Cutting device, control method for cutting device, and control program for cutting device

Abstract

To provide a cutting device and the like which can detect completion of cutting of a cutting object, with a simpler configuration.SOLUTION: A cutting device comprises: a cutting blade for cutting a cutting object; a base which receives the cutting blade when the cutting object is cut; a cutting control unit which performs control of moving the blade tip of the cutting blade toward the base for cutting the cutting object which is placed on the base; a sound collector which collects the cutting sound being the sound which is generated when the cutting blade cuts the cutting object; and a cutting determination unit which determines whether or not the cutting of the cutting object is complete on the basis of the change in the cutting sound.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cutting device or the like, for example, for cutting sheets of metal or the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Cutting devices of the type that cuts an object by passing a cutting blade with a straight cutting edge from top to bottom through the object are widely used. In this type of cutting device, if the cutting edge of the cutting blade does not penetrate the material placed on the receiving table and reach the receiving table, an uncut portion will remain. For this reason, technology has been proposed to ensure that the cutting edge reaches the receiving table (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The technology described in Patent Document 1 employs a conductive, soft mat on a receiving stand (receiving member) to prevent the occurrence of uncut portions of the object to be cut. Therefore, in this technology, when the object to be cut is cut by a conductive metal cutting blade (upper blade), the cutting blade (upper blade) comes into contact with the mat, establishing electrical continuity between the cutting blade (upper blade) and the mat. Furthermore, the electrical continuity between the cutting blade (upper blade) and the mat is utilized to electrically detect contact between the mat and the cutting blade (upper blade). Thus, with the technology described in Patent Document 1, completion of cutting of the object to be cut can be detected by the continuity between the cutting blade and the mat.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Documents 2 and 3 also disclose techniques related to the present invention. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-219159 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-032848 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-168362 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, the completion of cutting of the object to be cut is detected by checking whether or not there is electrical continuity between the cutting blade and the receiving base (mat) when the cutting blade comes into contact with the mat. This necessitates the installation of a device that applies electricity to both the cutting blade and the receiving base (mat), which creates a problem of a complex configuration.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has an object to provide a cutting device or the like that can detect the completion of cutting of an object with a simpler configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the cutting device of the present invention has a cutting blade for cutting an object to be cut, a receiving stand that receives the cutting blade when cutting the object to be cut, a cutting control unit that controls the movement of the cutting edge of the cutting blade toward the receiving stand to cut the object to be cut placed on the receiving stand, a sound collector that collects cutting sounds that are generated when the cutting blade cuts the object to be cut, and a cutting determination unit that determines whether cutting of the object to be cut is complete based on changes in the cutting sound.

[0009] Furthermore, the control method for a cutting device of the present invention is a control method for a cutting device having a cutting blade for cutting an object to be cut, a receiving stand that receives the cutting blade when cutting the object to be cut, and a cutting control unit that controls the movement of the cutting edge of the cutting blade toward the receiving stand in order to cut the object to be cut placed on the receiving stand, and collects cutting sounds that are generated when the cutting blade cuts the object to be cut, and determines whether cutting of the object to be cut is complete based on changes in the cutting sounds.

[0010] In addition, the control program for a cutting device of the present invention is a control program for a cutting device having a cutting blade for cutting an object to be cut, a receiving stand that receives the cutting blade when cutting the object to be cut, and a cutting control unit that controls the movement of the cutting edge of the cutting blade toward the receiving stand in order to cut the object to be cut placed on the receiving stand, and causes a computer to execute a process for controlling the collection of cutting sounds, which are sounds generated when the cutting blade cuts the object to be cut, and a process for determining whether cutting of the object to be cut has been completed based on changes in the cutting sounds. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The effect of the present invention is to provide a cutting device or the like that can detect the completion of cutting of an object with a simpler configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a cutting device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a specific configuration example of the cutting device of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing details of a disconnection determination unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic side view showing a first state of a specific example 1 of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is a schematic side view showing a second state of specific example 1 of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] 10 is a schematic side view showing a third state of specific example 1 of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7] 10 is a schematic side view showing a fourth state of the specific example 1 of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 8] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing a modified example of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a first state of a specific example 2 of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 11] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a second state of specific example 2 of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 12] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a third state of specific example 2 of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 13] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a fourth state of the specific example 2 of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the receiving base of the cutting device of the first embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a cutting device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 16] 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the cutting device of the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments described below are limited to technically preferable aspects for carrying out the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Note that similar components in each drawing are given the same reference numerals, and their description may be omitted.

