Three-dimensional laser softening equipment

Abstract

The utility model relates to three-dimensional laser softening equipment, and belongs to the field of automobile part machining. The three-dimensional laser softening equipment comprises an isolation room, a laser transmitter, a positioning clamp and a driving assembly. The isolation room is internally provided with a containing space, the isolation room is provided with a first side in the first direction, the first side is provided with a first opening communicated with the containing space, and the first direction is perpendicular to the gravity direction; the laser transmitter is provided with a transmitting end located in the accommodating space, and the transmitting end is used for providing laser for the accommodating space; the positioning clamp is used for fixing a workpiece in a releasable mode and is provided with a first position located outside the isolation room through the first opening and a second position located in the containing space. The driving assembly is used for driving the positioning clamp to be switched between the first position and the second position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of automotive parts processing, and specifically relates to a three-dimensional laser softening device. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of the modern automotive industry, the requirements for lightweighting and safety in automobiles are becoming increasingly stringent, thus placing higher demands on automotive materials. The proportion of ultra-high-strength steel in vehicle body manufacturing is continuously increasing, enhancing vehicle safety while controlling the body's weight. This has led to the development of process equipment capable of locally reducing or increasing the hardness of body parts. This provides a solution for the small-batch, multi-variety, and customized production of ultra-high-strength steel. Existing production methods mostly involve hot-press stamping, which requires significant upfront investment. If the product changes, new mold equipment needs to be invested in, and the mold material itself must possess excellent high-temperature wear resistance and hardness, directly impacting the overall product cost. In existing technologies, a considerable portion of the processing methods involving mold punching and trimming have been replaced by laser softening equipment, achieving automated and highly efficient production. However, laser softening processes involve laser reflection, and due to the highly concentrated energy of the laser, there is a risk of injury in such situations. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of the above problems, this application provides a three-dimensional laser softening device to improve the reliability of the three-dimensional laser softening device and reduce the risk of injury.

[0004] This application provides a three-dimensional laser softening device, which includes an isolation chamber, a laser emitter, a positioning fixture, and a driving assembly. The isolation chamber has a accommodating space and a first side in a first direction. The first side has a first opening communicating with the accommodating space, and the first direction is perpendicular to the direction of gravity. The laser emitter has an emitting end located within the accommodating space, which provides laser light into the accommodating space. The positioning fixture is used to releasably fix a workpiece and has a first position located outside the isolation chamber through the first opening and a second position located within the accommodating space. The driving assembly is used to switch the positioning fixture between the first position and the second position.

[0005] Specifically, during operation, the drive assembly moves the positioning fixture to the first position, allowing the operator to place the workpiece onto it without entering the isolation chamber. The drive assembly then moves the fixture to the second position, where the workpiece is heated to its annealing temperature by the heat provided by the laser emitted from the laser source. The workpiece is then allowed to cool naturally in air, altering its internal structure and resulting in a hardness lower than the unheated areas. Throughout this softening process, the laser softening occurs within the containment space. When the laser reflects off the workpiece surface, the isolation chamber blocks the laser beam, preventing injury from laser reflection. This improves the reliability of the 3D laser softening equipment and reduces the risk of injury.

[0006] In some embodiments, the three-dimensional laser softening device further includes a six-axis robotic arm disposed within the accommodating space, with the emitting end disposed on the six-axis robotic arm, and the six-axis robotic arm used to drive the emitting end to move around the outer periphery of the workpiece.

[0007] In the above technical solution, a six-axis robotic arm drives the transmitter to move, so that the laser provided by the transmitter can irradiate the workpiece from more angles to soften the workpiece, thereby expanding the application range of the three-dimensional laser softening equipment.

[0008] In some embodiments, the three-dimensional laser softening device further includes a fence located outside the first side, the thickness direction of the fence being parallel to a first direction, a feeding channel being provided between the fence and the first side along the first direction, and the orthographic projection of the fence on the first side covering the first opening.

