A water guided laser machining system

Abstract

This invention provides a water-guided laser processing system, relating to the field of water-guided laser processing technology. The system includes a water-guided laser processing head and a control module. The water-guided laser processing head includes a coaxial observation module, a laser collimating head arranged sequentially, a laser adjustment module, and a coupling cavity. The laser adjustment module is used to transmit the laser emitted by the laser collimating head to the coupling cavity. The coaxial observation module is used to acquire grayscale images of the laser spot and nozzle within the coupling cavity. The control module is used to determine the position of the laser spot and the nozzle based on the grayscale images, and based on the position of the laser spot and the nozzle, to acquire the amount of motion of the motorized deflector of the laser adjustment module when the laser spot and the nozzle are pre-aligned in a first direction. The control module controls the alignment of the laser spot and the nozzle in a second direction, and controls the laser spot to move along the first direction into the nozzle through the amount of motion, wherein the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular. This invention can ensure that the center of the laser spot and the center of the nozzle are strictly aligned, guaranteeing positioning accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of water-guided laser processing technology, and more specifically, to a water-guided laser processing system. Background Technology

[0002] Water-guided laser processing technology is an advanced technology that uses a high-speed water jet as a carrier to guide a laser beam for precision machining. Its core lies in the precise coupling of the focused laser spot with the center of the jet nozzle, allowing the laser energy to be stably transmitted along the water jet, thereby enabling processing operations such as cutting and drilling of materials.

[0003] However, in the actual coupling process, when the laser spot enters the nozzle range, the internal water jet has a brightness homogenizing effect on the laser, which causes the entire nozzle area to emit light uniformly. As a result, it is difficult to observe the specific position of the spot inside the nozzle, making it difficult to achieve strict alignment between the center of the spot and the center of the nozzle, thus affecting the positioning accuracy of laser processing. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The problem solved by this invention is how to ensure that the center of the laser spot is strictly aligned with the center of the nozzle in order to guarantee the positioning accuracy of laser processing.

[0005] To address the above problems, the present invention provides a water-guided laser processing system, including a water-guided laser processing head and a control module. The water-guided laser processing head includes a coaxial observation module, a laser collimating head arranged in sequence, a laser adjustment module, and a coupling cavity. The laser adjustment module is used to transmit the laser emitted by the laser collimator to the coupling cavity; The coaxial observation module is used to acquire grayscale images of the laser spot and nozzle within the coupling cavity; The control module is used to determine the position of the light spot and the position of the nozzle according to the grayscale image, and based on the position of the light spot and the position of the nozzle, to obtain the amount of motion of the electric deflector of the laser adjustment module when the light spot and the nozzle are pre-aligned in the first direction; The light spot and the nozzle are aligned in a second direction, and the light spot is moved into the nozzle along the first direction by the amount of motion, wherein the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular.

[0006] Optionally, the step of obtaining the motion of the motorized deflector of the laser adjustment module when the laser spot and the nozzle are pre-aligned in a first direction based on the laser spot position and the nozzle position includes: Based on the position of the light spot and the position of the nozzle, the electric deflection mirror controls the light spot to move from the position of the light spot towards the position of the nozzle along the first direction. The real-time position of the light spot is monitored based on a visual detection algorithm; When the light spot and the nozzle are aligned in the first direction, the amount of motion of the electric deflector is obtained, and the light spot is reset to the light spot position.

[0007] Optionally, the step of aligning the light spot and the nozzle in a second direction, and controlling the light spot to move along the first direction into the nozzle by the amount of motion, includes: The electric deflector controls the light spot to move from its position towards the nozzle along the second direction. The real-time position of the light spot is monitored according to the visual detection algorithm. When the light spot and the nozzle are aligned in the second direction, the light spot is controlled to move along the first direction into the nozzle by the electric deflector according to the amount of motion.

[0008] Optionally, determining the spot position and nozzle position based on the grayscale image includes: The grayscale image is preprocessed to generate an enhanced image; The position of the light spot is determined using a random circle detection method; The nozzle position is determined using an improved Hough gradient circular transform.

[0009] Optionally, the preprocessing of the grayscale image to generate an enhanced image includes: The Otsu method is used to obtain the segmentation threshold of the grayscale image; Based on the segmentation threshold, the grayscale image is binarized to generate the enhanced image.

