Laser precision machining apparatus for gemstones

Abstract

This utility model relates to a laser precision processing equipment for gemstones, including a laser cutting machine, a CO2 dicing machine, and a transfer and conveying unit that connects the laser cutting machine and the CO2 dicing machine. The transfer and conveying unit enables the switching of the support fixture between the automatic belt system of the cutting machine and the automatic belt system of the dicing machine. This utility model achieves laser cutting of zircon flakes into small particles with high precision and speed, and can accommodate cutting complex shapes such as straight lines and irregular shapes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of gemstone processing, and in particular to a laser precision processing device for gemstones. Background Technology

[0002] Zircon, also known as zircon, is a silicate mineral with an island-like structure. Zircon has a wide range of applications. High-quality gem-quality zircon possesses characteristics such as high dispersion and strong luster, and comes in a rich variety of colors. It is often used in jewelry making, such as rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. It can produce a visual effect similar to expensive gemstones like diamonds, but at a more affordable price, offering high value for money. In addition, it can also be used in ceramics, refractory materials, metallurgy, chemicals, new energy, geological research, and the nuclear industry.

[0003] Traditional zircon ingot cutting is a process that shapes zircon ingots into suitable sizes or specific shapes for subsequent processing into gemstones or other products. It typically involves the following steps:

[0004] 1. Cutting: The beginning and end of the crystal rod are usually irregular in shape and need to be removed first. This operation often uses equipment such as a diamond wire cutter that can perform high-precision cutting to cut the crystal rod into segments of relatively fixed lengths as needed.

[0005] 2. Outer diameter grinding: During the growth of crystal rods, deviations in outer diameter and roundness are likely to occur. Therefore, the outer diameter needs to be ground and adjusted to ensure that the size and shape errors are within the allowable deviation range, so as to provide blanks that meet the specifications for subsequent cutting processes.

[0006] 3. Slicing:

[0007] Wire EDM: Commonly used to cut crystal rods into sheets. Some zircon crystal rods or blanks are fixed into an easy-to-clamp shape with marble adhesive or cement mortar, and then cut with a wire EDM machine. Its advantages are narrow kerf, high precision, and reduced material waste. After cutting, the zircon sheets need to be separated from the fixing material by a specific method.

[0008] Saw blade cutting: This is a common method for gemstone sawing. Fixed abrasive saw blades, such as diamond powder saw blades, can be used due to their strong cutting action and high sawing efficiency. For large crystal rods, large sawing equipment such as stone-cutting machines can be used; medium-sized crystal rods are suitable for being cut into thin slices of a set thickness using a slicing machine.

[0009] 4. Slicing and Granulation: After zircon flakes are obtained, they are cut into strips using appropriate cutting equipment according to subsequent processing requirements. The strip zircon is then cut into granular blanks. Some production lines use a strip-adhesive machine to neatly adhere the strip zircon onto a conveyor belt or use a vibrating conveyor to transport them in an orderly manner, thereby improving the efficiency and uniformity of granulation.

[0010] The existing cutting methods have the following problems and disadvantages:

[0011] 1. Cutting tools wear out quickly: Due to the high hardness of zircon, cutting tools wear out rapidly. Wear-down tools like diamond saw blades or diamond wire become dull, leading to more forceful cutting, chipping, and reduced cutting efficiency. Using finer-grit cutting tools to reduce damage, however, prolongs cutting time, increases frictional heat, and can cause thermal stress cracks, further increasing costs.

[0012] 2. Difficulty in cost control:

[0013] Cutting tools wear out quickly, and frequent replacements increase consumable costs. Furthermore, improving cutting precision and quality often requires reducing feed rate or increasing the number of cuts, leading to decreased cutting efficiency and increased unit costs. If chipping or broken wires occur during cutting, causing material scrap, this also indirectly increases costs.

[0014] The cutting process requires professional personnel to operate the equipment and monitor the process to ensure cutting accuracy and quality; their salaries and benefits constitute labor costs. Additionally, the costs of conducting relevant skills training activities also fall under the category of labor costs.