[0014] (First embodiment) Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a cutting device 1000 according to a first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a specific configuration example of the cutting device 1000 according to the first embodiment. Figs. 4 to 7 are side schematic views showing an operation example of the cutting device 1000.

[0015] 1, the cutting device 1000 has a cutting blade 100, a receiving base 200, a sound collector 300, and a control unit 400. The control unit 400 is electrically connected to the cutting blade 100, the receiving base 200, and the sound collector 300. The control unit 400 has a cutting control unit 410 and a cutting determination unit 420. The control unit 400 can be configured, for example, by a general computer.

[0016] The cutting blade 100 is used to cut the cutting object 900. The material of the cutting blade 100 is, for example, but not limited to, metal such as iron, stainless steel, or high-hardness steel. The material of the cutting blade 100 can also be ceramic, resin, or the like.

[0017] The receiving base 200 is for receiving the cutting blade 100 when cutting the workpiece 900. The material of the receiving base 200 is, for example, a material that is lower in hardness than the cutting blade 100. The material of the receiving base 200 is, for example, a metal such as iron or stainless steel, but is not limited to these. The material of the receiving base 200 can also be ceramic or resin.

[0018] The cutting control unit 410 controls the movement of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 100 toward the receiving table 200 to cut the object 900 placed on the receiving table 200 .

[0019] The sound collector 300 collects cutting sounds generated when the cutting blade 100 cuts the object 900 to be cut.

[0020] The cutting determination unit 420 determines whether or not cutting of the cutting object 900 is complete, based on a change in the cutting sound collected by the sound collector 300.

[0021] Next, a specific configuration example of the cutting device 1000 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. In this embodiment, a coordinate system is used in which a plane parallel to the receiving surface 201 of the receiving table 200 is defined as the XY plane, and a direction perpendicular to the receiving surface 201 is defined as the Z direction.

[0022] The cutting blade 100 is attached to a Z-position control mechanism 411. The Z-position control mechanism 411 is controlled by the cutting control unit 410 and controls the relative position of the cutting blade 100 in the Z direction with respect to the receiving base 200. The cutting blade 100 moves toward the receiving base 200 and performs cutting under the position control of the Z-position control mechanism 411. The Z-position control mechanism 411 can be configured by, for example, a single-axis robot.

[0023] The receiving table 200 is attached to an XY position control mechanism 412. The XY position control mechanism 412 is controlled by the cutting control unit 410 and controls the relative position of the cutting blade 100 in the XY plane with respect to the receiving table 200. By controlling the position of the XY position control mechanism 412, the cutting blade 100 can be aligned with a desired position on the workpiece 900 placed on the receiving table 200. The XY position control mechanism 412 can be configured, for example, by an orthogonal two-axis robot.

[0024] The sound collector 300 collects cutting sounds produced when the cutting blade 100 cuts the object 900. Specifically, the sound collector 300 collects cutting sounds produced when the cutting blade 100 cuts the object 900, converts the sounds into electrical signals, and outputs the collected sound signals. In the example of FIG. 2, the sound collector 300 is attached to the Z-position control mechanism 411 to position the sound collector 300 near the cutting blade 100. However, this positioning is not limited to this. For example, the sound collector 300 may be positioned near the object 900 on a support fixed to the base of the XY-position control mechanism 412. For example, an electrostatic microphone with flat frequency characteristics over a wide frequency band can be used as the sound collector 300. However, other types of microphones, such as piezoelectric or electrodynamic microphones, may also be used as long as they can detect sounds in the desired frequency band.