[0010] Optionally, the laser collimator includes a QBH interface assembly, a beam coupling device, and an autocollimating lens assembly arranged sequentially.

[0011] Optionally, the coaxial observation module includes a monocular CCD camera, an adjustable focusing lens tube, and an auxiliary imaging light source. The adjustable focusing lens tube is located above the motorized deflecting mirror, the monocular CCD camera is located above the adjustable focusing lens tube, and the auxiliary imaging light source is located to the side of the adjustable focusing lens tube.

[0012] Optionally, the laser adjustment module includes a variable aperture and an optical path adjustment unit connected in sequence.

[0013] Optionally, the optical path adjustment unit includes a laser reflector, an electrically driven deflector, and a focusing lens arranged in sequence.

[0014] Optionally, the electrically driven deflector is a short-pass dichroic mirror and is equipped with a grating for acquiring the motion quantity.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the water-guided laser processing system of the present invention are: The coaxial observation module acquires grayscale images of the nozzle and light spot within the coupling cavity in real time, providing data support for the control module to accurately determine the positions of the light spot and nozzle. The control module decomposes the alignment process of the light spot and nozzle into two mutually perpendicular directions: a first direction and a second direction. First, outside the nozzle (where the light spot is not yet inside the nozzle and can be clearly observed), the motorized deflector is controlled to drive the light spot along the first direction to pre-align with the nozzle, and the amount of motion of the motorized deflector is recorded simultaneously. After resetting, the light spot is then controlled to move along the second direction to align (during this process, the light spot remains within the observable range outside the nozzle, ensuring alignment accuracy). Finally, based on the pre-stored amount of motion, the motorized deflector is directly controlled to drive the light spot along the first direction into the nozzle, achieving precise alignment without observing the position of the light spot inside the nozzle. This completely avoids the blind spot caused by the uniformity of water jet brightness, ensuring strict alignment between the center of the light spot and the center of the nozzle, and significantly improving the positioning accuracy of laser processing. Furthermore, the control module autonomously completes position calculation, directional alignment, and motion quantity retrieval based on grayscale images, eliminating the need for manual adjustment and calibration. This not only reduces pre-processing debugging time and manual intervention costs but also avoids alignment errors caused by the subjectivity of manual operation, significantly improving processing efficiency. Simultaneously, the sequentially set core modules, along with the synergistic cooperation of coaxial observation and precise control, ensure the stability of laser transmission and alignment, enhance the coupling reliability of the laser and water jet, and reduce processing failures caused by alignment deviations, such as nozzle damage and coupling failure. This further guarantees the consistency of laser processing quality and the long-term stability of the system. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the water-guided laser processing head provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the closed-loop control of the control module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the control module's control of the light spot alignment according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the improved Hough gradient circular transform provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the optical path provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Laser collimator; 2. Variable aperture; 3. Laser reflector; 4. Focusing lens; 5. Coupled cavity; 6. Coaxial observation module; 601. Monocular CCD camera; 602. Adjustable focusing lens tube; 603. Auxiliary imaging light source; 7. Motorized deflector. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although some embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the present invention. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of the present invention are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] It should be understood that the various steps described in the method embodiments of the present invention may be performed in different orders and / or in parallel. Furthermore, the method embodiments may include additional steps and / or omit the steps shown. The scope of the present invention is not limited in this respect.

[0020] The term "comprising" and its variations as used herein are open-ended, meaning "including but not limited to"; the term "based on" means "at least partially based on"; the term "one embodiment" means "at least one embodiment"; the term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment"; the term "some embodiments" means "at least some embodiments"; and the term "optionally" means "optional embodiments". Definitions of other terms will be given in the following description. It should be noted that the concepts of "first," "second," etc., mentioned in this invention are used only to distinguish different devices, modules, or units, and are not intended to limit the order of functions performed by these devices, modules, or units or their interdependencies.

[0021] It should be noted that the terms "a" and "a plurality of" used in this invention are illustrative rather than restrictive. Those skilled in the art should understand that, unless otherwise expressly indicated in the context, they should be understood as "one or more".

[0022] The names of the messages or information exchanged between the multiple devices in the embodiments of the present invention are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of these messages or information.

[0023] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a water-guided laser processing system, comprising: It includes a water-guided laser processing head and a control module. The water-guided laser processing head includes a coaxial observation module 6, a laser collimating head 1 arranged in sequence, a laser adjustment module, and a coupling cavity 5. The laser adjustment module is used to transmit the laser emitted by the laser collimator 1 to the coupling cavity 5.