[0015] Cutting equipment, cooling systems, and other equipment consume a lot of electricity during operation, and some production lines use liquefied natural gas, so the cost of these energy consumptions also needs to be considered.

[0016] Wastewater and waste generated during the cutting process must be treated before being discharged or recycled to prevent environmental pollution; the cost of treating these materials is part of the overall cost. Additionally, purchasing protective equipment and installing safety facilities to prevent inhalation of zircon dust and injuries from cutting tools also incurs corresponding safety investment costs.

[0017] 3. High material loss: Due to the width of the wire EDM cutting track and brittle damage, the cutting loss of traditional zircon is between 40% and 60%. Through technological upgrades, the loss rate can be reduced to 20% to 35%.

[0018] 4. Irregular shapes cannot be processed directly: only straight lines can be cut. Complex irregular shapes cannot be processed and can only be polished in subsequent processes, which is inefficient and has a large loss.

[0019] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings, the designer has actively researched and innovated in order to create a laser precision processing equipment for gemstones, making it more valuable for industrial applications. Utility Model Content

[0020] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a laser precision processing device for gemstones.

[0021] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0022] Laser precision processing equipment for gemstones, including laser cutting machines, CO2 dicing machines, and transfer and conveying units that enable the docking of laser cutting machines and CO2 dicing machines;

[0023] The laser cutting machine includes a cutting machine frame, a pulsed laser and an optical path transmission system mounted on top of the cutting machine frame and adapted to each other, at least one cutting head module mounted on the cutting machine frame below the optical path transmission system and adapted to the optical path transmission system, an automated cutting machine belt system mounted on the cutting machine frame below the cutting head module, and a cutting platform for placing support fixtures mounted on the automated cutting machine belt system.

[0024] The CO2 dicing machine includes a dicing machine frame, a CO2 laser tube mounted on top of the dicing machine frame, a CO2 optical path transmission system and a CO2 scanning system mounted on the dicing machine frame below the CO2 laser tube and adapted to the CO2 laser tube, an automated belt system for dicing the machine is installed below the CO2 scanning system, and a dicing platform for placing support fixtures is installed on the automated belt system for dicing the machine.

[0025] The switching of the support fixture between the automated belt system of the cutting machine and the automated belt system of the dicing machine is achieved through a transfer and conveyor unit.

[0026] As a further improvement of this utility model, a CCD module is also installed on one side of the cutting head module.

[0027] As a further improvement of this utility model, a laser tube housing is installed on the dicing machine frame outside the CO2 laser tube, and a CO2 dicing machine electrical control system is also installed on one side of the dicing machine frame.

[0028] As a further improvement of this utility model, a dust extraction device is installed on the automated belt system of the chipper below and outside the CO2 scanning system.

[0029] As a further improvement of this utility model, the dust extraction device includes a dust extraction cover and a plurality of dust extraction pipes installed on the dust extraction cover.

[0030] As a further improvement of this utility model, a vacuum adsorption platform for adsorbing and supporting fixtures is installed on both the cutting platform and the sharding platform.

[0031] As a further improvement of this utility model, the pulsed laser is a femtosecond or picosecond pulsed laser, and the optical path transmission system is a femtosecond or picosecond pulsed laser optical path transmission system.

[0032] As a further improvement of this utility model, the transfer conveying unit is a transfer conveyor belt, the input end of which is connected to the output end of the automatic belt system of the cutting machine, and the output end of which is connected to the input end of the automatic belt system of the chipping machine.

[0033] By means of the above solution, this utility model has at least the following advantages:

[0034] This invention enables the laser cutting of zircon flakes into small particles with high precision and speed, and can be compatible with cutting complex shapes such as straight lines and irregular shapes.

[0035] This invention employs a non-contact processing method, eliminating mold wear and saving costs.

[0036] This invention involves a cutting process that uses no chemical solvents or cutting fluid, making it environmentally friendly.

[0037] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this utility model. In order to better understand the technical means of this utility model and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, the following are the preferred embodiments of this utility model and are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0038] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this utility model and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the layout of the laser precision processing equipment for gemstones according to this utility model;

[0040] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a laser cutting machine;

[0041] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A structural diagram;

[0042] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a CO2 fragmentation machine;

[0043] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the CO2 laser tube inside the outer shell of the medium laser tube;

[0044] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the automated belt system for a medium-sized chip splitting machine.

