effectively preventing accidents and protecting the safety of the operator.

[0041] In some preferred embodiments, the laser processing device 1 includes a machine table 14 and a frame 15; the frame 15 is arranged on the tabletop of the machine table 14, and a loading and unloading processing tabletop 140 is left on the tabletop of the machine table 14, and the fixture 10 at the workpiece processing station is arranged on the loading and unloading processing tabletop 140. It should be noted that arranging the frame 15 on the tabletop of the machine table 14 helps to optimize the spatial layout of the device, makes the entire laser processing device 1 structure compact, reduces the workshop space occupied by the device, helps to simplify the installation and maintenance of the device, and also helps to improve the stability and reliability of the system. Leaving the loading and unloading processing tabletop 140 on the tabletop of the machine table 14 and arranging the fixture 10 on this tabletop makes it more convenient and fast to load and unload workpieces. The operator can directly perform the operations of loading and unloading materials on the processing tabletop, reducing unnecessary movements and operation steps, and improving work efficiency.

[0042] In some preferred embodiments, the laser processing device 1 further includes a cabinet 16; the cabinet 16 is assembled on the machine table 14, and when the cabinet door 12 of the cabinet 16 is closed, the frame 15, the loading and unloading processing tabletop 140 and the fixture 10 at the workpiece processing station are enclosed on the tabletop of the machine table 14. It should be noted that a high-energy laser beam will be generated during the laser processing process, which has potential safety risks. The cabinet 16 design can enclose the laser source during the processing process, prevent the laser from leaking out, and ensure the safety of the operator. By closing the cabinet door 12, the laser is completely restricted in the enclosed space, avoiding damage to personnel or surrounding equipment by the laser. In addition, during the laser processing process, some fine dust will be generated. The enclosed design of the cabinet 16 can effectively prevent the dust from overflowing, keeping the working environment clean and safe.

[0043] In some preferred embodiments, the laser processing device 1 further includes a laser processing assembly 17; the laser processing assembly 17 is disposed at the top of the frame 15 and is used to perform laser processing on the positions of the plastic automotive lamp parts 2 that require light transmittance adjustment when the chassis door 12 of the laser processing device 1 is closed. The frame 15 includes a bottom box body 150, a middle box body 151, and a top box body 152 that are connected in sequence from bottom to top; the bottom box body 150 is connected to the tabletop of the machine platform 14; the laser processing assembly 17 is disposed on the upper surface of the top box body 152, and the bottom box body 150, the middle box body 151, and the top box body 152 jointly stack to form the working range of the laser processing assembly 17. It should be noted that through the stacked structure of the bottom, middle, and top box bodies 152, a working space that expands layer by layer from bottom to top can be formed. This design enables the laser processing assembly 17 to cover a larger space, thereby enabling flexible processing operations at different heights and positions. For the plastic automotive lamp parts 2 with irregular shapes, this structure can provide great processing flexibility and precision control. In addition, the layered design enables each layer of the box body to be independently disassembled and maintained, facilitating the maintenance and troubleshooting of the equipment. If the laser processing assembly 17 or other components need to be repaired or upgraded, it can be directly processed for a specific layer without the need to completely disassemble the entire device.

[0044] In some preferred embodiments, the smoking device 13 is disposed on the front side of the middle box body 151, and the front side of the middle box body 151 is the side facing the workpiece processing station; the smoking device 13 is communicated with the pulse fume extractor 3 through a connecting pipe, and the pulse fume extractor 3 is disposed at the rear side of the laser processing device 1. The connecting pipe passes through the front side of the middle box body 151 and penetrates out of the rear side of the middle box body 151 to be communicated with the pulse fume extractor 3. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the smoking device 13 is disposed on the front side of the middle box body 151, which means that the smoking device 13 is very close to the source of the smoke and waste gas generated by laser processing, and can quickly absorb the smoke and waste gas at the moment of their generation, reducing the diffusion of the smoke and dust in the air, maximizing the absorption efficiency of the smoking device 13, helping to keep the processing environment clean, and preventing pollutants from affecting the precision of laser processing and the quality of the workpiece surface. The connecting pipe passes through the box body from the front side of the middle box body 151 and penetrates out of the rear side of the middle box body 151, and finally connects to the pulse fume extractor 3, making the entire fume extraction system more compact, effectively utilizing the space inside the laser processing device 1 at the same time, avoiding the external exposure of the pipeline around the device, and reducing the occupation of the workshop space.