[0009] In the above technical solution, the orthographic projection of the fence on the first side covers the first opening, thereby enabling the fence to block the first opening and reducing the risk of laser light reflecting out from the first opening.

[0010] In some embodiments, the three-dimensional laser softening device further includes: two protective doors disposed at opposite ends of the fence in a second direction for opening and closing the feeding channel, wherein the first direction, the second direction, and the gravity direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0011] In the above technical solution, the protective door is used to open and close the loading channel, thereby preventing the operator from accidentally entering the loading channel during non-loading and unloading periods, improving the reliability of the three-dimensional laser softening equipment, and reducing the risk of injury.

[0012] In some embodiments, the controller is located outside any of the protective doors and is electrically connected to the laser emitter, the positioning clamp, and the drive assembly.

[0013] In the above technical solution, the controller is set outside any protective door, so that the operator must leave the feeding channel before he or she can operate the equipment after the feeding is completed, thereby improving the reliability of the three-dimensional laser softening equipment and reducing the risk of injury.

[0014] In some embodiments, the protective door is provided with a perforated portion.

[0015] In the above technical solution, the protective door is equipped with a perforated section, which allows the operator to observe the loading channel before turning on the laser emitter, reducing the risk of accidental injury caused by employees being stuck in the loading channel.

[0016] In some embodiments, the isolation room has two oppositely arranged second sides in the second direction, and the second sides are provided with a second opening communicating with the accommodating space. The first direction, the second direction and the gravity direction are perpendicular to each other. The three-dimensional laser softening device also includes two doors, which are respectively arranged on the two second sides. The doors are used to open and close the second opening.

[0017] In the above technical solution, the door is used to open and close the second opening so that the operator can enter the accommodating space through the second opening to perform maintenance on the laser emitter or the six-axis robotic arm.

[0018] In some embodiments, the door includes a body and an observation window. The body has an observation opening communicating with the accommodating space; the observation window is used to block the observation opening.

[0019] In the above technical solution, the observation window is used to block the observation port, so that the operator can check whether the transmitter is working properly through the observation window before opening the door, thereby reducing the risk of being accidentally injured by the laser after opening the door.

[0020] In some embodiments, the laser emitter further includes a host unit located outside the isolation room; the three-dimensional laser softening device further includes a thermal management device located outside the isolation room and used to regulate the heat of the host unit.

[0021] In the above technical solution, both the host and the thermal management device are located outside the isolation room, which reduces the risk of laser damage to the host and the thermal management device.

[0022] In some embodiments, the three-dimensional laser softening device further includes indicator lights, which are disposed on the outer surface of the isolation chamber. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the three-dimensional laser softening device provided in the embodiment of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0027] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0028] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0029] With the rapid development of the modern automotive industry, the requirements for lightweighting and safety in automobiles are becoming increasingly stringent, thus placing higher demands on automotive materials. The proportion of ultra-high-strength steel in vehicle body manufacturing is continuously increasing, enhancing vehicle safety while controlling the body's weight. This has led to the development of process equipment capable of locally reducing or increasing the hardness of body parts. This provides a solution for the small-batch, multi-variety, and customized production of ultra-high-strength steel. Existing production methods mostly involve hot-press stamping, which requires significant upfront investment. If the product changes, new mold equipment needs to be invested in, and the mold material itself must possess excellent high-temperature wear resistance and hardness, directly impacting the overall product cost. In existing technologies, a considerable portion of the processing methods involving mold punching and trimming have been replaced by laser softening equipment, achieving automated and highly efficient production. However, laser softening processes involve laser reflection, and due to the highly concentrated energy of the laser, there is a risk of injury in such situations.

[0030] To solve the above technical problems, refer to Figure 1 This application provides a three-dimensional laser softening device including an isolation chamber 10, a laser emitter 20, a positioning fixture 30, and a drive assembly 40. The isolation chamber 10 has a receiving space 101 and a first side 11 in a first direction X. The first side 11 has a first opening 111 communicating with the receiving space 101. The first direction X is perpendicular to the gravitational direction Z. The laser emitter 20 has an emitting end located within the receiving space 101, which provides laser light into the receiving space 101. The positioning fixture 30 is used to releasably fix a workpiece and has a first position outside the isolation chamber 10 via the first opening 111 and a second position inside the receiving space 101. The drive assembly 40 is used to switch the positioning fixture 30 between the first position and the second position.