[0045] The meanings of the labels in the figures are as follows.

[0046] Laser cutting machine 1, CO2 shredder 2, transfer and conveying unit 3;

[0047] 11. Pulsed laser; 12. Optical path transmission system; 13. Cutting head module; 14. CCD module; 15. Support fixture; 16. Cutting machine automated belt system; 17. Cutting machine frame;

[0048] 21. Laser tube housing; 22. CO2 optical path transmission system; 23. CO2 scanning system; 24. Automatic belt system for dicing machine; 25. Dicing machine frame; 26. CO2 dicing machine electrical control system; 27. CO2 laser tube; 28. Dust extraction device. Detailed Implementation

[0049] The specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are used to illustrate this utility model, but are not intended to limit its scope.

[0050] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0051] The first embodiment of this utility model:

[0052] like Figures 1-6 As shown, the purpose of this embodiment is to address the problems existing in the prior art by providing a laser cutting machine and a method for cutting zircon sheets into small particles, which can effectively solve problems such as high wear of cutting tools, high material loss, and inability to process irregular shapes.

[0053] This embodiment provides a laser precision processing device for gemstones, including a laser cutter 1, a CO2 dicing machine 2, and a transfer and conveying unit 3 for connecting the laser cutter 1 and the CO2 dicing machine 2. The laser cutter 1, the CO2 dicing machine 2, and the transfer and conveying unit 3 are arranged sequentially along the processing flow. The transfer and conveying unit 3 enables the connection between the laser cutter 1 and the CO2 dicing machine 2, and the support fixture 15 can stably transport the equipment among the three components, completing continuous processing from cutting to dicing.

[0054] I. Laser Cutting Machine 1:

[0055] The laser cutting machine 1 includes a cutting machine frame 17, a pulsed laser 11 and an optical path transmission system 12 mounted on top of the cutting machine frame 17 and adapted to each other, and at least one cutting head module 13 mounted on the cutting machine frame 17 below the optical path transmission system 12 and adapted to the optical path transmission system 12. An automated belt system 16 for cutting the machine is mounted on the cutting machine frame 17 below the cutting head module 13, and a cutting platform for placing a support fixture 15 is mounted on the automated belt system 16.

[0056] Laser cutting machine 1 is the core cutting unit for gemstone processing, used to cut gemstone sheets into preset shapes.

[0057] The pulsed laser 11 is a femtosecond or picosecond pulsed laser, and the optical path transmission system 12 is a femtosecond or picosecond pulsed laser optical path transmission system.

[0058] The cutting head module 13 is installed below the optical path transmission system 12 and aligned with the output end of the optical path transmission system 12, and there is at least one such module.

[0059] A CCD module 14 is also installed on one side of the cutting head module 13. Installed next to the cutting head module 13, it can be an industrial CCD camera with a macro lens; the CCD module 14 is connected to the subsequent CO2 dicing machine electronic control system 26 and can collect the position information of the gemstone sheet on the support fixture 15 in real time.

[0060] Cutting platform and vacuum adsorption platform: The cutting platform is installed on the automatic belt system 16 of the cutting machine, and the vacuum adsorption platform is embedded in the surface of the platform; the vacuum adsorption platform includes: adsorption panel; adsorption holes; vacuum generator; PU vacuum pipeline.

[0061] The vacuum adsorption platform can tightly fix the support fixture 15 with negative pressure to prevent the fixture from shifting during the cutting process;

[0062] The automated belt system 16 of the cutting machine is installed in the middle of the cutting machine frame 17 and extends horizontally; stainless steel guide strips (matching the thickness of the support fixture 15) are provided on both sides of the belt to prevent the fixture from shifting during transport.

