A kind of carbon dioxide laser discharge tube manufacturing equipment

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of carbon dioxide laser discharge tube manufacturing equipment, it is related to discharge tube polishing technical field.The application includes base, the top of base is provided with liquid collecting hopper, the inside of liquid collecting hopper is provided with clamping assembly, clamping assembly can be sealed from the center clamping of both ends of discharge tube, rotatable flexible polishing assembly is inserted in the inside of discharge tube.The application is set through unique flexible polishing assembly, not only can form stable polishing liquid delivery channel, make polishing liquid uniformly wrap pipeline inner wall, can improve subsequent flushing efficiency simultaneously, reduce flushing liquid consumption, furthermore, after corrosion timing ends, inflatable inner bag expands rapidly, make spiral flow guide polishing piece and control flow spiral expansion piece combination form complete cylindrical sleeve, instantaneously fill pipe cavity and squeeze out acid liquid completely, forcibly terminate corrosion reaction, thoroughly solve the problem, such as slow natural drainage speed, rough surface, roughness rebound, wall thickness unevenness, etc. caused by residual acid continuous corrosion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of discharge tube polishing technology, specifically to a device for manufacturing discharge tubes for carbon dioxide lasers. Background Technology

[0002] Carbon dioxide laser discharge tubes are core precision components of gas laser generators. The roughness, surface integrity, crack-free nature, and cleanliness of the inner wall of the discharge tube directly determine the discharge uniformity, beam mode, output power stability, and overall lifespan of the laser. Currently, the industry generally uses traditional mechanical grinding followed by hydrofluoric acid repair for the precision machining of the inner wall of laser discharge tubes. However, this method has gradually revealed many structural defects in actual production, making it difficult to meet the mass production requirements of high-precision, long-life laser tubes.

[0003] Chinese patent (publication number: CN111390663B) discloses a device for manufacturing a medical carbon dioxide laser discharge tube, including a tube body. A connecting sleeve is movably connected to the surface of the tube body. A push rod is movably connected to the surface of the connecting sleeve. An air bladder is fixedly connected to the surface of the push rod. A stop frame is fixedly connected to the surface of the push rod and located at the bottom of the air bladder. A grinding disc is movably connected to the inside of the stop frame via a compression spring. A pressure wheel is movably connected to the inside of the connecting belt. An adjusting component is movably connected to the surface of the pressure wheel. An airflow pipe is movably connected to the inside of the pressure wheel. A telescopic rod is movably connected to the surface of the airflow pipe. A spring wire is movably connected to the end of the telescopic rod away from the airflow pipe.

[0004] 1. The aforementioned application uses a purely mechanical grinding method, resulting in poor grinding pressure stability and severe subsurface damage. The equipment employs a mechanical follow-up pressure adjustment method involving airbag support, compression springs, and pressure rollers, but lacks an independent constant pressure stabilization and temperature compensation mechanism. During processing, accumulated frictional heat, disturbances in the polishing fluid, and deviations in the tube's roundness all directly cause real-time fluctuations in spring compression and airbag support force, leading to localized high-pressure dry grinding and insufficient grinding on the inner wall. Ultimately, this results in deep subsurface microcracks and significant roughness deviations remaining on the tube wall, making the laser prone to arcing and rapid power decay during high-voltage operation in the later stages, and significantly shortening its service life.

[0005] 2. Currently, there is a lack of specialized chemical polishing equipment for carbon dioxide laser discharge tubes on the market. Existing chemical polishing processes have low process integration and cannot achieve a fully enclosed operation. Chemical polishing requires multiple processes, including polishing, pre-rinsing, weak acid repair, and neutralization cleaning, and these processes must be connected in a closed manner to avoid secondary contamination. Existing equipment can only perform single-process polishing operations, and the workpiece needs to be repeatedly disassembled and transferred between different processes. This not only results in low processing efficiency but also easily causes secondary contamination of the tube wall, compromising the high-precision processing effect of chemical polishing. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a device for manufacturing carbon dioxide laser discharge tubes in order to solve the above problems.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention specifically adopts the following technical solution:

[0008] A device for manufacturing a carbon dioxide laser discharge tube includes a base, a liquid collecting hopper on the top of the base, a clamping assembly inside the liquid collecting hopper, the clamping assembly being able to seal and center the discharge tube from both ends, and a rotatable flexible polishing assembly inserted inside the discharge tube.

[0009] The flexible polishing assembly includes a supporting steel pipe, an expansion liner, and a spiral flow-guiding polishing component. The supporting steel pipe is rigidly supported, rotated, and guided by airflow. The expansion liner is fitted onto the outside of the supporting steel pipe, and the spiral flow-guiding polishing component is fitted onto the outside of the expansion liner. When the expansion liner expands or contracts, the spiral radius of the spiral flow-guiding polishing component increases or decreases. A flow-controlling spiral expansion component is provided on the inner side of the spiral spacing of the expansion liner, which can adjust the depth of the spiral spacing of the expansion liner.

[0010] Furthermore, the clamping assembly includes a fixed frame and a movable frame. The fixed frame is fixedly installed in the liquid collecting hopper, and a fixed clamping cover is fixedly installed on the left side of the fixed frame. The movable frame is slidably connected in the liquid collecting hopper, and a movable clamping cover is fixedly installed on the right side of the movable frame. The openings of both the fixed clamping cover and the movable clamping cover are funnel-shaped.