[0025] Here, the desired frequency band is the sound generated when the cutting blade 100 penetrates the object 900 and collides with the receiving base 200. If the cutting blade 100 is made of a metal material and the receiving base 200 is made of a metal material that is less hard than the cutting blade 100, when the two collide, the sound pressure in at least a part of the band from 1 kHz to 10 kHz, for example, often changes into a pulse shape.

[0026] The cut determination unit 420 determines whether or not cutting of the object to be cut is complete based on changes in the cutting sound. That is, it determines whether or not cutting is complete based on changes in the sound (cutting sound) collected by the sound collector 300. The change in the cutting sound can be detected as a change in sound pressure at a predetermined frequency, for example, by performing a Fourier transform or a fast Fourier transform on the collected sound signal to convert it into a sound pressure distribution for each frequency (sound pressure spectrum). FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the cut determination unit 420 that performs a fast Fourier transform on the collected sound signal to detect changes in the cutting sound. The cut determination unit 420 has a collected sound signal receiving unit 421, an FFT processing unit 422, a threshold storage unit 423, and a completion determination unit 424. Here, FFT is an abbreviation for Fast Fourier Transform.

[0027] The sound collection signal receiving unit 421 receives the sound collection signal output from the sound collector 300. The FFT processing unit 422 performs FFT processing on the sound collection signal to calculate the sound pressure distribution (frequency spectrum) for each frequency. The threshold storage unit 423 stores a threshold value related to the frequency and sound pressure change of the cutting sound corresponding to the collision between the cutting blade 100 and the receiving base 200. This threshold value differs depending on the combination of the material of the cutting blade 100 and the material of the receiving base 200, but is determined in advance according to the combination of both. This threshold value can be determined, for example, by conducting an experiment.

[0028] The FFT processing unit 422 calculates the sound pressure spectrum at a predetermined cycle, and the completion determination unit 424 monitors changes in the sound pressure spectrum within a predetermined frequency range. The completion determination unit 424 then compares the amount of change in sound pressure within the predetermined frequency range with a threshold. If the amount of change in sound pressure is equal to or greater than the threshold, the completion determination unit 424 determines that the disconnection is complete, and if it is less than the threshold, the completion determination unit 424 determines that the disconnection is not complete. (Example 1) Next, a specific example of the operation of the cutting device 1000 to cut the workpiece 900 will be described. Figures 4 to 7 are schematic side views showing first to fourth states of an example of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. Note that here, the receiving base 200 has a suction port 202 and can suction the workpiece 900 by pressure reduction means (not shown). As a result, the workpiece 900 is fixed to the receiving surface 201 of the receiving base 200.

[0029] 4 is a schematic side view showing a first state of specific example 1 of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. This is a standby state, in which the cutting blade 100 is positioned away from the workpiece 900 in both the XY and Z directions.

[0030] 5 is a schematic side view showing a second state of an example of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. Under the control of the XY position control mechanism 412, the cutting blade 100 is moved to a target cutting position on the object 900 in the XY coordinate system.

[0031] 6 is a schematic side view showing a third state of an example of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. The cutting blade 100 is moved toward the receiving table 200 (lowered in FIG. 6) under the control of the Z-position control mechanism 411. The cutting edge of the cutting blade 100 then penetrates the workpiece 900 and abuts against the receiving surface 201 of the receiving table 200. Note that, in order for the cutting edge of the cutting blade 100 to penetrate the workpiece 900, the Z-position control mechanism 411 may control the cutting edge to be lowered by a driving force, or may allow the cutting edge to fall by gravity. Alternatively, both may be used in combination. This control can be selected appropriately depending on the workpiece 900.