[0063] II. CO2 fracturing machine 2:

[0064] The CO2 dicing machine 2 includes a dicing machine frame 25, a CO2 laser tube 27 mounted on top of the dicing machine frame 25, a CO2 optical path transmission system 22 and a CO2 scanning system 23 mounted on the dicing machine frame 25 below the CO2 laser tube 27 and adapted to the CO2 laser tube 27, an automated belt system 24 for dicing machine is installed below the CO2 scanning system 23, and a dicing platform for placing the support fixture 15 is installed on the automated belt system 24 for dicing machine.

[0065] A laser tube housing 21 is mounted on the dicing machine frame 25 outside the CO2 laser tube 27. A CO2 dicing machine electrical control system 26 is also mounted on one side of the dicing machine frame 25.

[0066] A dust extraction device 28 is installed on the automated belt system 24 of the chipper, located below and outside the CO2 scanning system 23.

[0067] The dust extraction device 28 includes a dust extraction cover and several dust extraction pipes installed on the dust extraction cover.

[0068] Vacuum adsorption platforms for adsorption support fixture 15 are installed on both the cutting platform and the sharding platform.

[0069] The dicing platform is installed on the automated belt system 24 of the dicing machine, and its structure is consistent with the vacuum adsorption platform of the laser cutting machine 1, ensuring that the support fixture 15 is stably fixed during the dicing process.

[0070] The structure of the automated belt system 24 for the shredder is the same as that of the automated belt system 16 for the cutting machine. The belt input end is connected to the transfer conveyor unit 3, and the output end extends outside the equipment for easy subsequent cleaning processes.

[0071] Dust extraction device 28 is installed above the automated belt system 24 of the dicing machine, located below and outside the CO2 scanning system 23, and includes:

[0072] Dust extraction cover (stainless steel, covering the width of the belt);

[0073] Four dust extraction pipes (PVC material, evenly distributed on the top of the outer cover);

[0074] Industrial vacuum cleaners;

[0075] The dust extraction device 28 is linked with the CO2 scanning system 23 and automatically starts when the fracturing begins, with a dust collection rate of ≥95%, thus avoiding dust pollution.

[0076] III. Transfer and Conveying Unit 3:

[0077] The switching of the support fixture 15 between the cutting machine automated belt system 16 and the slicing machine automated belt system 24 is achieved through the transfer and conveying unit 3.

[0078] The transfer conveyor unit 3 is a transfer conveyor belt. The input end of the transfer conveyor belt is connected to the output end of the automatic belt system 16 of the cutting machine, and the output end of the transfer conveyor belt is connected to the input end of the automatic belt system 24 of the chipping machine.

[0079] The transfer conveyor unit 3 is a transfer conveyor belt used to connect the laser cutting machine 1 and the CO2 dicing machine 2, achieving seamless transmission of the support fixture 15. Specifically, it includes:

[0080] Belt body: Polyurethane material with anti-slip texture on the surface;

[0081] Drive motor: Stepper motor, with conveyor speed matched to the belt system of the cutting machine and shredder;

[0082] Guiding mechanism: Elastic rubber guide strips are provided on both sides of the belt, which fit against the side of the support fixture 15 to prevent conveying deviation;

[0083] Docking structure: The input end is aligned with the output end of the automatic belt system 16 of the cutting machine (docking gap ≤ 5mm), and the output end is aligned with the input end of the automatic belt system 24 of the slicing machine. The input end is equipped with a photoelectric sensor (to detect whether the support fixture 15 is in place, with a response time ≤ 0.1s) to ensure precise docking of the fixture.

[0084] IV. Support Fixture 15

[0085] The support fixture 15 serves as the carrier for the gemstone sheet and can be made of high-temperature resistant alumina ceramic. The upper surface is provided with a positioning groove (the size of which is adapted to the gemstone sheet). The inner wall of the positioning groove is provided with a silicone buffer layer to prevent the gemstone sheet from being damaged due to hard contact with the fixture. Positioning holes are set on the edge of the fixture to match the positioning pins of the vacuum adsorption platform, further improving the fixing accuracy.

[0086] Brief description of the working process of this utility model:

[0087] Step 1: Apply glue evenly to the support fixture, either manually or by machine.

[0088] Step 2: Manually move the support fixture and place it on the vacuum adsorption platform of the cutting platform, then start vacuum adsorption. Alternatively, place the support fixture on a belt and let it automatically flow into the vacuum adsorption platform of the cutting platform, then start vacuum adsorption.