[0011] Furthermore, both the fixed and movable clamps are equipped with drain pipes at their bottoms, and three-way valves are installed on the drain pipes. The two three-way valves are connected by a return pipe, which consists of rigid pipes at both ends and a telescopic pipe in the middle. Both the fixed and movable clamps are equipped with inlet pipes at their tops, and one-way solenoid valves are installed on the inlet pipes.

[0012] Furthermore, the liquid collecting hopper is equipped with a drive screw and a guide post inside, and the movable frame is provided with a guide hole and a threaded drive hole inside. The guide post passes through the guide hole, and the drive screw is threadedly connected in the threaded drive hole. The drive screw is driven by a motor.

[0013] Furthermore, both the fixed and movable clamps have through-hole sealing openings inside, and both ends of the supporting steel pipe are provided with sealing pistons, which are respectively sealed and slidably connected in the corresponding sealing openings.

[0014] Furthermore, a rotary drive turntable is provided on the right side of the liquid collection hopper, the supporting steel pipe is fixedly installed on the rotary drive turntable, an air hole is opened on the outer side of the supporting steel pipe, a supporting plate is provided in the middle of the supporting steel pipe, and a sliding column is slidably connected inside the supporting plate, the sliding column is fixedly connected to the middle part of the expansion liner.

[0015] Furthermore, the inflatable liner is composed of an outer PTFE composite inert woven layer, a middle PTFE composite insulation cotton layer, and an inner rubber layer. When fully inflated, the inflatable liner is cylindrical.

[0016] Furthermore, both ends of the expansion liner are provided with sliding sleeves, which are slidably connected to the supporting steel pipe. A tension spring is provided between the sliding sleeve and the sealing piston. The spiral guide polishing component has a spiral elastic skeleton inside, and the two ends of the spiral elastic skeleton are respectively fixedly connected to the two ends of the expansion liner.

[0017] Furthermore, the supporting steel pipe is provided with an inner pipe, which is connected to the flow control spiral expansion component through an air pipe. A rotary sealing joint is provided on the left side of the sealing piston at the left end. The supporting steel pipe and the inner pipe are connected to an external air source through the rotary sealing joint. A pressure relief valve and an air pressure sensor are provided at the air inlet end of the supporting steel pipe.

[0018] A process for manufacturing a carbon dioxide laser discharge tube includes the following steps:

[0019] S1. Pre-treatment of discharge tubes: Remove defective products with cracked tube walls, bumps, or excessive wall thickness deviations. Remove burrs from the tube opening, oil stains on the outer wall, dust, and large scratches from the original rough grinding. Rinse the tube with ordinary pure water to remove floating dust and debris. Blow dry the water inside the tube. Place them uniformly in the constant temperature operation area and let them stand at a constant temperature of 22-26℃ to ensure consistent processing temperature.

[0020] S2, Double-end concentric clamping: The discharge tube is placed in the middle of the clamping assembly and sleeved on the flexible grinding assembly. The clamping assembly seals and centers the discharge tube from both ends to make the discharge tube coaxial with the flexible grinding assembly.

[0021] S3. Internal wall chemical mechanical polishing: Prepare polishing fluid: 50-100nm nano silica water-based polishing fluid, stir evenly without sedimentation, set equipment process parameters: adjust the internal air pressure of the flexible grinding component to make the polishing pressure 0.06-0.08MPa, the rotation speed of the flexible grinding component is 30-40r / min, the working environment temperature is constant 22-26℃, the discharge tube is filled with polishing fluid, the flexible grinding component makes the polishing fluid flow evenly in the tube in a spiral, the polishing fluid forms a uniform flowing liquid film on the inner wall, relying on the flexible mechanical friction of the flexible grinding component and the chemical hydration softening effect of the polishing fluid, micro-grinding removes the original tool marks, unevenness and high points on the inner wall, set a fixed polishing time according to the tube diameter and tube wall material, complete the uniform polishing of the entire inner wall, reduce the roughness to 0.05-0.1μm, polishing is completed, stop the liquid supply, pause the rotation of the flexible grinding component;

[0022] S4. Rapid pre-rinsing inside the pipe: 18.2MΩ high-purity deionized water is introduced in large flow to rinse along the pipe. The breathing of the flexible grinding component quickly rinses away the residual suspended polishing liquid and surface powder inside the pipe, and discharges most of the free silica abrasive inside the pipe to avoid the abrasive drying and embedding into the micropores of the pipe wall.

[0023] S5. Low-concentration hydrofluoric acid short-time light corrosion repair: Prepare the corrosion solution in advance, a 0.6%-0.8% dilute hydrofluoric acid solution, and keep the solution at a constant temperature of 20°C. Inject the corrosion solution into the discharge tube at a uniform speed in a closed station, completely immersing the inner wall of the machined surface. Precisely time the corrosion for 15-25 seconds, strictly control the corrosion time, and take advantage of the permeability of dilute hydrofluoric acid to preferentially penetrate into the shallow micro-cracks generated by polishing, dissolve and eliminate cracks, and release residual stress from the surface processing. At the moment the time is up, quickly expel the dilute hydrofluoric acid through the breathing of the flexible polishing component, and draw in a large amount of pure water to quickly flush out the corrosion solution in the tube, forcibly terminate the corrosion reaction, and prevent over-corrosion.