[0024] Specifically, the water-guided laser processing head includes a coaxial observation module 6 with a compact two-cylinder structure, a laser collimating head 1, a laser adjustment module, and a coupling cavity 5 arranged sequentially. This effectively reduces the lateral size of the water-guided laser processing head, adapting it to processing scenarios with narrow and elongated structures. It avoids the problem of interference between traditional large-size processing heads and workpieces, expanding the applicability of laser processing. The laser collimating head 1 is the core component for laser input and collimation in the water-guided laser processing head. It connects to an external laser emitting device at the front end and directly interfaces with the laser adjustment module at the rear end. It can receive external lasers, collimate them, and then stably output a parallel laser beam to the laser adjustment module, providing a basic light source guarantee for subsequent laser-nozzle alignment and processing. The laser adjustment module is a key adjustment component in the laser transmission path, connected between the laser collimating head 1 and the coupling cavity 5. Its core function is to receive the collimated laser emitted by the laser collimating head 1. Through the synergistic effect of its internal structure, it adaptively adjusts the transmission direction and beam shape of the laser, ensuring that the laser can be accurately transmitted to the designated area within the coupling cavity 5, creating conditions for the alignment of the laser spot and the nozzle. The coupling cavity 5 is the core space for laser-water jet coupling. A jet nozzle is fixedly installed inside the cavity. One end of the cavity is connected to the laser adjustment module to receive the adjusted laser and provide the mounting base for water jet injection. This enables the laser to couple with the water jet within the cavity and provides a closed and stable environment for the coaxial observation module 6 to acquire images of the relative positions of the nozzle and the light spot.

[0025] The coaxial observation module 6 is used to acquire grayscale images of the laser spot and nozzle within the coupling cavity 5.

[0026] Specifically, the coaxial observation module 6 is mounted at the corresponding observation position of the coupling cavity 5, forming an observation path with the internal space of the coupling cavity 5. It can capture the relative position information of the laser spot and the nozzle inside the coupling cavity 5 in real time and output the information in the form of a grayscale image. The grayscale image completely preserves the outline and position features of the laser spot and the nozzle, providing direct data input for the control module to perform position calculation.

[0027] The control module is used to determine the position of the light spot and the position of the nozzle according to the grayscale image, and based on the position of the light spot and the position of the nozzle, to obtain the amount of motion of the electric deflector 7 of the laser adjustment module when the light spot and the nozzle are pre-aligned in the first direction; The light spot and the nozzle are aligned in a second direction, and the light spot is moved into the nozzle along the first direction by the amount of motion, wherein the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular.

[0028] Specifically, the control module is the core of the entire water-guided laser processing system, and it can be implemented using control devices such as a host computer, computer, industrial control computer, and processor. It first receives the grayscale image output by the coaxial observation module 6, processes the image using a built-in image analysis algorithm, and accurately extracts and determines the position of the laser spot and the nozzle. Then, based on these two positional information, it controls the motorized deflector 7 of the laser adjustment module to drive the laser spot along a first direction, achieving pre-alignment of the laser spot and nozzle in the first direction, and records the amount of movement of the motorized deflector 7 at this time. Then, it controls the laser spot to reset to its initial position; next, it controls the motorized deflector 7 to drive the laser spot along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction until the laser spot and nozzle are aligned in the second direction; finally, it calls up the previously recorded amount of movement and controls the motorized deflector 7 to drive the laser spot along the first direction into the nozzle, completing the entire alignment process. This allows for the acquisition of movement amounts through pre-alignment outside the nozzle, eliminating the need to observe the situation inside the nozzle, thus achieving strict alignment between the center of the laser spot and the center of the nozzle, ensuring the positioning accuracy of laser processing.

[0029] For example, such as Figure 2 As shown, the control module achieves closed-loop control through a full-link mechanism of "visual acquisition-solution-control-feedback-correction," specifically as follows: The coaxial observation module 6 acquires the relative position image (grayscale image) of the light spot and nozzle within the coupling cavity 5 in real time. After being transmitted to the control module, the control module generates the corresponding motion control signal and sends it to the electric deflector controller. The electric deflector 7 adjusts its angle under the drive of the controller and acquires its actual motion in real time through a micro grating, which is then fed back to the controller. The controller compares the actual motion with the theoretical control quantity sent by the control module to correct for motion accuracy loss caused by assembly and manufacturing errors. Simultaneously, the control module continuously reacquires the aligned image to verify the overlap between the light spot and the nozzle. If a deviation exists, the above "acquisition-solution-control-feedback" process is repeated to form a complete closed-loop control, ensuring alignment accuracy and system stability.

