Chiller

Abstract

To suppress an increase in cost by making it possible to cool external devices other than a laser beam machine without installing a chiller that is larger than necessary for limited adjustment operation.SOLUTION: A chiller 1 comprises: a main tank 11 connected to a water passage L2 through which cooling water that cooled a laser beam machine 3 circulates; a sub-tank 13 connected to water passages L4a, L4b through which cooling water that cooled a beam damper 7, which is an external device other than the laser beam machine 3, circulates; a connecting water passage L1 that connects the main tank 11 and the sub-tank 13 and moves cooling water from the sub-tank 13 to the main tank 11; and a control unit 15 that controls the circulation of the cooling water. The control unit 15 stops the movement of cooling water between the main tank 11 and the sub-tank 13 when the sum of the amount of heat generated by the laser beam machine 3 and the amount of heat generated by the beam damper 7 exceeds a predetermined value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a chiller. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes providing chillers for the oscillator, processing head, and output measuring instrument of a laser processing machine. In the chiller of Patent Document 1, the cooling water supplied to the output measuring instrument is switched between two liquid storage tanks and stored therein, thereby cooling the temperature of the cooling water to within a specified temperature range. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-231918 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the above-mentioned conventional chillers, external devices other than the laser processing machine, such as beam dampers, are installed during adjustment operations such as manufacturing inspections, delivery test runs, and maintenance, and it is necessary to cool such external devices. Therefore, in the past, a chiller larger than necessary was installed for limited adjustment operations, or a small chiller was prepared separately, resulting in an increase in costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A chiller according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a main tank connected to a water passage through which cooling water that has cooled a laser processing machine circulates, a sub-tank connected to a water passage through which cooling water that has cooled an external device other than the laser processing machine circulates, a connecting water passage that connects the main tank and the sub-tank and moves cooling water from the sub-tank to the main tank, and a control unit that controls the circulation of cooling water stored in the main tank and the sub-tank, and the control unit stops the movement of cooling water between the main tank and the sub-tank when the sum of the amount of heat generated by the laser processing machine and the amount of heat generated by the external device exceeds a predetermined value.

[0006] According to one aspect of the chiller of the present invention, a sub-tank is provided to store cooling water used to cool an external device other than a laser processing machine, and when the amount of heat generated exceeds a predetermined value, the movement of the cooling water between the main tank and the sub-tank is stopped. This allows the cooling water to be separated and stored in the sub-tank even if the amount of heat generated exceeds the cooling capacity of the chiller during the limited time of adjustment operation. Therefore, the external device can be cooled without installing a chiller that is larger than necessary for the limited adjustment operation, or without preparing a separate small chiller. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to cool external devices other than the laser processing machine without having to install a chiller that is larger than necessary for limited adjustment operation or to prepare a separate small chiller, thereby suppressing increases in costs. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a laser processing system equipped with a chiller according to one embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a cooling process during an adjustment operation by a chiller according to one embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between the current value and the amount of heat generated in an oscillator of a laser processing machine. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the current value of an oscillator and the laser output in a laser processing machine. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the current value of an oscillator and the total amount of heat generated by the oscillator and the beam damper in a laser processing machine. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] [Laser processing system] Hereinafter, a laser processing system including a chiller according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the laser processing system. As shown in FIG. 1, the laser processing system 100 includes a chiller 1, a laser processing machine 3, and a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) device 5. Furthermore, in FIG. 1, a beam damper 7 is provided as an external device other than the laser processing machine 3. The laser processing system 100 is a system for performing laser processing such as laser cutting or laser welding on a workpiece (not shown).

[0010] The chiller 1 includes a main tank 11 connected to a water passage L2 through which cooling water that has cooled the laser processing machine 3 circulates, a sub-tank 13 connected to water passages L4a and L4b through which cooling water that has cooled external devices other than the laser processing machine 3 circulates, a connecting water passage L1 that connects the main tank 11 and the sub-tank 13 and moves cooling water from the sub-tank 13 to the main tank 11, and a control unit 15 that controls the circulation of the cooling water stored in the main tank 11 and the sub-tank 13. The control unit 15 stops the movement of cooling water between the main tank 11 and the sub-tank 13 when the sum of the amount of heat generated by the laser processing machine 3 and the amount of heat generated by the external device exceeds a predetermined value.