[0024] S6. Neutralize residual acid with alkaline solution: Pass the prepared weakly alkaline neutralized pure water into the pipe and circulate it for 3-5 minutes to thoroughly neutralize the residual hydrofluoric acid in the pipe wall gaps, eliminate acid residue, and prevent the subsequent slow corrosion of the pipe wall and the occurrence of white spots on the inner wall. Rinse the neutralized residual solution again with ultrapure water to complete the acid-base balance treatment.

[0025] S7. Dual-frequency graded ultrasonic deep cleaning: Remove the chemically polished discharge tube and place it in an ultrasonic cleaner. First-stage low-frequency cleaning: 35-45kHz ultrapure water ultrasonic cleaning for 5-10 minutes to remove large residues and loose attachments from the tube wall surface; Second-stage high-frequency fine cleaning: 75-85kHz ultrapure water ultrasonic cleaning for 3-7 minutes, utilizing the micro cavitation effect to peel off the nano-silica ultrafine abrasive embedded in the glass micropores. The entire process uses a dust-free clean cleaning tank to prevent secondary contamination from external impurities.

[0026] S8. Drying: Move the cleaned discharge tube into a Class 10,000 cleanroom drying oven. First stage: low temperature pre-drying at 55-65℃ to slowly evaporate most of the solvent and water vapor. Second stage: constant temperature continuous drying at 80-90℃ to thoroughly dry all trace residual liquid in the tube. Allow it to cool naturally and slowly to room temperature before removing it from the oven to avoid rapid cooling and the generation of new internal stress, thus stabilizing the inner wall processing morphology.

[0027] S9. Quality Inspection: Conduct random checks on inner wall roughness, inner wall appearance, cleanliness, coaxiality, and pipe wall thickness uniformity. Qualified finished products are classified, packaged, and stored in a light-proof and dust-free environment, awaiting assembly into the laser cavity.

[0028] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0029] 1. This invention employs a low-concentration hydrofluoric acid light etching scheme, which only selectively etches away shallow subsurface microcracks in the pipe wall and releases residual processing stress without damaging the integrity of the substrate structure. Combined with a breathing-type rapid drainage system that increases the flow rate of pure water for instantaneous corrosion prevention, it eliminates over-etching, pitting, and roughness rebound problems caused by continuous corrosion from residual acid, significantly improving repair accuracy and processing yield.

[0030] 2. This invention enables integrated processing of chemical mechanical polishing and short-term light etching with dilute hydrofluoric acid. A uniformly flowing liquid film is formed on the tube wall through a spiral flow guiding structure. The material is removed in small quantities by relying on the synergistic effect of flexible mechanical friction and chemical hydration softening of the polishing liquid. Combined with precise weak acid repair to eliminate subsurface microcracks, this invention completely solves the problems of traditional mechanical polishing equipment being unsuitable for chemical polishing processes and the inability to fully utilize its low-damage advantages. The inner wall roughness is stable, significantly improving the processing accuracy and surface integrity of the inner wall of the discharge tube.

[0031] 3. This invention, through the unique flexible polishing component, not only forms a stable polishing fluid delivery channel, allowing the polishing fluid to evenly coat the inner wall of the pipe, but also improves the efficiency of subsequent rinsing and reduces the amount of rinsing fluid used. Furthermore, after the corrosion timer ends, the expansion liner expands rapidly, allowing the spiral flow guiding polishing component and the flow control spiral expansion component to combine to form a complete cylindrical sleeve, instantly filling the cavity and completely squeezing out the acid, forcibly terminating the corrosion reaction. This completely solves the problems of slow natural drainage speed, continuous corrosion by residual acid leading to pitted inner wall surface, roughness rebound, and uneven wall thickness, significantly improving the precision of weak acid repair and the yield of finished products. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the clamping component and the flexible grinding component of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the clamping component and the flexible grinding component of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the flexible polishing component of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the flexible grinding component of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the expansion of the inner liner and the spiral guide polishing component of the present invention.

[0038] Reference numerals: 1. Base; 11. Liquid collecting hopper; 12. Drive screw; 13. Guide column; 2. Rotary drive turntable; 3. Fixed frame; 4. Fixed clamp; 41. Drain pipe; 42. Three-way valve; 43. Liquid inlet pipe; 5. Movable frame; 6. Movable clamp; 7. Flexible grinding assembly; 71. Supporting steel pipe; 72. Sealing piston; 73. Expansion liner; 74. Spiral flow guiding polishing component; 75. Flow control spiral expansion component; 76. Sliding sleeve; 77. Tension spring; 78. Inner tube; 79. Rotary sealing joint; 710. Support plate; 711. Sliding column; 8. Return pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0039] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] Example 1, as Figures 1-6 As shown, a carbon dioxide laser discharge tube manufacturing device includes a base 1, a liquid collecting hopper 11 is provided on the top of the base 1, a clamping assembly is provided inside the liquid collecting hopper 11, the clamping assembly can seal and center the discharge tube from both ends, and a rotatable flexible polishing assembly 7 is inserted inside the discharge tube.

[0041] The flexible polishing assembly 7 includes a supporting steel pipe 71, an expansion liner 73, and a spiral flow-guiding polishing component 74. The supporting steel pipe 71 is rigidly supported, rotated, and guided by airflow. The expansion liner 73 is fitted onto the outside of the supporting steel pipe 71, and the spiral flow-guiding polishing component 74 is fitted onto the outside of the expansion liner 73. When the expansion liner 73 expands or contracts, the spiral radius of the spiral flow-guiding polishing component 74 increases or decreases. A flow-controlling spiral expansion component 75 is provided on the inner side of the spiral spacing of the expansion liner 73, which can adjust the depth of the spiral spacing of the expansion liner 73.