[0089] Step 3: Import the drawing, set the parameters, and the cutting machine will cut according to the drawing.

[0090] Step 4: The support fixture is manually moved or placed on the cleaving platform via a transfer conveyor unit, or it is moved onto the cleaving machine belt via a trolley and flows into the cleaving machine platform via the belt.

[0091] Step 5: The CO2 fragmenter scans and fragments the fragments according to the pre-set program.

[0092] Step 6: After splitting, the entire product sheet is transported to an ultrasonic water tank by manual or automated cart, soaked, and then ultrasonically cleaned.

[0093] Step 7: After cleaning, take out the product and let it air dry. After drying, put the product into a polishing oven or drum and rotate it for further mechanical separation.

[0094] Step 8: After separation, the qualified finished product particles are sorted out through a sieve with a certain mesh size, and the residue and other waste materials are recycled and reused.

[0095] This invention enables laser cutting of zircon flakes into small particles with high precision and speed, and is compatible with cutting complex shapes such as straight lines and irregular shapes. The non-contact processing eliminates tool wear, saving costs. The cutting process uses no chemical solvents or cutting fluids, making it environmentally friendly.

[0096] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0097] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" 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 of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0098] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present utility model, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A laser precision processing equipment for gemstones, characterized in that: It includes a laser cutting machine (1), a CO2 dicing machine (2), and a transfer and conveying unit (3) that enables the laser cutting machine (1) and the CO2 dicing machine (2) to connect; The laser cutting machine (1) includes a cutting machine frame (17), a pulsed laser (11) and an optical path transmission system (12) mounted on top of the cutting machine frame (17) and adapted to each other, and at least one cutting head module (13) mounted on the cutting machine frame (17) below the optical path transmission system (12) and adapted to the optical path transmission system (12). An automated belt system (16) for cutting the machine is mounted on the cutting machine frame (17) below the cutting head module (13). A cutting platform for placing a support fixture (15) is mounted on the automated belt system (16). The CO2 dicing machine (2) includes a dicing machine frame (25), a CO2 laser tube (27) mounted on top of the dicing machine frame (25), a CO2 optical path transmission system (22) and a CO2 scanning system (23) mounted on the dicing machine frame (25) below the CO2 laser tube (27) and adapted to the CO2 laser tube (27), an automated belt system (24) for dicing machine is installed below the CO2 scanning system (23), and a dicing platform for placing a support fixture (15) is installed on the automated belt system (24); The transfer and conveying unit (3) enables the switching of the support fixture (15) between the automatic belt system (16) of the cutting machine and the automatic belt system (24) of the dicing machine.

2. The laser precision processing equipment for gemstones as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A CCD module (14) is also installed on one side of the cutting head module (13).

3. The laser precision processing equipment for gemstones as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A laser tube housing (21) is installed on the dicing machine frame (25) outside the CO2 laser tube (27), and a CO2 dicing machine electrical control system (26) is also installed on one side of the dicing machine frame (25).

4. The laser precision processing equipment for gemstones as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A dust extraction device (28) is installed on the automated belt system (24) of the chipper, located on the outer side below the CO2 scanning system (23).

5. The laser precision processing equipment for gemstones as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The dust extraction device (28) includes a dust extraction cover and a plurality of dust extraction pipes installed on the dust extraction cover.

6. The laser precision processing equipment for gemstones as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Both the cutting platform and the sharding platform are equipped with vacuum adsorption platforms for adsorption support fixtures (15).

7. The laser precision processing equipment for gemstones as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The pulsed laser (11) is a femtosecond or picosecond pulsed laser, and the optical path transmission system (12) is an optical path transmission system for the femtosecond or picosecond pulsed laser.

8. The laser precision processing equipment for gemstones as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The transfer conveyor unit (3) is a transfer conveyor belt. The input end of the transfer conveyor belt is connected to the output end of the automatic belt system (16) of the cutting machine, and the output end of the transfer conveyor belt is connected to the input end of the automatic belt system (24) of the chipping machine.

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