[0030] In this embodiment, the coaxial observation module 6 acquires grayscale images of the nozzle and the light spot in the coupling cavity 5 in real time, providing data support for the control module to accurately determine the position of the light spot and the nozzle. The control module decomposes the alignment process of the light spot and the nozzle into a first direction and a second direction that are perpendicular to each other. First, outside the nozzle (where the light spot has not entered the nozzle and can be clearly observed), the electric deflector 7 is controlled to drive the light spot to move along the first direction to be pre-aligned with the nozzle. The amount of movement of the electric deflector 7 at this time is recorded simultaneously. After resetting, the light spot is then controlled to move along the second direction to be aligned (during this process, the light spot is still within the observable range outside the nozzle, ensuring alignment accuracy). Finally, based on the pre-stored amount of movement, the electric deflector 7 is directly controlled to drive the light spot to enter the nozzle along the first direction. Precise alignment can be achieved without observing the position of the light spot inside the nozzle, completely avoiding the blind spot caused by the uniformity of the water jet brightness, and ensuring that the center of the light spot and the center of the nozzle are strictly aligned, which greatly improves the positioning accuracy of laser processing. Furthermore, the control module autonomously completes position calculation, directional alignment, and motion quantity retrieval based on grayscale images, eliminating the need for manual adjustment and calibration. This not only reduces pre-processing debugging time and manual intervention costs but also avoids alignment errors caused by the subjectivity of manual operation, significantly improving processing efficiency. Simultaneously, the sequentially set core modules, along with the synergistic cooperation of coaxial observation and precise control, ensure the stability of laser transmission and alignment, enhance the coupling reliability of the laser and water jet, and reduce processing failures caused by alignment deviations, such as nozzle damage and coupling failure. This further guarantees the consistency of laser processing quality and the long-term stability of the system.

[0031] Optionally, the step of obtaining the motion of the motorized deflector 7 of the laser adjustment module when the laser spot and the nozzle are pre-aligned in a first direction based on the laser spot position and the nozzle position includes: Based on the position of the light spot and the position of the nozzle, the electric deflection mirror 7 controls the light spot to move from the position of the light spot towards the position of the nozzle along the first direction; The real-time position of the light spot is monitored based on a visual detection algorithm; When the light spot and the nozzle are aligned in the first direction, the amount of motion of the electric deflector 7 is obtained, and the light spot is reset to the light spot position.

[0032] Specifically, such as Figure 2 As shown, the control module sends a motion control signal to the motorized deflector controller based on the detected spot position and nozzle position. This drives the motorized deflector 7 to move the laser spot from its initial position along a first direction (e.g., ...). Figure 3As shown in the figure, the first direction in this embodiment is the x-direction. The red dashed circle in the figure represents the position of the light spot, the red solid circle represents the real-time position of the light spot, the yellow solid circle represents the position of the nozzle, and the arrows indicate the sequence of steps. The light spot moves gradually closer to the nozzle position. During the movement of the light spot, the coaxial observation module 6 acquires images of the interior of the coupling cavity 5 in real time. The vision host computer continuously monitors the real-time position of the light spot through a preset visual detection algorithm (i.e., an image detection method based on RCD and improved Hough gradient circular transform). Since the light spot cannot be observed in its specific position after entering the nozzle range due to the brightness homogenization effect of the water jet, it is necessary to complete the alignment monitoring in the first direction before the light spot enters the nozzle. When the vision host computer detects that the center of the light spot is aligned with the center of the nozzle in the first direction, it immediately records the motion control amount of the electric deflector 7 at this time. This motion control amount is the motion amount. Then, a control signal is sent to drive the electric deflector 7 to move the light spot back to the initial position. This embodiment effectively solves the problem of missing first-direction alignment data caused by the inability to observe the light spot after it enters the nozzle, providing a precise motion reference for subsequent complete light-water alignment, avoiding alignment deviations caused by the inability to observe the internal light spot, and improving the feasibility and accuracy of the alignment process.