[0042] Grinding steps: The discharge tube is placed in the middle of the clamping assembly and fitted onto the flexible grinding assembly 7. The clamping assembly seals and centers the discharge tube from both ends, ensuring coaxiality between the discharge tube and the flexible grinding assembly 7. The expansion liner 73 expands, increasing the spiral radius of the spiral guide polishing component 74. For the same length, the spiral spacing of the spiral guide polishing component 74 decreases. The flow-controlling spiral expansion component 75 is compressed within the spiral spacing. The spiral guide polishing component 74 presses against the inner wall of the discharge tube, filling the discharge tube with polishing fluid. During the grinding process, the spiral guide polishing component 74 rotates continuously, generating a spiral conveying force that causes the polishing fluid to circulate spirally within the pipe. The polishing fluid forms a uniformly flowing liquid film on the inner wall. Relying on the flexible mechanical friction of the flexible grinding component 7 and the chemical hydration softening effect of the polishing fluid, the original tool marks and uneven points on the inner wall are removed by micro-grinding. According to the processing requirements, the expansion size of the flow control spiral expansion component 75 is adjusted to control the flow rate of the polishing fluid, deepen the spiral channel, and increase the chemical delivery throughput. This solves the problems of insufficient chemical supply and circulation lag at the far end of long pipes, ensuring that the chemical concentration and action time are consistent throughout the pipe wall. The spiral channel is also shallowed to reduce the chemical flow rate and prevent the chemical flow rate from being too fast and the residence time from being too short. This ensures that the chemical wetting effect is uniform throughout the inner wall and greatly improves the versatility of processing.

[0043] During rinsing, the expansion liner 73 expands and contracts, creating a breathing effect inside the pipe, which allows for the rapid introduction and discharge of rinsing fluid. In subsequent short-term light corrosion repair with low-concentration hydrofluoric acid, time is critical. Failure to quickly drain the liquid will lead to excessive corrosion of the pipe. Therefore, during the reaction, the flow-controlling spiral expander 75 first expands to its maximum size, completely filling the spiral gap. When the corrosion time is up, the expansion liner 73 rapidly expands, and the spiral flow-guiding polishing component 74 expands and merges with the flow-controlling spiral expander 75 to form a complete cylindrical sleeve, filling the pipe and quickly and completely expelling the low-concentration hydrofluoric acid, resulting in high-quality light corrosion repair.

[0044] Example 2, based on the above examples, further includes a clamping assembly comprising a fixed frame 3 and a movable frame 5. The fixed frame 3 is fixedly installed in the liquid collecting hopper 11. A fixed clamping cover 4 is fixedly installed on the left side of the fixed frame 3. The movable frame 5 is slidably connected in the liquid collecting hopper 11. A movable clamping cover 6 is fixedly installed on the right side of the movable frame 5. The openings of both the fixed clamping cover 4 and the movable clamping cover 6 are funnel-shaped.

[0045] Both the fixed clamp 4 and the movable clamp 6 are equipped with a drain pipe 41 at their bottom. A three-way valve 42 is installed on the drain pipe 41. The two three-way valves 42 are connected by a return pipe 8. The return pipe 8 consists of rigid pipes at both ends and a telescopic pipe in the middle. Both the fixed clamp 4 and the movable clamp 6 are equipped with an inlet pipe 43 at their top. A one-way solenoid valve is installed on the inlet pipe 43.

[0046] The liquid collecting hopper 11 is equipped with a drive screw 12 and a guide post 13. The movable frame 5 is provided with a guide hole and a threaded drive hole. The guide post 13 passes through the guide hole, and the drive screw 12 is threadedly connected in the threaded drive hole. The drive screw 12 is driven by a motor.

[0047] Both the fixed clamp 4 and the movable clamp 6 have a through-hole sealing slide. Both ends of the supporting steel pipe 71 are provided with a sealing piston 72, which is slidably connected to the corresponding sealing slide.

[0048] A rotary drive turntable 2 is provided on the right side of the liquid collection hopper 11. A support steel pipe 71 is fixedly installed on the rotary drive turntable 2. An air hole is provided on the outer side of the support steel pipe 71. A support plate 710 is provided in the middle of the support steel pipe 71. A sliding column 711 is slidably connected inside the support plate 710. The sliding column 711 is fixedly connected to the middle part of the expansion inner liner 73.

[0049] The expansion liner 73 consists of an outer PTFE composite inert woven layer, a middle PTFE composite insulation cotton layer, and an inner rubber layer. When fully expanded, the expansion liner 73 is cylindrical. It is corrosion-resistant and maintains stability even during short-term light corrosion repair with low-concentration hydrofluoric acid. The flow-control spiral expansion component 75 can be made of fluororubber and can withstand long-term exposure to 0.6%-0.8% dilute HF and water-based polishing fluid at room temperature.

[0050] Both ends of the expansion liner 73 are equipped with sliding sleeves 76, which are slidably connected to the supporting steel pipe 71. A tension spring 77 is provided between the sliding sleeve 76 and the sealing piston 72. The spiral flow guiding polishing component 74 has a spiral elastic skeleton inside, and its two ends are fixedly connected to the two ends of the expansion liner 73. The spiral flow guiding polishing component 74 uses a polytetrafluoroethylene composite polishing pad, which is corrosion-resistant and provides stable polishing.