[0045] In some preferred embodiments, the vision lens assembly 11 is disposed on the front side of the top layer box body 152, above the smoking device 13, so as to be separated from the workpiece processing station by a preset anti-pollution height. The front side of the top layer box body 152 is the side facing the workpiece processing station. It should be noted that pollutants such as soot are generated during the laser processing process, and these pollutants may affect the clarity of the vision lens. If the lens assembly is set at a lower position or too close to the workpiece processing station, it is easily directly affected by these pollutants, resulting in contamination of the lens surface and affecting the shooting effect. By setting a preset anti-pollution height, the interference of these pollutants can be effectively avoided, ensuring a clear lens field of view, thereby guaranteeing the quality and accuracy of image capture. In addition, it can also prevent pollutants from depositing on the lens, reducing the cleaning frequency and maintenance requirements of the lens, thereby extending the service life of the lens assembly and reducing the maintenance cost of the equipment. Disposing the vision lens assembly 11 on the front side of the top layer box body 152 and above the smoking device 13 not only ensures that the lens can directly observe the situation of the workpiece processing station from the best perspective, but also can avoid the direct smoke generated during workpiece processing, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of vision detection.

[0046] In some preferred embodiments, the laser processing assembly 17 includes an X-axis assembly 170, a Z-axis assembly 171, and a laser galvanometer 172 with a laser scanner; the X-axis assembly 170 is disposed on the upper surface of the top layer box body 152, and the Z-axis assembly 171 connects the laser galvanometer 172 with the laser scanner and the X-axis assembly 170; the X-axis assembly 170 drives the Z-axis assembly 171 and the laser galvanometer 172 with the laser scanner to move in the X-axis direction, and the Z-axis assembly 171 drives the laser galvanometer 172 with the laser scanner to move in the Y-axis direction. The laser galvanometer 172 with the laser scanner is used for laser processing of the position of the vehicle lamp plastic part 2 that requires light transmittance adjustment. It should be noted that the X-axis assembly 170 is disposed on the upper surface of the top layer box body 152. By controlling the movement of the laser galvanometer in the X-axis direction, the horizontal length of the plastic part can be covered. Such a design allows the laser to be accurately positioned and scanned in the X-axis, ensuring that the laser beam can accurately move on the horizontal plane of the workpiece, thereby achieving high-precision processing. The Z-axis assembly 171 connects the laser galvanometer and the X-axis assembly 170 and is responsible for moving the laser galvanometer in the Z-axis (vertical direction), which can change the height of the laser focus point, so as to adapt to workpieces of different thicknesses or heights. In addition, the laser galvanometer 172 with the laser scanner can quickly adjust the direction of the laser beam to achieve high-speed and high-precision scanning and processing.