[0033] Optionally, the step of aligning the light spot and the nozzle in a second direction, and controlling the light spot to move along the first direction into the nozzle by the amount of motion, includes: The electric deflector 7 controls the light spot to move from its position towards the nozzle along the second direction. The real-time position of the light spot is monitored according to the visual detection algorithm. When the light spot and the nozzle are aligned in the second direction, the electric deflector 7 controls the light spot to move along the first direction into the nozzle according to the amount of motion.

[0034] Specifically, such as Figure 3 As shown, after completing the first direction pre-alignment and recording the motion, the control module continues to send control signals to the motorized deflector controller, driving the laser spot from the initial spot position along the second direction (e.g., ...). Figure 3As shown in the diagram, in this embodiment, the light spot (in the y-direction) gradually moves closer to the nozzle. During this process, the coaxial observation module 6 continuously acquires images, and the vision-based host computer monitors the real-time position of the light spot using a visual detection algorithm until the center of the light spot is completely aligned with the center of the nozzle in the second direction. At this point, the control module calls the recorded motion data and sends the corresponding motion control signal to the motorized deflector controller. The motorized deflector 7 precisely controls the light spot to move along the first direction, ultimately allowing the light spot to enter the nozzle and achieve center alignment. In this embodiment, the real-time alignment in the second direction relies on the continuous feedback of the visual detection algorithm, while the motion in the first direction directly reuses the motion data from the pre-alignment stage. The two work together to complete the alignment. By aligning independently in each direction, the technical challenge of the light spot being unobservable after entering the nozzle is avoided. This achieves precise overlap between the light spot and the nozzle in both directions, significantly improving the accuracy and reliability of the light-water alignment and ensuring effective coupling between the laser and the jet.

[0035] Optionally, determining the spot position and nozzle position based on the grayscale image includes: The grayscale image is preprocessed to generate an enhanced image; The position of the light spot is determined using a random circle detection method; The nozzle position is determined using an improved Hough gradient circular transform.

[0036] Specifically, the grayscale image (acquisition resolution 2448×2048, acquisition frequency 15fps) acquired by the coaxial observation module 6 is preprocessed. By suppressing image noise and enhancing the edge features of the light spot and nozzle, a clear enhanced image is generated, providing a high-quality image foundation for subsequent position detection. For the light spot in the enhanced image, the Random Circle Detection (RCD) method is used to determine its position. The specific process includes: selecting at least 85% of the edge points in the light spot edge as the fitting point set, setting the number of iterations, randomly selecting 3 fitting points for circle fitting in each iteration, calculating the number of edge points (inner points) contained within the fitted circle, and updating the best fitted circle information if the number of inner points is higher than the previous iteration result and the radius is within a reasonable range of 5 pixels to 200 pixels. After the iteration, the center of the best fitted circle is the position of the light spot. For the nozzle in the enhanced image, an improved Hough gradient circle transform is used to determine its position, such as... Figure 4As shown: First, the gradient direction of all edge points is calculated using the traditional Hough gradient circle transform, forming multiple candidate center points and candidate circles. Then, the overlap between each candidate circle and the nozzle edge is calculated, and the candidate circle with the highest overlap is selected; its center is the nozzle position. In this embodiment, the preprocessed enhanced image provides a clear detection target for both detection methods. The random circle detection method adapts to the characteristics of the light spot edge, while the improved Hough gradient circle transform effectively resists noise interference from the nozzle edge. The two work together to meet the detection needs of the light spot and the nozzle, respectively, achieving accurate detection of the light spot and nozzle positions. This provides reliable position data support for subsequent alignment control, avoids alignment failures caused by position detection errors, and improves the alignment accuracy of the system.

[0037] Optionally, the preprocessing of the grayscale image to generate an enhanced image includes: The Otsu method is used to obtain the segmentation threshold of the grayscale image; Based on the segmentation threshold, the grayscale image is binarized to generate the enhanced image.