[0051] The specific working principle is as follows:

[0052] (1) Clamping: Drive screw 12 first drives movable frame 5 away from fixed frame 3 (return pipe 8 is retractable and does not affect the distance), movable frame 5 drives movable clamp 6 away from the left end of the sealing piston 72 (radius is smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe), the pipe is sleeved on the flexible polishing component 7 from the left side, one end is pressed against the flared mouth of fixed clamp 4, and then drive screw 12 first drives movable frame 5 close to fixed frame 3, movable frame 5 drives movable clamp 6 to press against the other end of the pipe, through the flared conical top clamp, the pipe axis is collinear with the flexible polishing component 7, and the sealing piston 72 seals the sealing slide, the fixed clamp 4 and movable clamp 6 have a certain space at both ends, which can store enough polishing liquid.

[0053] (2) Polishing: Air is supplied to the expansion liner 73 through the support steel pipe 71. The expansion liner 73 expands into a cylindrical shape with supporting strength. The expansion is uniform. During the expansion process, the expansion liner 73 is limited to the support plate 710 by the sliding column 711 in the middle. Therefore, when the expansion liner 73 expands, the two ends are brought together to the middle. That is, the spiral flow guide polishing part 74 removes the tensile force. Under the action of the internal spiral elastic skeleton, the length of the spiral flow guide polishing part 74 is reduced. As the expansion liner 73 expands, the spiral radius increases, which in turn reduces the spiral spacing of the spiral flow guide polishing part 74. The flow control spiral expansion part 75 is located in the spiral spacing. The spiral flow guide polishing part 74 contacts the inner wall of the pipe. The flow control spiral expansion part 75 is inflated to control the depth of the spiral spacing. After adjustment, polishing liquid is injected into the pipeline through the inlet pipes 43 at both ends. At the same time, the three-way valve 42 connects the return pipe 8. The polishing liquid fills the pipeline, the fixed clamp 4, the movable clamp 6 and the return pipe 8. Then the equipment is started. The rotating drive turntable 2 drives the support steel pipe 71 to rotate. The support steel pipe 71 drives the spiral guide polishing component 74 to rotate relative to the pipeline through the expansion inner liner 73, polishing the inner wall of the pipeline. During this process, the spiral channel generates a conveying force, causing the polishing liquid to circulate spirally in the pipeline.

[0054] (3) Rinsing: After polishing, control the three-way valve 42 to open the drain pipe 41, and the polishing liquid is quickly discharged. Then, the rinsing liquid enters through the inlet pipe 43. During the process of entering, repeatedly control the expansion tank 73 to inflate and deflate, which can quickly draw in the rinsing liquid and make the rinsing liquid quickly contact the top of the pipe for rinsing. While rinsing quickly, the amount of rinsing liquid used can be reduced.

[0055] (4) Short-term minor corrosion repair with low-concentration hydrofluoric acid: Similar to the rinsing procedure, the flow-controlling spiral expander 75 needs to expand to its maximum size first, completely filling the spiral gap. Therefore, after the corrosion time is up, the drain pipe 41 is opened, the expansion liner 73 expands rapidly, and the spiral flow-guiding polishing component 74 expands and merges with the flow-controlling spiral expander 75 to form a complete cylindrical sleeve, which can fill the pipe and quickly squeeze the low-concentration hydrofluoric acid completely out of the pipe, resulting in high-quality minor corrosion repair. Subsequent rinsing is also completed using the above rinsing procedure.

[0056] Therefore, the equipment design of this invention can be perfectly adapted to chemical cleaning of discharge tubes, making it a multi-purpose machine that can quickly complete all grinding processes with high grinding efficiency and low grinding cost.

[0057] Example 3, based on the above examples, further includes an inner tube 78 inside the supporting steel pipe 71, the inner tube 78 being connected to the flow-controlling spiral expansion member 75 via an air pipe, a rotary sealing joint 79 being provided on the left side of the left end sealing piston 72, the supporting steel pipe 71 and the inner tube 78 being connected to an external air source via the rotary sealing joint 79, and a pressure relief valve and an air pressure sensor being provided at the air inlet end of the supporting steel pipe 71.

[0058] The rotating sealing joint 79 ensures that the external connecting pipe does not affect the rotation of the supporting steel pipe 71. During the grinding process, the temperature will rise, and the internal pressure of the expansion liner 73 will increase, leading to an increase in grinding pressure. To ensure a constant grinding pressure, a pressure relief valve is preset with a pressure relief value, which automatically releases pressure during the grinding process. The pressure sensor can detect the pressure in real time, and can promptly stop the machine for maintenance if a leak occurs.

[0059] Example 4: A process for manufacturing a carbon dioxide laser discharge tube, comprising the following steps:

[0060] S1. Pre-treatment of discharge tubes: Remove defective products with cracked tube walls, bumps, or excessive wall thickness deviations. Remove burrs from the tube opening, oil stains on the outer wall, dust, and large scratches from the original rough grinding. Rinse the tube with ordinary pure water to remove floating dust and debris. Blow dry the water inside the tube. Place them uniformly in the constant temperature operation area and let them stand at a constant temperature of 22-26℃ to ensure consistent processing temperature.

[0061] S2, Double-end concentric clamping: The discharge tube is placed in the middle of the clamping assembly and sleeved on the flexible grinding assembly 7. The clamping assembly seals and centers the discharge tube from both ends to make the discharge tube coaxial with the flexible grinding assembly 7.