[0011] The chiller 1 is a cooling water circulation device that circulates cooling water to cool the laser processing machine 3, and as shown in FIG. 1, is equipped with a main tank 11, a sub tank 13, a control unit 15, a pump 17, a cooling machine 19, a temperature sensor 21, and a valve 23.

[0012] The main tank 11 is a tank that stores cooling water (pure water) for cooling the laser processing machine 3 and the external device, the beam damper 7. The capacity of the main tank 11 is equal to or greater than the total amount of cooling water required to cool the laser processing machine 3 and the external device.

[0013] Specifically, when the amount of cooling water required to cool the laser processing machine 3 is Vo and the amount of cooling water required to cool the beam damper 7, which is an external device, is Vb, the capacity Vm of the main tank 11 is Vm≧Vo+Vb.

[0014] Here, the amount of cooling water Vb for the beam damper 7 is given by Vb = "rated flow rate" x "usage time". The rated flow rate is the flow rate of cooling water per unit time that is predefined for cooling the beam damper 7, and the usage time is the time for adjustment operations such as delivery test runs and maintenance. In this embodiment, Vo and Vb have a relationship of Vo:Vb = 10 to 20:1, but this is not necessarily the case.

[0015] The main tank 11 is connected to a connecting water passage L1 that connects the main tank 11 and the sub tank 13 to move the cooling water, a water passage L2 through which the cooling water that has cooled the laser processing machine 3 is circulated, and a water passage L3 that circulates the cooling water stored in the main tank 11 to the laser processing machine 3.

[0016] The connecting water passage L1 connects the main tank 11 and the sub tank 13, circulating the cooling water from the sub tank 13 to the main tank 11, and is provided with a valve 23 midway. The water passage L2 connects the laser processing machine 3 and the main tank 11, and circulating the cooling water from the laser processing machine 3 to the main tank 11. The water passage L3 connects the main tank 11 and the laser processing machine 3, and circulating the cooling water from the main tank 11 to the laser processing machine 3, and is provided with a pump 17 and a cooler 19 midway. The water passage L3 is designed to be connected to the water passage L5 midway, and when the water passage L5 is connected, the cooling water from the main tank 11 can be circulated to the beam damper 7.

[0017] The sub-tank 13 is a tank that stores cooling water for cooling the external device, the beam damper 7. The capacity of the sub-tank 13 is equal to or greater than the amount of cooling water required to cool the external device.

[0018] Specifically, when the amount of cooling water required to cool the beam damper 7 is Vb, the capacity Vs of the sub tank 13 satisfies Vs≧Vb.

[0019] The sub-tank 13 is connected to the connecting water passage L1 and a water passage L4a through which the cooling water that has cooled the beam damper 7 circulates. The water passage L4a is a water passage provided inside the chiller 1, and by connecting the water passage L4b during adjustment operation, the sub-tank 13 and the beam damper 7 are connected, and the cooling water is circulated from the beam damper 7 to the sub-tank 13.

[0020] The control unit 15 is a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) that controls the chiller 1, and controls the circulation of the cooling water stored in the main tank 11 and the sub tank 13. Specifically, when the beam damper 7 is not installed, the control unit 15 drives the pump 17 and the cooler 19 to circulate the cooling water between the laser processing machine 3 and the main tank 11 via the water passages L2 and L3. When the beam damper 7 is installed during adjustment operation such as manufacturing inspection, delivery test run, and maintenance, the control unit 15 opens and closes the valve 23 to circulate the cooling water not only in the main tank 11 but also in the sub tank 13 via the water passages L4a, L4b, and L5.

[0021] At this time, when the sum of the amount of heat generated by the laser processing machine 3 and the amount of heat generated by the beam damper 7 exceeds a predetermined value, the control unit 15 closes the valve 23 to stop the movement of the cooling water between the main tank 11 and the sub tank 13. The control unit 15 sets this predetermined value as the cooling limit of the chiller 19 that cools the cooling water.

[0022] After this, the control unit 15 opens the valve 23 to resume the movement of cooling water between the main tank 11 and the sub tank 13 after the total amount of heat generated by the laser processing machine 3 and the amount of heat generated by the external device, the beam damper 7, has fallen below a predetermined value.