[0038] Specifically, the Otsu method is used to obtain the segmentation threshold of the grayscale image. Because the coaxial observation module 6 uses an auxiliary imaging light source 603 for illumination to reduce space occupation and achieve a compact structure, the grayscale distribution of the grayscale image changes with the relative position of the light spot and the nozzle. Therefore, the Otsu method is used to iterate through all grayscale values ​​from 0 to 255, calculating the inter-class variance of each grayscale value as a threshold, and selecting the grayscale value with the largest inter-class variance as the optimal segmentation threshold, thus achieving adaptive adjustment of the segmentation threshold. Subsequently, the grayscale image is binarized based on this segmentation threshold to generate a result as shown below. Figure 3 The enhanced image shown employs the following binarization rules: When segmenting light spots, a threshold T = 255 - t (t is the optimal threshold obtained by the Otsu method) is set. If the original image pixel grayscale value ti is greater than T, the binarized image pixel value is 255 (highlight); otherwise, it is 0 (dark). When segmenting nozzles, a threshold T = t is set. If the original image pixel grayscale value ti is greater than T, the binarized image pixel value is 255; otherwise, it is 0. This method separates the light spots and nozzles from the background, weakens background noise, and enhances edge features. In this embodiment, the adaptive segmentation threshold obtained by the Otsu method provides a precise basis for binarization processing. The two form a complete preprocessing flow of "threshold acquisition - image segmentation," which can adapt to image acquisition scenarios under different lighting conditions, effectively segment light spots, nozzles, and the background, reduce noise interference on subsequent position detection, lay the foundation for accurate detection of light spots and nozzles, and improve the adaptability and effectiveness of image preprocessing.

[0039] Optionally, the laser collimator 1 includes a QBH interface assembly, a beam coupling device, and an autocollimating lens assembly arranged sequentially.

[0040] Specifically, the laser collimator 1 adopts a structural design consisting of a sequentially arranged QBH interface assembly, a beam coupling device, and a self-collimating lens assembly. These components are connected sequentially along the laser transmission direction to form a complete laser collimation channel. The laser beam is directly connected to the laser collimator 1 from the external fiber optic output end via the QBH interface assembly. The QBH interface ensures the stability of the laser input, preventing leakage or deviation during laser transmission. Subsequently, the laser beam enters the beam coupling device, which performs preliminary integration of the input laser beam, optimizing its uniformity and concentration. Finally, the coupled laser beam passes through the self-collimating lens assembly, achieving self-collimated output and ensuring good parallelism of the output laser beam. In this embodiment, the components cooperate sequentially according to the laser transmission order. The QBH interface ensures input stability, the beam coupling device optimizes beam quality, and the self-collimating lens assembly ensures output collimation, forming a collaborative laser collimation system. This achieves stable laser beam input, optimized processing, and precise collimated output, providing a high-quality laser source for the subsequent effective coupling of the laser and the jet, and improving the overall stability and processing accuracy of water-guided laser processing.

[0041] Optionally, the coaxial observation module 6 includes a monocular CCD camera 601, an adjustable focusing lens tube 602, and an auxiliary imaging light source 603. The adjustable focusing lens tube 602 is located above the motorized deflecting mirror 7, the monocular CCD camera 601 is located above the adjustable focusing lens tube 602, and the auxiliary imaging light source 603 is located to the side of the adjustable focusing lens tube 602.

[0042] Specifically, the coaxial observation module 6 includes a monocular CCD camera 601, an adjustable focusing lens tube 602, and an auxiliary imaging light source 603. The installation positions of each component are as follows: Figure 1As shown: The adjustable focusing lens barrel 602 is positioned above the motorized deflecting mirror 7, with its axis coaxial with the reflected light path of the motorized deflecting mirror 7; the monocular CCD camera 601 is positioned above the adjustable focusing lens barrel 602 and is fixedly connected to it, adjusting the imaging focal length through the adjustable focusing lens barrel 602; the auxiliary imaging light source 603 is positioned to the side of the adjustable focusing lens barrel 602, with its light direction pointing towards the inside of the coupling cavity 5, providing auxiliary illumination for image acquisition. During operation, by adjusting the focal length of the adjustable focusing lens barrel 602, the imaging plane of the monocular CCD camera 601 is made to coincide with the nozzle plane inside the coupling cavity 5. The auxiliary imaging light source 603 provides stable illumination, and the monocular CCD camera 601 acquires grayscale images of the relative positions of the light spot and nozzle inside the coupling cavity 5 at a resolution of 2448×2048 and a frequency of 15fps. In this embodiment, the positional layout of each component ensures that the imaging optical path and the laser processing optical path are coaxial. The adjustable focusing lens barrel 602 ensures imaging clarity, the auxiliary imaging light source 603 improves illumination conditions, and the monocular CCD camera 601 is responsible for image acquisition. The three work together to achieve high-quality image acquisition, which can acquire the relative position image of the light spot and the nozzle in real time and accurately, providing clear and stable image data for the image analysis and calculation of the vision host computer, and ensuring the reliability and accuracy of vision-guided alignment.