[0062] S3. Internal wall chemical mechanical polishing: Prepare polishing fluid: 50-100nm nano silica water-based polishing fluid, stir evenly without sedimentation, set equipment process parameters: adjust the internal air pressure of flexible grinding component 7 to make the polishing pressure 0.06-0.08MPa, the rotation speed of flexible grinding component 7 is 30-40r / min, the working environment temperature is constant 22-26℃, the discharge tube is filled with polishing fluid, and the flexible grinding component 7 makes the polishing fluid flow evenly in the tube in a spiral. The polishing fluid forms a uniform flowing liquid film on the inner wall. Relying on the flexible mechanical friction of flexible grinding component 7 and the chemical hydration softening effect of polishing fluid, the original tool marks and uneven points on the inner wall are removed by micro-grinding. Set a fixed polishing time according to the tube diameter and tube wall material to complete the uniform polishing of the entire inner wall and reduce the roughness to 0.05-0.1μm. Polishing is completed. Stop the liquid supply and pause the rotation of flexible grinding component 7.

[0063] S4. Rapid pre-rinsing inside the pipe: 18.2MΩ high-purity deionized water is introduced in large flow to rinse along the pipe. The breathing of the flexible polishing component 7 quickly rinses away the residual suspended polishing liquid and surface powder inside the pipe, and discharges most of the free silica abrasive inside the pipe to avoid the abrasive drying and embedding into the micropores of the pipe wall.

[0064] S5. Low-concentration hydrofluoric acid short-time light corrosion repair: Prepare the corrosion solution in advance, a 0.6%-0.8% dilute hydrofluoric acid solution, and keep the solution at a constant temperature of 20°C. Inject the corrosion solution into the discharge tube at a uniform speed in a closed station, completely immersing the inner wall of the machined surface. Precisely time the corrosion for 15-25 seconds, strictly control the corrosion time, and take advantage of the permeability of dilute hydrofluoric acid to preferentially penetrate into the shallow micro-cracks generated by polishing, dissolve and eliminate cracks, and release residual stress from the surface processing. At the moment the time is reached, the dilute hydrofluoric acid is quickly discharged through the breathing of the flexible polishing component 7, and a large amount of pure water is drawn in to quickly flush out the corrosion solution in the tube, forcibly terminating the corrosion reaction and preventing over-corrosion.

[0065] S6. Neutralize residual acid with alkaline solution: Pass the prepared weakly alkaline neutralized pure water into the pipe and circulate it for 3-5 minutes to thoroughly neutralize the residual hydrofluoric acid in the pipe wall gaps, eliminate acid residue, and prevent the subsequent slow corrosion of the pipe wall and the occurrence of white spots on the inner wall. Rinse the neutralized residual solution again with ultrapure water to complete the acid-base balance treatment.

[0066] S7. Dual-frequency graded ultrasonic deep cleaning: Remove the chemically polished discharge tube and place it in an ultrasonic cleaner. First-stage low-frequency cleaning: 35-45kHz ultrapure water ultrasonic cleaning for 5-10 minutes to remove large residues and loose attachments from the tube wall surface; Second-stage high-frequency fine cleaning: 75-85kHz ultrapure water ultrasonic cleaning for 3-7 minutes, utilizing the micro cavitation effect to peel off the nano-silica ultrafine abrasive embedded in the glass micropores. The entire process uses a dust-free clean cleaning tank to prevent secondary contamination from external impurities.

[0067] S8. Drying: Move the cleaned discharge tube into a Class 10,000 cleanroom drying oven. First stage: low temperature pre-drying at 55-65℃ to slowly evaporate most of the solvent and water vapor. Second stage: constant temperature continuous drying at 80-90℃ to thoroughly dry all trace residual liquid in the tube. Allow it to cool naturally and slowly to room temperature before removing it from the oven to avoid rapid cooling and the generation of new internal stress, thus stabilizing the inner wall processing morphology.

[0068] S9. Quality Inspection: Conduct random checks on inner wall roughness, inner wall appearance, cleanliness, coaxiality, and pipe wall thickness uniformity. Qualified finished products are classified, packaged, and stored in a light-proof and dust-free environment, awaiting assembly into the laser cavity.

[0069] This process employs a light etching scheme using 0.6%-0.8% low-concentration hydrofluoric acid, a constant temperature of 20℃, and precise timing of 15-25 seconds. It only selectively etches away shallow subsurface micro-cracks in the pipe wall and releases residual processing stress without damaging the integrity of the substrate structure. Combined with a breathing-type rapid drainage system that increases the flow rate of pure water for instantaneous corrosion prevention, it eliminates over-etching, pitting, and roughness rebound problems caused by continuous corrosion from residual acid, significantly improving repair accuracy and processing yield.

[0070] A three-stage cleaning scheme is adopted: "high-flow pre-rinsing - weak alkali neutralization - dual-frequency ultrasonic deep cleaning". Pre-rinsing quickly removes most of the free abrasive, weak alkali neutralization completely eliminates the risk of residual acid, and dual-frequency ultrasonic cleaning removes large residues with low frequency and peels off nano-abrasives embedded in micropores with high frequency. This can completely remove silica abrasives and fluoride residues from the tube wall surface and micropores, avoiding impurities from contaminating the working gas and causing discharge failure during laser operation, and ensuring the long-term operational stability of the discharge tube.