[0023] The control unit 15 also communicates with the CNC device 5 to acquire information about the laser processing machine 3. Specifically, the control unit 15 acquires, from the CNC device 5, the current value of the current flowing through the oscillator of the laser processing machine 3, a signal to start an adjustment mode, a laser output signal, and the like. Furthermore, the control unit 15 acquires cooling water temperature information from the temperature sensor 21, and acquires the operating rates of the compressor and fan from the chiller 19. In addition, the control unit 15 controls the rotation speed of the pump 17, and outputs an operation command for the chiller 19 and an opening / closing command for the valve 23.

[0024] The control unit 15 is configured by a computer having a memory, a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and various interfaces. The memory and various interfaces are connected to the processor via a bus. By executing a program stored in the memory by the processor, the control unit 15 drives the pump 17 and the cooler 19 and opens and closes the valve 23 to perform the cooling process of the laser processing machine 3.

[0025] The pump 17 is provided in the water passage L3, and sucks up the cooling water from the main tank 11 and pumps it to the laser processing machine 3.

[0026] The cooling machine 19 is provided in the water passage L3 and exchanges heat with the cooling water to adjust the temperature of the cooling water to within a set temperature range. The cooling machine 19 is provided with a refrigerant circuit that circulates the refrigerant to perform a cooling cycle. The refrigerant circuit has a compressor that compresses the refrigerant, a condenser that condenses the compressed refrigerant, an expansion valve that expands the condensed refrigerant, and an evaporator that evaporates the expanded refrigerant, and is provided with a fan that blows air through the refrigerant circuit.

[0027] The temperature sensor 21 is provided in the water passage L3, detects the temperature of the cooling water cooled by the cooling device 19, and outputs the temperature to the control unit 15.

[0028] The valve 23 is provided in the connecting water passage L1, and controls the movement of the cooling water between the main tank 11 and the sub tank 13 by opening and closing according to an opening / closing command from the control unit 15. The valve 23 is closed when normal laser processing is being performed by the laser processing machine 3, and is opened when an external device other than the laser processing machine, such as the beam damper 7, is installed during adjustment operation such as manufacturing inspection, delivery test run, and maintenance.

[0029] The laser processing machine 3 is a device that performs laser processing such as laser cutting or laser welding on a workpiece (not shown), and includes an oscillator that oscillates a laser beam and a processing head that irradiates the laser beam supplied from the oscillator toward the workpiece. In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the oscillator is cooled by the chiller 1, but both the oscillator and the processing head may be cooled by the chiller 1.

[0030] The CNC device 5 executes control to drive the laser processing machine 3 according to a processing program to process a product from a workpiece. The CNC device 5 communicates with the control unit 15 to transmit information on the laser processing machine 3. Specifically, the CNC device 5 transmits the current value of the current flowing through the oscillator of the laser processing machine 3, the laser output signal, and the like, and transmits a signal to start an adjustment mode when the beam damper 7 is installed and adjustment operation is performed.

[0031] The CNC device 5 is composed of a computer having a memory, a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and various interfaces. The memory and various interfaces are connected to the processor via a bus. The CNC device 5 drives the laser processing machine 3 to process a product from a workpiece by executing a program stored in the memory by the processor.

[0032] The beam damper 7 is a device that temporarily blocks the laser beam, and is installed during adjustment operations such as manufacturing inspections, delivery test runs, and maintenance. The beam damper 7 is an example of an external device that is installed in the laser processing machine 3 during adjustment operations, and in addition to this, a measuring device such as a power meter may also be installed.

[0033] To the beam damper 7, there are connected a water channel L4b which is connected to the water channel L4a and through which the cooling water that has cooled the beam damper 7 circulates, and a water channel L5 which is connected to the water channel L3 and through which the cooling water from the main tank 11 is circulated to the beam damper 7. The water channel L4b is a water channel that is installed during adjustment operation, and is connected to one end of the water channel L4a to connect the water channel L4a and the beam damper 7, and circulates the cooling water from the beam damper 7 to the sub tank 13. The water channel L5 is a water channel that is installed during adjustment operation, and is connected midway through the water channel L3 to connect the water channel L3 and the beam damper 7, and circulates the cooling water from the main tank 11 to the beam damper 7.

[0034] The water passages L4b and L5 are connected only when the beam damper 7 is installed, and are not connected during normal laser processing other than adjustment operation. Therefore, during normal laser processing, the cooling water circulates between the laser processing machine 3 and the main tank 11 via the water passages L2 and L3, and does not circulate to the sub-tank 13.