[0032] When the cutting edge of the cutting blade 100 penetrates the object 900 to be cut, the cutting edge of the cutting blade 100 collides with the receiving surface 201, generating a collision sound 310. In the control unit 400, the sound collection signal receiving unit 421 receives the sound collection signal, and the FFT processing unit 422 converts it into a frequency spectrum, and the completion determination unit 424 compares the amount of change in sound pressure with the threshold value stored in the threshold value storage unit 423. If the amount of change in sound pressure within a predetermined range is equal to or greater than the threshold value, it is determined that cutting is complete, and if the amount of change in sound pressure within the predetermined range is less than the threshold value, it is determined that cutting is not complete.

[0033] 7 is a schematic side view showing a fourth state of an example of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. The cutting blade 100 is retracted to a position away from the object 900 under the control of the Z-position control mechanism 411. Meanwhile, the object 900 has been cut and separated into two parts.

[0034] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment described above. First, the XY coordinates of the cutting blade 100 are aligned with the target position under the control of the XY position control mechanism 412 (S1). Next, the cutting blade 100 is lowered to perform cutting, and the cutting sound during cutting is collected (S2). Then, it is determined whether the amount of change in the cutting sound is equal to or greater than a threshold (S3). If the amount of change in the cutting sound is equal to or greater than the threshold (S3_Yes), a notification that cutting is complete is issued (S4). On the other hand, if the amount of change in the cutting sound is less than the threshold (S3_No), an alarm indicating incomplete cutting is issued (S5). Based on this notification, the operator can determine whether cutting is complete or whether re-cutting is necessary.

[0035] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a modified example of the cutting operation of the cutting device 1000 of the first embodiment. In the operation of FIG. 8, the cutting device 1000 only issues an alarm if the cutting is not completed. However, in this modified example, the cutting device 1000 retries the cutting if the cutting is not completed. That is, the cutting device 1000 repeats the cutting operation until the cutting is completed. First, the XY coordinates of the cutting blade 100 are aligned with the target position under the control of the XY position control mechanism 412 (S11). Next, the cutting blade 100 is lowered to perform cutting and collect cutting sounds (S12). Then, it is determined whether the change in the cutting sound is equal to or greater than a threshold (S13). If the change in the cutting sound is equal to or greater than the threshold (S13_Yes), a notification of cutting completion is issued (S14). On the other hand, if the change in the cutting sound is less than the threshold (S3_No), an alarm indicating incomplete cutting is issued (S15). Then, the process returns to S12 and the cutting is retried. In the above operation, disconnection can be automatically retried until the disconnection is completed.

[0036] In the cutting device 1000 described above, the cutting blade 100 can be made of a metal material, and the cradle 200 can be made of a metal material with a lower hardness than the cutting blade 100. In other words, the cradle 200 is made of a metal material with a higher hardness than the resin, rather than a soft material like the resin described in Patent Document 2. When the workpiece 900 is made of a hard and viscous metal, the resin cradle 200 tends to dig into the cutting surface of the material below the cutting edge, dispersing the pressure applied by the cutting blade to the workpiece, increasing the probability of cutting failure. In contrast, a cradle 200 made of a metal material with a higher hardness than the resin prevents the material below the cutting edge from digging into the cutting surface, thereby preventing the pressure applied by the cutting blade to the workpiece from dispersing, thereby reducing the probability of cutting failure. Therefore, when a cradle 200 made of a metal material with a higher hardness than the resin is used, even a hard and viscous workpiece 900 can be efficiently cut. Examples of such materials include Kovar. Kovar is an alloy mainly composed of iron and containing nickel, cobalt, silicon, and manganese, and has a thermal expansion coefficient close to that of glass. For this reason, Kovar is suitable for electrodes that involve sealing or contacting with hard glass, for example. On the other hand, Kovar is hard and sticky, and is known as a difficult-to-cut material. The cutting device 1000 can be suitably used to cut such materials. In this case, tungsten carbide is used as the material for the cutting blade. DoAn alloy containing WC (chemical formula: WC) can be used. High-hardness steels, such as steel with added chromium, tungsten, molybdenum, or vanadium, can also be used. A Vickers hardness of 500 or higher is desirable. Stainless steels, such as SUS304 and SUS430, can be used as the material for the cradle 200. High-hardness nickel alloys and aluminum alloys can also be used as the material for the cradle 200. A Vickers hardness of approximately 150 to 200 is preferable. On the other hand, materials such as pure iron and pure aluminum have low hardness and are subject to significant wear and deformation during cutting. While these materials are usable, they are not recommended. In any case, a metal with a lower hardness than the cutting blade 100 is selected as the metal material for the cradle 200. This is to reduce wear on the cutting blade 100 during repeated cutting.