[0071] The process employs a gradient drying technique of "low-temperature pre-drying - constant-temperature drying - slow cooling". First, most of the water vapor is evaporated at a low temperature of 55~65℃, then the residual liquid is completely removed at a constant temperature of 80~90℃, and finally the material is allowed to cool naturally to room temperature. This process avoids new internal stress and surface micro-cracks caused by sudden heating and cooling, stabilizes and solidifies the inner wall morphology after polishing and repair, and ensures the integrity of the processed surface.

[0072] End-to-end quality control reduces waste and improves yield. A pre-treatment screening process is implemented at the front end of the process to remove defective blanks with cracks, dents, or excessive wall thickness, avoiding unnecessary input in subsequent processes. The entire process is supplemented by constant temperature control at 22-26℃, which effectively reduces the scrap rate and ensures consistent finished product performance.

[0073] The process is tightly integrated, reducing pollution and costs. Each core process can be completed in a closed system within the same equipment, eliminating the need for repeated workpiece transfers. This reduces the risk of pipe wall collisions and secondary contamination during transfers, shortens the overall processing cycle, and lowers the consumption of cleaning fluids and chemicals, thus balancing processing quality and production economy.

[0074] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A device for manufacturing a carbon dioxide laser discharge tube, comprising a base (1), characterized in that, The base (1) is provided with a liquid collection hopper (11) at the top. The liquid collection hopper (11) is provided with a clamping assembly inside. The clamping assembly can seal and center the discharge tube from both ends. A rotatable flexible polishing assembly (7) is inserted into the discharge tube. The flexible polishing assembly (7) includes a supporting steel pipe (71), an expansion liner (73), and a spiral flow guide polishing component (74). The supporting steel pipe (71) is rigidly supported, rotated, and guided by airflow. The expansion liner (73) is sleeved on the outside of the supporting steel pipe (71), and the spiral flow guide polishing component (74) is sleeved on the outside of the expansion liner (73). When the expansion liner (73) expands or contracts, the spiral radius of the spiral flow guide polishing component (74) increases or decreases. A flow control spiral expansion component (75) is provided on the inner side of the spiral spacing of the expansion liner (73). The flow control spiral expansion component (75) can adjust the depth of the spiral spacing of the expansion liner (73).

2. The apparatus for manufacturing a carbon dioxide laser discharge tube according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping assembly includes a fixed frame (3) and a movable frame (5). The fixed frame (3) is fixedly installed in the liquid collection hopper (11). A fixed clamp cover (4) is fixedly installed on the left side of the fixed frame (3). The movable frame (5) is slidably connected in the liquid collection hopper (11). A movable clamp cover (6) is fixedly installed on the right side of the movable frame (5). The openings of both the fixed clamp cover (4) and the movable clamp cover (6) are funnel-shaped.

3. The apparatus for manufacturing a carbon dioxide laser discharge tube according to claim 2, characterized in that, Both the fixed clamp (4) and the movable clamp (6) are provided with a drain pipe (41) at the bottom. A three-way valve (42) is installed on the drain pipe (41). The two three-way valves (42) are connected by a return pipe (8). The return pipe (8) consists of rigid pipes at both ends and a telescopic pipe in the middle. Both the fixed clamp (4) and the movable clamp (6) are provided with an inlet pipe (43) at the top. A one-way solenoid valve is installed on the inlet pipe (43).

4. The apparatus for manufacturing a carbon dioxide laser discharge tube according to claim 3, characterized in that, The liquid collecting hopper (11) is equipped with a drive screw (12) and a guide post (13). The movable frame (5) is provided with a guide hole and a threaded drive hole. The guide post (13) passes through the guide hole, and the drive screw (12) is threadedly connected in the threaded drive hole. The drive screw (12) is driven by a motor.

5. The apparatus for manufacturing a carbon dioxide laser discharge tube according to claim 4, characterized in that, Both the fixed clamp (4) and the movable clamp (6) have a through-hole sealing slide. Both ends of the supporting steel pipe (71) are provided with a sealing piston (72), and the sealing pistons (72) at both ends are respectively sealed and slidably connected in the corresponding sealing slide.

6. The apparatus for manufacturing a carbon dioxide laser discharge tube according to claim 5, characterized in that, A rotary drive turntable (2) is provided on the right side of the liquid collection hopper (11). The supporting steel pipe (71) is fixedly installed on the rotary drive turntable (2). An air hole is provided on the outer side of the supporting steel pipe (71). A supporting plate (710) is provided in the middle of the supporting steel pipe (71). A sliding column (711) is slidably connected inside the supporting plate (710). The sliding column (711) is fixedly connected to the middle part of the expansion inner liner (73).

7. The apparatus for manufacturing a carbon dioxide laser discharge tube according to claim 6, characterized in that, The inflatable inner liner (73) is composed of an outer PTFE composite inert woven layer, a middle PTFE composite heat insulation cotton layer and an inner rubber layer. When fully inflated, the inflatable inner liner (73) is cylindrical.

8. The apparatus for manufacturing a carbon dioxide laser discharge tube according to claim 7, characterized in that, Both ends of the expansion liner (73) are provided with sliding sleeves (76), which are slidably connected to the supporting steel pipe (71). A tension spring (77) is provided between the sliding sleeve (76) and the sealing piston (72). The spiral guide polishing part (74) is provided with a spiral elastic skeleton inside, and the two ends of the spiral elastic skeleton are respectively fixedly connected to the two ends of the expansion liner (73).