[0031] In some embodiments, each wall of the isolation room 10 is formed by splicing together sheet metal or other plates, and the inner surface may be coated with a light-absorbing material to absorb the emitted laser.

[0032] A laser emitter 20 is a device capable of generating a laser beam, typically consisting of a laser medium, a pump source, and an optical cavity. By exciting the laser medium, its atoms or molecules are placed in an excited state. When these particles de-excite, they emit photons, which, after reflection and amplification by the gain medium, produce a high-brightness, highly monochromatic laser beam.

[0033] The positioning fixture 30 is a tooling used to fix the workpiece.

[0034] In some embodiments, the drive assembly 40 includes a rotary table and a baffle plate 41. The rotary table has a rotating surface that rotates along an axis parallel to the direction of gravity Z. The baffle plate 41 is disposed on the rotating surface of the rotary table. The thickness direction of the baffle plate 41 is perpendicular to the direction of gravity Z. One end of the baffle plate 41 away from the rotating surface in the direction of gravity Z is rotatably disposed at the edge of the first opening 111 away from the ground. A positioning fixture 30 is disposed on one side of the baffle plate 41 in its thickness direction. The rotary table rotates to drive the baffle plate 41 and the positioning fixture 30 to rotate, so that the baffle plate 41 blocks the first opening 111 in both the first position and the second position.

[0035] Specifically, during use, the driving component 40 drives the positioning fixture 30 to the first position, so that the operator can place the workpiece on the positioning fixture 30 without entering the isolation room 10. Then, the driving component 40 drives the positioning fixture 30 to the second position, so that the workpiece on the positioning fixture 30 can be heated by the heat provided by the laser provided by the emitting end, so that it reaches the annealing temperature. Then, the workpiece is allowed to cool naturally in the air, changing the internal structure of the workpiece, thereby obtaining a hardness lower than that of the unheated area, thus achieving material softening.

[0036] During this period, the softening of the laser is carried out within the accommodating space 101. Thus, when the laser is reflected on the surface of the workpiece, the isolation chamber 10 can block the laser to prevent laser reflection from injuring people, thereby improving the reliability of the three-dimensional laser softening equipment and reducing its risk of injury.

[0037] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the laser beam provided by the emitting end of the laser emitter 20 is a strip-shaped spot with a length of 20-40 mm and a width of 5-8 mm, which can increase the area it acts on the workpiece surface and improve the softening efficiency.

[0038] According to some embodiments of this application, the three-dimensional laser softening device also includes a six-axis robotic arm 50, which is disposed within the accommodating space 101. The transmitting end is disposed on the six-axis robotic arm 50, and the six-axis robotic arm 50 is used to drive the transmitting end to move around the outer periphery of the workpiece.

[0039] A six-axis robotic arm consists of multiple joints and links, mimicking the articulated structure of a human arm. Each joint is responsible for movement in a specific direction. For example, a six-axis robotic arm includes a base joint, elbow joint, and wrist joints. The base joint is rotatably mounted on the ground, with its rotation axis parallel to the direction of gravity (Z). The base joint controls the overall horizontal rotation of the robotic arm, expanding its working range. The shoulder joint is located at the output end of the base joint, with its rotation axis perpendicular to the direction of gravity (Z), enabling the robotic arm to swing up and down and extend and retract; it is the primary joint for lifting movements. The elbow joint is rotatably mounted at the end of the shoulder joint away from the base joint, with its rotation axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the base joint and the axis of rotation of the shoulder joint. One of the multiple wrist joints is rotatably mounted on the elbow joint, and the other wrist joints are sequentially mounted on the preceding wrist joint.