[0037] For comparison, the technology of Patent Document 2 will be described. Patent Document 2 discloses a cutting device technology using a receiving base made of a soft resin material and a position detection means for detecting the position of the cutting blade in the cutting direction (Z direction). With this configuration, when cutting is performed, the cutting edge of the metal cutting blade slightly digs into the receiving base. As a result, as the number of cuts increases, the receiving base wears and the position where the cutting blade abuts on the receiving base moves downward (Z direction). As a result, cutting defects are more likely to occur. Therefore, if the detected Z-direction position where the cutting edge abuts on the receiving base deviates from a predetermined range, the horizontal position of the receiving base (X direction) is moved. This operation allows the receiving base to receive the cutting blade in a different, less worn area. As a result, the Z-direction position where the cutting edge abuts on the receiving base can be maintained within a range where good cutting is possible.

[0038] The technology of Patent Document 2 uses a soft resin for the cutting surface. This has the problem that it is not suitable for cutting, for example, metal, which is a type of difficult-to-cut material that is hard and sticky. When cutting such materials with the cutting device of Patent Document 2, the material below the cutting edge bites into the cutting surface, dispersing the pressure applied by the cutting blade to the object to be cut, increasing the probability of cutting failure.

[0039] On the other hand, according to the cutting device 1000 of this embodiment, as explained in the first specific example, it is possible to easily cut hard and tough metals. (Example 2) Next, cutting of another workpiece 900 will be described. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a first state of specific example 2 of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. In specific example 2, the workpiece 900 is an electronic module having terminals 920 connected to an electronic circuit 910, and the cutting blade 100 cuts the terminals 920. A receiving base 200 has a recess 203 for positioning the electronic circuit 910 and for allowing the terminals 920 to be in close contact with a receiving surface 201. An example of such an workpiece 900 is a solar cell module. Since solar cells contain glass as a component, the terminals 920 are made of, for example, the above-mentioned difficult-to-cut material Kovar. In specific example 2, this terminal 920 is cut.

[0040] 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a second state of specific example 2 of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. The electronic circuit 910 is fitted into the recess 203, and the terminal 920 is brought into close contact with the receiving surface 201. These are then sucked and fixed by suction from the suction port 202. This is a standby state, and the cutting blade 100 is located away from the target cutting position of the terminal 920 in both the X, Y, and Z directions.

[0041] 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a third state of the specific example 2 of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. Under the control of the XY position control mechanism 412, the cutting blade 100 moves to the target cutting position of the terminal 920 in terms of the XY coordinates.

[0042] 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a third state of specific example 2 of the cutting operation of the cutting device of the first embodiment. Under the control of the Z-position control mechanism 411, the cutting blade 100 is moved toward the receiving base 200. The cutting edge of the cutting blade 100 then penetrates the terminal 920 and abuts against the receiving surface 201 of the receiving base 200. As in specific example 1, in order for the cutting edge of the cutting blade 100 to penetrate the workpiece 900, the Z-position control mechanism 411 may control the cutting edge to be processed by a driving force, or may allow the cutting edge to fall by gravity. Alternatively, both may be used in combination.