[0043] Optionally, the laser adjustment module includes a variable aperture 2 and an optical path adjustment unit connected in sequence.

[0044] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the laser adjustment module includes a variable aperture 2 and an optical path adjustment unit connected in sequence. These two units are arranged along the laser transmission direction to form a complete laser adjustment channel. After the laser beam is collimated by the laser collimator 1, it first enters the variable aperture 2. The variable aperture 2 precisely controls the aperture of the laser beam by adjusting its own aperture, selecting the portion of the laser beam that meets the processing requirements, eliminating edge stray light, and optimizing the quality of the laser beam. After being adjusted by the variable aperture 2, the laser beam then enters the optical path adjustment unit, which further adjusts the propagation direction and focusing state of the laser beam to ensure that the laser beam accurately points to the nozzle position within the coupling cavity 5. In this embodiment, the variable aperture 2 serves as a pre-processing step for laser adjustment, providing a high-quality laser beam to the optical path adjustment unit. The optical path adjustment unit then performs precise optical path control based on this beam. The two work together sequentially to achieve comprehensive adjustment of the laser beam. Through phased laser adjustment, the beam aperture is first optimized, and then the optical path parameters are adjusted to ensure that the laser beam can meet the requirements of subsequent optical-water alignment and processing. This improves the accuracy and flexibility of laser adjustment and provides a fundamental guarantee for processing precision.

[0045] Optionally, the optical path adjustment unit includes a laser reflector 3, an electrically driven deflector 7, and a focusing lens 4 arranged in sequence.

[0046] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the optical path adjustment unit includes a laser reflector 3, an electrically driven deflector 7, and a focusing mirror 4 arranged sequentially. These components are arranged along the laser transmission path to collaboratively adjust the laser optical path. After being adjusted by the variable aperture 2, the laser beam first enters the laser reflector 3. The laser reflector 3 changes the propagation direction of the laser beam, directing it towards the electrically driven deflector 7. The electrically driven deflector 7 adjusts its deflection angle according to the control signal from the electrically driven deflector controller, thereby precisely controlling the direction of the laser spot and ensuring it is accurately aligned with the nozzle center. Finally, the laser beam enters the focusing mirror 4, which focuses the laser beam to form a laser spot that meets the processing requirements. In this embodiment, the laser reflector 3 realizes optical path steering, the electric deflector 7 realizes fine adjustment of the spot direction, and the focusing mirror 4 realizes beam focusing. The three work together in the order of laser transmission to form a complete optical path adjustment link, which can accurately control the propagation direction, focusing effect and spot direction of the laser beam, ensuring that the laser spot can reach the target position as required. This provides a reliable optical path adjustment basis for automatic optical-water alignment and improves alignment accuracy and processing stability.

[0047] Optionally, the electrically driven deflector 7 is a short-pass dichroic mirror and is equipped with a micro grating for acquiring the motion data.

[0048] Specifically, the electrically driven deflector 7 uses a short-pass dichroic mirror as its lens, and it contains a miniature grating. Figure 2 The micro-grating in the coupling cavity 5 is used to acquire motion data. The short-pass dichroic mirror has specific optical properties that allow it to reflect laser energy, enabling the laser beam to enter the coupling cavity 5 for actual processing. Simultaneously, it transmits reflected light from the coupling cavity 5 (including reflected light from the laser spot and nozzle), allowing this reflected light to enter the monocular CCD camera 601 in the coaxial observation module 6 for imaging, achieving coaxial coordination between laser processing and image acquisition. The micro-grating built into the motorized deflector 7 can detect its actual deflection angle and motion data in real time. During the first-direction pre-alignment process, when the laser spot and nozzle are aligned in the first direction, the micro-grating converts the deflection angle data of the motorized deflector 7 into motion data and feeds it back to the motorized deflector controller and control module for recording and storage. In this embodiment, the short-pass dichroic mirror meets the optical requirements of both laser processing and image acquisition, providing a prerequisite for visual inspection, while the micro-grating directly achieves precise acquisition of motion. Together, they support the closed-loop control of light-water alignment, ensuring the normal progress of laser processing and clear and effective image acquisition on the one hand, and realizing real-time and precise feedback of motion on the other, providing reliable data support for pre-alignment and subsequent alignment, reducing the loss of motion accuracy caused by assembly and manufacturing errors, and significantly improving the alignment accuracy and stability of the system.