[0035] [Cooling process during adjustment operation] Next, the cooling process during adjustment operation by the chiller 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing the procedure of the cooling process during adjustment operation. When performing normal laser processing, an external device such as the beam damper 7 is not installed, so the beam damper 7 shown in Fig. 1 is installed before adjustment operation. Accordingly, water channels L4b and L5 are also installed, and the cooling water is configured to circulate to the beam damper 7.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 2, in step S101, the control unit 15 judges whether or not an adjustment mode signal has been received. During adjustment operations such as manufacturing inspection, trial operation at delivery, and maintenance, the beam damper 7 and measuring device are installed, the water channels L4b and L5 are connected, and an instruction to start the adjustment operation is issued, and the CNC device 5 transmits an adjustment mode signal. When the control unit 15 receives the adjustment mode signal from the CNC device 5, the control unit 15 recognizes the start of the adjustment operation and starts the preparation mode. On the other hand, if the adjustment mode signal has not been received, the control unit 15 continues to judge whether or not an adjustment mode signal has been received.

[0037] In step S103, the control unit 15 determines whether the cooling water temperature is within the set temperature range as a preparation mode for the adjustment operation. The control unit 15 acquires the cooling water temperature from the temperature sensor 21 and determines whether the cooling water temperature is within the set temperature range. In this embodiment, the set temperature is 25±1° C. If the cooling water temperature is not within the set temperature range, the process proceeds to step S105, and if it is within the set temperature range, the process proceeds to step S107.

[0038] In step S105, the control unit 15 drives the pump 17 and the chiller 19 to cool the cooling water. If the temperature of the cooling water is higher than the set temperature, the control unit 15 cools the cooling water so that the temperature of the cooling water is within the range of the set temperature, and returns to step S103. Note that if the temperature of the cooling water is lower than the set temperature, it is also possible to heat the cooling water.

[0039] In step S107, the control unit 15 notifies the CNC device 5 that the preparation mode has been completed.

[0040] In step S109, the CNC device 5 starts the adjustment operation of the laser processing machine 3, and causes the laser processing machine 3 to emit a laser beam.

[0041] In step S111, the control unit 15 opens the valve 23 to allow the cooling water to move between the main tank 11 and the sub tank 13, and starts cooling the cooling water by driving the pump 17 and the chiller 19. At this time, the control unit 15 increases the rotation speed of the pump 17 because it is necessary to send the cooling water from the main tank 11 not only to the laser processing machine 3 but also to the beam damper 7 and the sub tank 13. Thereafter, the control unit 15 controls the chiller 19 so that the temperature of the cooling water is maintained within the set temperature range.

[0042] In step S113, the control unit 15 judges whether the sum of the amount of heat generated by the laser processing machine 3 and the amount of heat generated by the beam damper 7, which is an external device, exceeds a predetermined value. The control unit 15 acquires the current value of the oscillator of the laser processing machine 3 from the CNC device 5, and calculates the amount of heat generated by the oscillator as shown in FIG. 3. The control unit 15 also calculates the output value of the laser beam from the current value of the oscillator as shown in FIG. 4. Since the beam damper 7 blocks the laser beam and absorbs it as heat, the control unit 15 calculates the output value of the laser beam as the amount of heat generated by the beam damper 7. The amount of heat can be calculated in the same manner when the chiller 1 cools not only the oscillator of the laser processing machine 3 but also the processing head, or when the chiller 1 cools a measuring device instead of the beam damper 7.

[0043] When the amounts of heat generated by the laser processing machine 3 and the beam damper 7 are calculated in this manner, the control unit 15 judges whether or not the sum of the amount of heat generated by the laser processing machine 3 and the amount of heat generated by the beam damper 7 exceeds a predetermined value. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 5, the control unit 15 adds the amount of heat generated by the oscillator W1 and the amount of heat generated by the beam damper 7 and judges whether or not the sum exceeds a predetermined value S, which is the cooling limit of the cooler 19. However, the predetermined value S does not need to coincide with the cooling limit, and may be set smaller than the cooling limit in consideration of the response time.