[0043] When the cutting edge of the cutting blade 100 penetrates the terminal 920, the cutting edge of the cutting blade 100 collides with the receiving surface 201, generating a collision sound 310. In the control unit 400, the sound signal receiving unit 421 receives the collected sound signal, which is converted into a frequency spectrum by the FFT processing unit 422, and the completion determination unit 424 compares it with the threshold value stored in the threshold memory unit 423. If the amount of change in sound pressure within a predetermined range is equal to or greater than the threshold value, it is determined that cutting is complete, and if the amount of change in sound pressure within the predetermined range is less than the threshold value, it is determined that cutting is not complete. The determination operation is the same as in Example 1. Also, the operations of cutting and cutting completion determination can similarly be represented by the flowcharts in Figures 8 and 9.

[0044] In the cutting device described in Patent Document 1, the cutting blade and the receiving base are electrically connected to detect the completion of cutting. Therefore, if the cutting device of Patent Document 1 is applied to the cutting of the above-mentioned specific example 2, current may flow through the electronic circuit 910 during cutting, which may damage the electronic circuit 910. In contrast, with the cutting device 1000 of this embodiment, as described in the above-mentioned specific example 2, the completion of cutting is detected based on changes in the cutting sound, and no current flows between the cutting blade 100 or the receiving base 200 and the object 900. Therefore, with the cutting device 1000 of this embodiment, it is possible to cut the object 900, which is affected by current, without damaging it, and to detect the completion of cutting. (Variation) FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing a modification of the receiving table of the cutting device of the first embodiment. When the location where the workpiece 900 is placed on the receiving table 200 is predetermined, as in the above-described specific example 2, the range of the target cutting position is limited. Therefore, as long as only the area where the cutting edge of the cutting blade 100 may come into contact is made of a metal material with a lower hardness than the cutting blade 100, the entire receiving surface 201 does not need to be made of the same material. In this configuration, it is sufficient to arrange the receiving member 201a made of a metal material with a lower hardness than the cutting blade 100 in the area where the cutting edge of the cutting blade 100 may come into contact, and other areas may be made of a different material. Therefore, the device can be made lighter by using cheaper materials in other areas or lighter materials.

[0045] The cutting device of the first embodiment has been described above.

[0046] The cutting device 1000 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a cutting blade 100, a receiving base 200, a sound collector 300, a cutting control unit 410, and a cutting determination unit 420. The cutting blade 100 is used to cut an object 900. The receiving base 200 receives the cutting blade 100 when cutting the object 900. The cutting control unit 410 controls the cutting device 1000 to move the cutting edge of the cutting blade 100 toward the receiving base 200 in order to cut the object 900 placed on the base of the receiving base 200. The sound collector 300 collects cutting sound, which is sound generated when the cutting blade 100 cuts the object 900. The cutting determination unit 420 determines whether cutting of the object has been completed based on a change in the cutting sound. In this configuration, the sound collector 300 collects the cutting sound that is generated when the cutting blade 100 cuts the object 900, and the cut determination unit 420 determines whether the cutting is complete based on changes in the cutting sound. Therefore, unlike the cutting device described in Patent Document 1, a mechanism for electrically connecting the cutting blade and the receiving base is not required. Therefore, the cutting device 1000 in the first embodiment of the present invention can detect the completion of cutting of the object with a simpler configuration than the cutting device described in Patent Document 1.

[0047] In one embodiment, the cradle 200 may be made of a material that is less hard than the cutting blade 100. In this embodiment, wear on the cutting blade 100 can be reduced when cutting is repeatedly performed.

[0048] In one embodiment, the cutting blade 100 may be configured to be made of a metal material. This configuration allows cutting of a wide range of hardness of the object 900, from relatively soft materials such as paper and resin to relatively hard materials such as metals and hard resins that are softer than the cutting blade 100.