[0040] Understandably, the six independently controlled axes of a six-axis robotic arm give it six degrees of freedom, enabling it to freely position and adjust its posture in three-dimensional space to adapt to complex working environments.

[0041] In this technical solution, a six-axis robotic arm 50 drives the transmitter to move, so that the laser provided by the transmitter can irradiate the workpiece from more angles to soften the workpiece, thereby expanding the application range of the three-dimensional laser softening equipment.

[0042] Simultaneously, during the heating and softening process of the workpiece, the transmitting end receives the temperature information of the workpiece surface in real time and adjusts the power of the laser emitter 20 in real time according to the temperature information, so that the surface temperature of the heated workpiece remains consistent, thereby ensuring the consistency and reliability of the softening process quality. Furthermore, the temperature information of the workpiece surface can be acquired in real time by a temperature sensor and fed back to the laser emitter 20 through the temperature sensor.

[0043] According to some embodiments of this application, the three-dimensional laser softening device further includes a fence 60, which is located outside the first side 11. The thickness direction of the fence 60 is parallel to the first direction X. Along the first direction X, there is a feeding channel between the fence 60 and the first side 11. The orthographic projection of the fence 60 on the first side 11 covers the first opening 111.

[0044] Understandably, for the sake of convenience in representing the first opening 111, this application... Figure 1 Only a portion of the fence (60) is shown in the image.

[0045] In this technical solution, the orthographic projection of the fence 60 on the first side 11 covers the first opening 111, thereby enabling the fence 60 to block the first opening 111 and reduce the risk of laser being reflected from the first opening 111.

[0046] According to some embodiments of this application, the three-dimensional laser softening device further includes: two protective doors 61 disposed at opposite ends of the fence 60 in the second direction Y, for opening and closing the feeding channel, wherein the first direction X, the second direction Y and the gravity direction Z are perpendicular to each other.

[0047] In this technical solution, the protective door 61 is used to open and close the feeding channel, thereby preventing the operator from accidentally entering the feeding channel during non-feeding and non-unloading periods, improving the reliability of the three-dimensional laser softening equipment, and reducing the risk of injury.

[0048] According to some embodiments of this application, the controller 70 is located outside any of the protective doors 61 and is electrically connected to the laser emitter 20, the positioning fixture 30, and the drive assembly 40.

[0049] Understandably, before processing, the operator imports the 3D model of the part to be processed (in the format required by the system) into the controller 70, sets the tool coordinates and other relevant operating parameters, and the controller 70 automatically generates the motion trajectory of the six-axis robotic arm. Parameters such as laser heating temperature, focal height, and the running speed of the six-axis robotic arm are set in the heating trajectory. This ensures the precise and safe execution of the three-dimensional spatial trajectory.

[0050] In this technical solution, the controller 70 is located outside any of the protective doors 61, so that the operator must leave the feeding channel before the operation can be carried out after the feeding is completed, thereby improving the reliability of the three-dimensional laser softening equipment and reducing the risk of injury.

[0051] According to some embodiments of this application, the protective door 61 is provided with a perforated portion.

[0052] In some embodiments, the protective door 61 includes a frame and a wire mesh, with the frame surrounding the periphery of the wire mesh and the openwork portion located on the wire mesh.

[0053] In this technical solution, the protective door 61 is provided with a hollow section, which allows the operator to observe the loading channel before turning on the laser emitter 20, thus reducing the risk of accidental injury caused by employees being stuck in the loading channel.

[0054] According to some embodiments of this application, the isolation room 10 has two oppositely arranged second sides 12 in the second direction Y, and the second sides 12 are provided with second openings communicating with the accommodating space 101. The first direction X, the second direction Y and the gravity direction Z are perpendicular to each other. The three-dimensional laser softening device also includes two doors 13, which are respectively arranged on the two second sides 12. The doors 13 are used to open and close the second openings.

[0055] In this technical solution, the door 13 is used to open and close the second opening so that the operator can enter the accommodating space 101 through the second opening to perform maintenance on the laser emitter 20 or the six-axis robotic arm 50.