[0044] In addition, since the cooling limit changes depending on the ambient temperature of the chiller 1, the predetermined value S may also be changed according to the ambient temperature. Specifically, as the ambient temperature of the chiller 1 increases, the cooling limit decreases. Therefore, an ambient temperature sensor is installed in the chiller 1, and the control unit 15 decreases the predetermined value S as the ambient temperature detected by the ambient temperature sensor increases.

[0045] Furthermore, the cooling limit also changes depending on the cooling efficiency of the fan and compressor provided in the chiller 19. For example, if the fan or compressor deteriorates and the cooling efficiency at the maximum operating rate decreases, the cooling limit also decreases. Therefore, the predetermined value S may be changed using a correction parameter α that indicates the degree of decrease in cooling efficiency. The correction parameter α is proportional to the operating time of the chiller 1, and therefore can be calculated by installing a timer that accumulates the operating time. Therefore, the control unit 15 decreases the predetermined value S as the operating time of the chiller 1 increases.

[0046] After setting the predetermined value S in this manner, if in step S113 the sum of the amount of heat generated by the laser processing machine 3 and the amount of heat generated by the beam damper 7 does not exceed the predetermined value S, the process proceeds to step S115; if it exceeds the predetermined value S, the process proceeds to step S117.

[0047] In step S115, the control unit 15 communicates with the CNC device 5 to determine whether the adjustment operation has been completed or not. If the adjustment operation has not been completed, the process returns to step S113, and if the adjustment operation has been completed, the process proceeds to step S125.

[0048] In step S117, the control unit 15 closes the valve 23 to stop the movement of the cooling water between the main tank 11 and the sub tank 13. As a result, the portion of the cooling water that exceeds the predetermined value S shown in Fig. 5 remains in the sub tank 13 and does not move to the main tank 11. In other words, the cooling water that has exceeded its cooling limit does not flow to the chiller 19, so the chiller 19 does not need to cool the cooling water that has exceeded its cooling limit.

[0049] On the other hand, the cooling water below the predetermined value S circulates through the water passages L2 and L3 between the main tank 11 and the laser processing machine 3, so the chiller 19 only needs to cool the cooling water within a range that does not exceed the cooling limit. Therefore, even if it is necessary to cool the beam damper 7 extra during adjustment operation, it is not necessary to make the chiller 19 larger than necessary.

[0050] In step S119, the control unit 15 detects the water level of the cooling water stored in the subtank 13 from a water level gauge installed in the subtank 13, and determines whether or not the subtank 13 is full. If the subtank 13 is full, the process proceeds to step S121, and if the subtank 13 is not full, the process proceeds to step S115.

[0051] In step S121, the control unit 15 notifies the CNC device 5 of a full tank alarm indicating that the subtank 13 is full, and the CNC device 5 issues an alarm by displaying an alarm or sounding an alarm.

[0052] In step S123, the CNC device 5 stops the laser processing machine 3 to end the adjustment operation, and transmits to the control unit 15 an operation stop command indicating that the laser processing machine 3 has stopped.

[0053] In step S125, when the adjusting operation is completed in step S115 or when the adjusting operation due to full water is completed in step S123, the control unit 15 stops the pump 17 and the chiller 19 to end the cooling operation. When the cooling operation is ended in this manner, the cooling process during the adjusting operation according to this embodiment is ended.

[0054] After this, the control unit 15 opens the valve 23 to resume the movement of cooling water between the main tank 11 and the sub tank 13 after the sum of the heat generation amount W1 of the oscillator and the heat generation amount W2 of the beam damper 7 shown in Figure 5 has fallen below a predetermined value S.

[0055] [Effects of the embodiment] As described above in detail, the chiller 1 according to this embodiment stops the movement of cooling water between the main tank 11 and the sub tank 13 when the sum of the amount of heat generated by the laser processing machine 3 and the amount of heat generated by external devices other than the laser processing machine exceeds a predetermined value. This makes it possible to cool the external device without installing a chiller that is larger than necessary for limited adjustment operation or preparing a separate small chiller, thereby suppressing increases in costs.

[0056] In particular, during manufacturing inspection, trial operation at delivery, and adjustment operations such as maintenance, external devices such as the beam damper 7 and measuring instruments are installed and need to be cooled. For this reason, in the past, a chiller larger than necessary was installed to cool the external devices, or a small chiller was prepared separately, resulting in increased costs.