[0049] In one embodiment, the metal material forming the cutting blade 100 is tungsten carbide. Do In this configuration, it is possible to cut metals that are relatively hard or that are tough and difficult to cut.

[0050] In one embodiment, the cradle 200 can be made of stainless steel. In this configuration, when cutting is completed, the cutting blade 100, which has high hardness, collides with the stainless steel cradle 200, making it possible to clearly detect a change in the cutting sound.

[0051] In one embodiment, when the receiving surface of the receiving table 200 of the cutting device 1000 is defined as an XY plane and the direction perpendicular to the receiving surface is defined as the Z direction, the cutting control unit 410 can be configured to include an XY position control mechanism 412 and a Z position control mechanism 411. The XY position control mechanism 412 controls the relative position of the cutting blade 100 with respect to the receiving table 200 in the XY plane, and the Z position control mechanism 411 controls the relative position of the cutting blade with respect to the receiving table 200 in the Z direction. With this configuration, the XY position control mechanism 412 can freely control the cutting position of the object 900, and the Z position control mechanism 411 can perform the cutting.

[0052] In one embodiment, the cutting determination unit 420 of the cutting device 1000 can be configured to include an FFT processing unit 422 and a completion determination unit 424. The FFT processing unit 422 performs a fast Fourier transform on the cutting sound to calculate the frequency distribution of sound pressure. The completion determination unit 424 determines that cutting of the object 900 is complete when the amount of change in sound pressure within a predetermined frequency range of the frequency distribution of sound pressure reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold. With this configuration, the amount of change in sound can be quantified and compared with a threshold, thereby accurately determining whether cutting is complete.

[0053] In one embodiment, the predetermined frequency range of the sound pressure may include at least a portion of the band from 1 kHz to 10 kHz. For example, if the receiving base 200 of the cutting device 1000 is made of a metal such as stainless steel and the cutting blade 100 is made of a harder material such as cemented carbide or ceramic, a collision between the two often results in a significant change in sound pressure within this frequency range. This improves the accuracy of the cut determination unit 420 in determining whether cutting is complete.

[0054] The method for controlling a cutting device of this embodiment controls a cutting device having a cutting blade 100, a receiving base 200, and a cutting control unit 410. Here, the cutting blade 100 is used to cut the object 900, and the receiving base 200 receives the cutting blade 100 when the object 900 is cut. The cutting control unit 410 controls the movement of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 100 toward the receiving base 200 to cut the object 900 placed on the receiving base 200. The method for controlling a cutting device of this embodiment collects cutting sounds generated when the cutting blade 100 cuts the object 900, and determines whether cutting of the object 900 is complete based on changes in the cutting sounds. This configuration allows the completion of cutting of the object to be detected with a simpler device configuration than the method of Patent Document 1, which detects completion of cutting by electrically connecting the cutting blade and the receiving base.

[0055] The control program for the cutting device of this embodiment is a control program for a cutting device having a cutting blade 100, a receiving base 200, and a cutting control unit 410. Here, the cutting blade 100 is for cutting the object 900, and the receiving base 200 is for receiving the cutting blade 100 when cutting the object 900. The cutting control unit 410 controls the movement of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 100 toward the receiving base 200 in order to cut the object 900 placed on the base of the receiving base 200. The control program causes a computer to execute a process for controlling the collection of cutting sound, which is sound generated when the cutting blade 100 cuts the object 900, and a process for determining whether cutting of the object 900 has been completed based on a change in the cutting sound.

[0056] By adopting such a configuration, the cutting device can be controlled to detect the completion of cutting of the object to be cut with a simpler device configuration than the method of detecting the completion of cutting by electrically connecting the cutting blade and the receiving base, as in Patent Document 1.