[0047] The above embodiments are only preferred specific embodiments of the present invention, and the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention should be covered within the protection scope of the present invention. The protection scope of the present invention should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A laser processing method for adjusting the light transmittance of plastic parts for vehicle lamps, characterized in that, Including: A transparent vehicle lamp plastic part formed in a single light-transmitting state by an injection molding process, and the vehicle lamp plastic part is made of a light-transmitting polymer material; Determine the required light transmittance change value inside the vehicle lamp plastic part according to user requirements, and determine the pattern distribution position and size where the light transmittance needs to be adjusted. Select a laser processing device corresponding to the characteristics of the light-transmitting polymer material. The laser processing device is set with laser parameters matching the light-transmitting polymer material and the light transmittance; Control the laser processing device according to the set laser parameters, and perform laser modification on the position inside the transparent vehicle lamp plastic part where the light transmittance needs to be adjusted, so as to change the composition of the material in the local area inside the vehicle lamp plastic part, thereby changing the light transmittance of the material, and obtaining a pattern distribution with different light transmittances of the vehicle lamp plastic part; the set laser parameters include a laser wavelength, an energy density, a pulse frequency, and a scanning speed that are matched with the modification of the light-transmitting polymer material; the laser wavelength range for laser modification is 355 - 1064 nm, the energy density range for laser modification is 0.1 to 100 J / cm², the pulse width range for laser modification is 0.5 ns to 500 ns, and the scanning speed range for laser modification is 10 to 2000 mm / s; The laser processing adopts a multi-scanning method to gradually reduce the light transmittance of the local area of the vehicle lamp plastic part; an interval time is set between each scan of the multi-scanning to control the thermal accumulation effect of the vehicle lamp plastic part; when adopting the multi-scanning method, automatically determine the gray level and scanning times mapping table and realize one-key process call. Specifically: after receiving the laser processing task call instruction for the target vehicle lamp plastic part, import the preset light-transmitting and light-blocking design pattern file of the vehicle lamp plastic part into the algorithm module, and convert the pattern file into a two-dimensional pixel matrix containing the gray level information of the target processing area; retrieve the corresponding target scanning times, single-pulse energy density, and scanning speed parameters in the pre-established gray level and scanning times mapping table according to the gray level of each pixel in the two-dimensional pixel matrix; when the gray level is between two calibrated mapping points, calculate the approximate scanning times by linear interpolation or polynomial fitting method and synchronously update the corresponding laser parameter set to ensure that the gray level change and the light transmittance adjustment are continuously controllable; generate a process instruction set containing the spatial coordinates of the processing path, the scanning times sequence, the laser energy density, the scanning speed, and the temperature threshold according to the mapping result, and issue it to the motion control unit and the power control unit of the laser processing device at one time. The laser processing device automatically completes workpiece positioning, layer-by-layer scanning, real-time temperature monitoring, and closed-loop parameter adjustment according to the process instruction set.

2. The laser processing method for adjusting the light transmittance of a plastic part for a vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein, The light-transmitting polymer material is selected from at least one of polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, or polystyrene.

3. The laser processing method for adjusting the light transmittance of a plastic component for a vehicle lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, The laser processing device adopts one or a combination of infrared laser, ultraviolet laser, or green laser.

4. The laser processing method for adjusting the light transmittance of a plastic part for a vehicle lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, When it is detected that a transparent headlight plastic part is placed on the fixture at the workpiece processing station of the laser processing equipment, control the vision lens assembly arranged above the workpiece processing station on the laser processing equipment to take a picture of the headlight plastic part, so as to obtain a plastic part placement image reflecting the fixed position of the headlight plastic part on the fixture; Analyze the placement position of the headlight plastic part in the plastic part placement image. When the placement position of the headlight plastic part is offset, control the precision UVW vision alignment platform below the fixture of the laser processing equipment to correct the placement position of the headlight plastic part on the fixture; When the placement position of the headlight plastic part is accurate, control the machine case door of the laser processing equipment to close; when it is detected that the machine case door of the laser processing equipment is closed, control the laser processing equipment to perform laser modification on the position inside the transparent headlight plastic part that needs to be subjected to light transmittance adjustment, and simultaneously control the pulse fume extractor located on one side of the laser processing equipment to start; the pulse fume extractor is communicated with the smoking device arranged above the workpiece processing station on the laser processing equipment to perform pulse fume extraction on the workpiece processing station.

5. A laser processing device, characterized in that, The laser processing equipment uses the laser processing method for light transmittance adjustment of headlight plastic parts according to any one of claims 1-4 to perform laser modification on the position inside the transparent headlight plastic part that needs to be subjected to light transmittance adjustment, so as to change the composition of the material in the local area inside the headlight plastic part, thereby changing the light transmittance of the material and obtaining a pattern distribution with different light transmittances of the headlight plastic part.

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