[0056] According to some embodiments of this application, the door 13 includes a body 131 and an observation window 132. The body 131 has an observation opening communicating with the accommodating space 101; the observation window 132 is used to block the observation opening.

[0057] Understandably, the observation window 132 is made of a transparent material.

[0058] In this technical solution, the observation window 132 is used to block the observation port, so that the operator can check whether the transmitter is working properly through the observation window 132 before opening the door 13, thereby reducing the risk of being accidentally injured by the laser after opening the door 13.

[0059] According to some embodiments of this application, the laser emitter 20 also includes a host 21, which is disposed outside the isolation room 10; the three-dimensional laser softening device also includes a thermal management device 80; the thermal management device 80 is disposed outside the isolation room 10 and is used to regulate the heat of the host 21.

[0060] The host unit 21 is the part used to provide electrical power to the pump source in the laser emitter 20.

[0061] In some embodiments, the thermal management device 80 is a chiller, which is used to provide cooling water to the host 21 to reduce the temperature of the host 21.

[0062] In this technical solution, both the host 21 and the thermal management device 80 are located outside the isolation room 10, which reduces the risk of laser damage to the host 21 and the thermal management device 80.

[0063] According to some embodiments of this application, the three-dimensional laser softening device also includes an indicator light 90, which is disposed on the outer surface of the isolation chamber 10.

[0064] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other.

[0065] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit this application. For those skilled in the art, this application can have various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional laser softening apparatus, characterized by, The three-dimensional laser softening device comprises: an isolation room having a containing space, the isolation room having a first side in a first direction, the first side being provided with a first opening communicating with the containing space, the first direction being perpendicular to a direction of gravity; a laser emitter having an emitting end located in the containing space, the emitting end being configured to provide laser into the containing space; a positioning clamp configured to releasably fix a workpiece, the positioning clamp having a first position outside the isolation room through the first opening and a second position in the containing space; a driving assembly configured to drive the positioning clamp to switch between the first position and the second position.

2. The three-dimensional laser softening apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The three-dimensional laser softening device further comprises: a robot arm arranged in the containing space, the emitting end being arranged on the robot arm, the robot arm being configured to drive the emitting end to move around an outer periphery of the workpiece.

3. The three-dimensional laser softening apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The three-dimensional laser softening device further comprises: a fence located outside the first side, a thickness direction of the fence being parallel to the first direction, the fence and the first side having a feeding passage therebetween along the first direction, a normal projection of the fence on the first side covering the first opening.

4. The three-dimensional laser softening apparatus of claim 3, wherein, The three-dimensional laser softening device further comprises: two protective doors arranged at opposite ends of the fence in a second direction to open and close the feeding passage, the first direction, the second direction and the direction of gravity being perpendicular to each other.

5. The three-dimensional laser softening apparatus of claim 4, wherein, A controller is arranged outside any of the protective doors and is electrically connected to the laser emitter, the positioning clamp and the driving assembly.

6. The three-dimensional laser softening apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The emitting end is configured to receive temperature information of a surface of the workpiece in real time and adjust power of the laser emitter in real time according to the temperature information.

7. The three-dimensional laser softening apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The isolation room has two opposite second sides in a second direction, the second sides being provided with second openings communicating with the containing space, the first direction, the second direction and the direction of gravity being perpendicular to each other; The three-dimensional laser softening device further comprises: two room doors arranged at the two second sides respectively, the room doors being configured to open and close the second openings.

8. The three-dimensional laser softening apparatus of claim 7, wherein, The room door comprises: a body having a viewing port communicating with the containing space; a viewing window configured to block the viewing port.

9. The three-dimensional laser softening apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The laser emitter further comprises: a main machine arranged outside the isolation room; The three-dimensional laser softening device further comprises: a heat management device arranged outside the isolation room and configured to adjust heat of the main machine.

10. The three-dimensional laser softening apparatus of any of claims 1-9, wherein, The emitting end of the laser emitter provides a laser beam having a long strip-shaped spot.

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