[0049] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the optical path of the water-guided laser processing head according to an embodiment of this application. The green line in the figure represents the laser trajectory, and the red line represents the imaging trajectory. This figure intuitively presents the entire transmission path of the laser from external input to coupling with the water jet in the coupling cavity 5. It clearly shows the role and cooperation of each optical component in the optical path, providing an intuitive reference for understanding the laser transmission principle of the processing head.

[0050] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes of the embodiments of the above methods. The storage medium can be a magnetic disk, optical disk, read-only memory (ROM), or random access memory (RAM), etc. In this application, the units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of the embodiments of the present invention according to actual needs. Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of the present invention can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated units can be implemented in hardware or as software functional units.

[0051] While the present invention has been disclosed above, its scope of protection is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such changes and modifications will fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A water-guided laser processing system, characterized in that, It includes a water-guided laser processing head and a control module. The water-guided laser processing head includes a coaxial observation module (6), a laser collimating head (1) arranged in sequence, a laser adjustment module, and a coupling cavity (5). The laser adjustment module is used to transmit the laser emitted by the laser collimator (1) to the coupling cavity (5). The coaxial observation module (6) is used to acquire grayscale images of the laser spot and nozzle inside the coupling cavity (5); The control module is used to determine the position of the light spot and the position of the nozzle according to the grayscale image, and based on the position of the light spot and the position of the nozzle, to obtain the amount of motion of the electric deflection mirror (7) of the laser adjustment module when the light spot and the nozzle are pre-aligned in the first direction; The light spot and the nozzle are aligned in a second direction, and the light spot is moved into the nozzle along the first direction by the amount of motion, wherein the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular.

2. The water-guided laser processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the motion of the motorized deflector (7) of the laser adjustment module when the laser spot and the nozzle are pre-aligned in a first direction based on the position of the laser spot and the position of the nozzle includes: Based on the position of the light spot and the position of the nozzle, the electric deflection mirror (7) controls the light spot to move from the position of the light spot towards the position of the nozzle along the first direction; The real-time position of the light spot is monitored based on a visual detection algorithm; When the light spot and the nozzle are aligned in the first direction, the amount of motion of the electric deflector (7) is obtained, and the light spot is reset to the position of the light spot.

3. The water-guided laser processing system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control of aligning the light spot and the nozzle in the second direction, and controlling the light spot to move along the first direction into the nozzle through the amount of movement, includes: The electric deflector (7) controls the light spot to move from the light spot position to the nozzle position along the second direction; The real-time position of the light spot is monitored according to the visual detection algorithm. When the light spot and the nozzle are aligned in the second direction, the light spot is controlled to move along the first direction into the nozzle by the electric deflection mirror (7) according to the amount of motion.

4. The water-guided laser processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining the spot position and nozzle position based on the grayscale image includes: The grayscale image is preprocessed to generate an enhanced image; The position of the light spot is determined using a random circle detection method; The nozzle position is determined using an improved Hough gradient circular transform.

5. The water-guided laser processing system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The preprocessing of the grayscale image to generate the enhanced image includes: The Otsu method is used to obtain the segmentation threshold of the grayscale image; Based on the segmentation threshold, the grayscale image is binarized to generate the enhanced image.

6. The water-guided laser processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The laser collimator (1) includes a QBH interface assembly, a beam coupling device, and an autocollimating lens assembly arranged in sequence.

7. The water-guided laser processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The coaxial observation module (6) includes a monocular CCD camera (601), a focusable lens barrel (602), and an auxiliary imaging light source (603). The focusable lens barrel (602) is located above the motorized deflecting mirror (7), the monocular CCD camera (601) is located above the focusable lens barrel (602), and the auxiliary imaging light source (603) is located to the side of the focusable lens barrel (602).

8. The water-guided laser processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The laser adjustment module includes a variable aperture (2) and an optical path adjustment unit connected in sequence.

9. The water-guided laser processing system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The optical path adjustment unit includes a laser reflector (3), an electric deflector (7), and a focusing lens (4) arranged in sequence.

10. The water-guided laser processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electric deflector (7) is a short-pass dichroic mirror and is equipped with a grating for acquiring the motion.

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