9. The apparatus for manufacturing a carbon dioxide laser discharge tube according to claim 8, characterized in that, The supporting steel pipe (71) is provided with an inner pipe (78), which is connected to the flow control spiral expansion component (75) through an air pipe. A rotary sealing joint (79) is provided on the left side of the sealing piston (72) at the left end. The supporting steel pipe (71) and the inner pipe (78) are connected to the external air source through the rotary sealing joint (79). A pressure relief valve and an air pressure sensor are provided at the air inlet end of the supporting steel pipe (71).

10. A process for manufacturing a carbon dioxide laser discharge tube, using the equipment for manufacturing a carbon dioxide laser discharge tube as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Pre-treatment of discharge tubes: Remove defective products with cracked tube walls, bumps, or excessive wall thickness deviations. Remove burrs from the tube opening, oil stains on the outer wall, dust, and large scratches from the original rough grinding. Rinse the tube with ordinary pure water to remove floating dust and debris. Blow dry the water inside the tube. Place them uniformly in the constant temperature operation area and let them stand at a constant temperature of 22-26℃ to ensure consistent processing temperature. S2, Double-end concentric clamping: Place the discharge tube in the middle of the clamping assembly and fit it on the flexible grinding assembly (7). The clamping assembly seals and centers the discharge tube from both ends to make the discharge tube coaxial with the flexible grinding assembly (7). S3, Inner wall chemical mechanical polishing: Prepare polishing liquid: 50-100nm nano silica water-based polishing liquid, stir evenly without sedimentation, set equipment process parameters: by adjusting the internal air pressure of the flexible grinding component (7), the polishing pressure is 0.06-0.08MPa, the rotation speed of the flexible grinding component (7) is 30-40r / min, the working environment is constant temperature 22-26℃, the discharge tube is filled with polishing liquid, the flexible grinding component (7) makes the polishing liquid flow evenly in the tube in a spiral, the polishing liquid forms a uniform flowing liquid film on the inner wall, relying on the flexible mechanical friction of the flexible grinding component (7) and the chemical hydration softening effect of the polishing liquid, the original knife marks and uneven high points of the inner wall are removed by micro-grinding, the fixed polishing time is set according to the tube diameter and tube wall material, the entire inner wall is evenly polished, the roughness is reduced to 0.05-0.1μm, the polishing is completed, the liquid supply is stopped, and the rotation of the flexible grinding component (7) is paused; S4. Rapid pre-rinsing inside the pipe: 18.2MΩ high-purity deionized water is introduced in large flow to rinse along the pipe. The residual suspended polishing liquid and surface powder inside the pipe are quickly rinsed away by the breathing of the flexible polishing component (7), and most of the free silica abrasive in the pipe is discharged to avoid the abrasive drying and embedding into the micropores of the pipe wall. S5. Short-term light corrosion repair with low concentration hydrofluoric acid: Prepare corrosion solution in advance, with a concentration of 0.6%-0.8% dilute hydrofluoric acid solution. Keep the solution at a constant temperature of 20°C. Inject the corrosion solution into the discharge tube at a uniform speed in a closed work station, completely immersing the inner wall processing surface. Precisely time 15-25 seconds and strictly control the corrosion time. Utilize the permeability of dilute hydrofluoric acid to preferentially penetrate into the shallow micro-cracks generated by polishing, dissolve and eliminate cracks, and release the residual stress of surface processing. When the time is reached, quickly discharge the dilute hydrofluoric acid through the breathing of the flexible polishing component (7) and quickly flush out the corrosion solution in the tube with a large amount of pure water to forcibly terminate the corrosion reaction and prevent over-corrosion. S6. Neutralize residual acid with alkaline solution: Pass the prepared weakly alkaline neutralized pure water into the pipe and circulate it for 3-5 minutes to thoroughly neutralize the residual hydrofluoric acid in the pipe wall gaps, eliminate acid residue, and prevent the subsequent slow corrosion of the pipe wall and the occurrence of white spots on the inner wall. Rinse the neutralized residual solution again with ultrapure water to complete the acid-base balance treatment. S7. Dual-frequency graded ultrasonic deep cleaning: Remove the chemically polished discharge tube and place it in an ultrasonic cleaner. First-stage low-frequency cleaning: 35-45kHz ultrapure water ultrasonic cleaning for 5-10 minutes to remove large residues and loose attachments from the tube wall surface; Second-stage high-frequency fine cleaning: 75-85kHz ultrapure water ultrasonic cleaning for 3-7 minutes, utilizing the micro cavitation effect to peel off the nano-silica ultrafine abrasive embedded in the glass micropores. The entire process uses a dust-free clean cleaning tank to prevent secondary contamination from external impurities. S8. Drying: Move the cleaned discharge tube into a Class 10,000 cleanroom drying oven. First stage: low temperature pre-drying at 55-65℃ to slowly evaporate most of the solvent and water vapor. Second stage: constant temperature continuous drying at 80-90℃ to thoroughly dry all trace residual liquid in the tube. Allow it to cool naturally and slowly to room temperature before removing it from the oven to avoid rapid cooling and the generation of new internal stress, thus stabilizing the inner wall processing morphology. S9. Quality Inspection: Conduct random checks on inner wall roughness, inner wall appearance, cleanliness, coaxiality, and pipe wall thickness uniformity. Qualified finished products are classified, packaged, and stored in a light-proof and dust-free environment, awaiting assembly into the laser cavity.

Images