[0057] However, in the chiller 1 according to this embodiment, when the sum of the amount of heat generated by the laser processing machine 3 and the amount of heat generated by the external device exceeds a predetermined value, the movement of the cooling water between the main tank 11 and the sub tank 13 is stopped and the cooling water is stored in the sub tank 13. Therefore, even if the amount of heat generated exceeds the cooling capacity of the chiller 19 during the limited time of adjustment operation, the cooling water can be separated and stored in the sub tank 13, so there is no need to install a chiller that is larger than necessary, and costs can be suppressed. In addition, there is no need to prepare a small chiller separately and connect it only during adjustment operation, so deterioration of the cooling water, such as an increase in the conductivity of the cooling water or the inclusion of impurities, can be prevented.

[0058] Furthermore, the chiller 1 according to this embodiment resumes the movement of cooling water between the main tank 11 and the sub-tank 13 after the total amount of heat generated by the laser processing machine 3 and the amount of heat generated by the external device falls below a predetermined value. This makes it possible to cool the cooling water stored in the sub-tank 13 after the adjustment operation ends and the amount of heat generated falls. Therefore, even if an amount of heat generated exceeds the cooling capacity of the cooling device 19, it is possible to cool the cooling water with a time lag, so that it is possible to cool the cooling water without installing a chiller larger than necessary or preparing a small chiller separately.

[0059] Furthermore, the chiller 1 according to this embodiment detects the level of the cooling water stored in the sub-tank 13, and when the sub-tank 13 becomes full, stops the laser processing machine 3. This makes it possible to prevent the amount of heat generated from exceeding the cooling capacity of the cooler 19, thereby improving safety.

[0060] Furthermore, in the chiller 1 according to this embodiment, the capacity of the main tank 11 is equal to or greater than the sum of the amount of cooling water required to cool the laser processing machine 3 and the amount of cooling water required to cool external devices other than the laser processing machine. This allows the main tank 11 to store sufficient cooling water to cool not only the laser processing machine 3 but also the external devices.

[0061] In addition, in the chiller 1 according to this embodiment, the capacity of the sub-tank 13 is equal to or greater than the amount of cooling water required to cool the external device. This allows sufficient cooling water to be stored in the sub-tank 13 to cool the external device.

[0062] Furthermore, the chiller 1 according to this embodiment sets a predetermined value for the cooling limit of the chiller 19 that cools the cooling water. This allows the cooling water to be circulated and cooled until the cooling limit of the chiller 19 is exceeded, so that the cooling capacity of the chiller 19 can be utilized to the maximum.

[0063] As described above, the embodiment of the present invention has been described, but the description and drawings forming a part of this disclosure should not be understood as limiting this invention. From this disclosure, various alternative embodiments, examples and operating techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 1 Chiller 3. Laser processing machine 5 CNC equipment 7 Beam Dumper 11 Main Tank 13 Subtank 15 Control section 17 Pump 19 Cooler 21 Temperature Sensor 23 Valve 100 Laser Processing System L1 connecting waterway L2, L3, L4a, L4b, L5 waterway S cooling limit W1, W2 Heat generation

Claims

1. A main tank connected to a waterway through which the cooling water used to cool the laser processing machine circulates; a sub-tank connected to a water passage through which cooling water that has cooled external devices other than the laser processing machine circulates; a connecting waterway connecting the main tank and the sub tank to move cooling water from the sub tank to the main tank; a control unit for controlling the circulation of the cooling water stored in the main tank and the sub tank, The control unit stops the movement of the cooling water between the main tank and the sub tank when a total of an amount of heat generated by the laser processing machine and an amount of heat generated by the external device exceeds a predetermined value. Chiller.

2. The control unit restarts the movement of the cooling water between the main tank and the sub tank after the total amount of heat generated by the laser processing machine and the amount of heat generated by the external device falls below a predetermined value. The chiller of claim 1 .

3. The control unit detects the level of the cooling water stored in the sub-tank, and when the sub-tank becomes full, stops the laser processing machine. The chiller of claim 1 .

4. The capacity of the main tank is equal to or greater than the total amount of cooling water required to cool the laser processing machine and the external device. The chiller according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The capacity of the sub-tank is equal to or greater than the amount of cooling water required to cool the external device. The chiller according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. The control unit sets the predetermined value to a cooling limit of a chiller that cools the cooling water. The chiller according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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