[0057] As described above, the cut determination unit 420 determines whether cutting is complete based on a change in the volume of the cutting sound (sound pressure within a predetermined range). However, the cut determination unit 420 can also determine whether cutting is complete based on a change in the frequency of the cutting sound. For example, the frequency distribution of the cutting sound while the cutting blade 100 is cutting the object 900 is different from the frequency distribution of the cutting sound when the cutting blade 100 contacts the receiving base 200. For this reason, the cut determination unit 420 can monitor the frequency distribution of the cutting sound from the start of cutting the object 900, and determine whether cutting is complete when a change is detected in the frequency distribution.

[0058] (Second embodiment) The configuration of the cutting device 10 of the second embodiment will be described. Fig. 15 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the cutting device 10 of the second embodiment. Fig. 16 is a flowchart showing the operation of the cutting device of the second embodiment. The cutting device 10 has a cutting blade 1, a receiving base 2, a cutting control unit 3, a sound collector 4, and a cut determination unit 5. The cutting device 1000 of the first embodiment is a specific example of the cutting device 10 of this embodiment. The cutting blade 100, receiving base 200, sound collector 300, cutting control unit 410, and cut determination unit 420 of the first embodiment are each a specific example of the receiving base 2, sound collector 4, cutting control unit 3, and cut determination unit 5 of this embodiment.

[0059] The cutting blade 1 is used to cut the object 900. The receiving stand 2 is used to receive the cutting blade 1 when cutting the object 900. The cutting control unit 3 controls the movement of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 1 toward the receiving stand 2 to cut the object 900 placed on the receiving stand 2. The sound collector 4 collects cutting sounds that are generated when the cutting blade 1 cuts the object 900. The cutting determination unit 5 determines whether or not cutting of the object 900 has been completed based on changes in the cutting sounds.

[0060] The operation of the cutting device 10 of the second embodiment will be described. Figure 16 is a flowchart showing the operation of the cutting device 10. First, the cutting control unit 3 controls the relative position of the cutting blade 1 and the receiving stand 2. Then, the cutting blade 1 is caused to penetrate the object 900, thereby cutting the object 900 (S21). Next, the sound collector 4 collects cutting sounds generated during cutting (S22). Next, the cutting determination unit 5 determines whether or not cutting is complete based on changes in the cutting sounds (S23).

[0061] As described above, in the cutting device of this embodiment, cutting sounds are collected by the sound collector 4 and the completion of cutting is detected based on the cutting sounds. Therefore, a mechanism for detecting electrical continuity between the cutting blade and the receiving base, as in Patent Document 1, is not required, and a cutting device or the like that can detect the completion of cutting of the object to be cut with a simpler configuration can be provided.

[0062] As described above, according to the cutting device 10 of this embodiment, it is possible to provide a cutting device or the like that can detect the completion of cutting of an object with a simpler configuration.

[0063] The scope of the present invention also includes a program for causing a computer to execute the processes of the first and second embodiments described above, and a recording medium storing the program. Examples of recording media that can be used include a magnetic disk, a magnetic tape, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, and a semiconductor memory.

[0064] The present invention has been described above using the above-described embodiment as an exemplary example. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. In other words, the present invention can be applied in various aspects that can be understood by a person skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention.

[0065] A part or all of the above-described embodiments can be described as, but not limited to, the following supplementary notes. (Appendix 1) a cutting blade for cutting the object to be cut; a receiving base that receives the cutting blade when cutting the object to be cut; a cutting control unit that controls the movement of the cutting edge of the cutting blade toward the receiving table in order to cut the object placed on the receiving table; a sound collector that collects cutting sounds that are generated when the cutting blade cuts the object to be cut; a cut determination unit that determines whether cutting of the object has been completed based on a change in the cutting sound; A cutting device comprising: (Appendix 2) The receiving base is made of a material that is less hard than the cutting blade. 2. The cutting device according to claim 1, (Appendix 3) The cutting blade is made of a metal material. 3. The cutting device according to claim 2, (Appendix 4) The metal material is tungsten carbide Do It is an alloy containing 4. The cutting device according to claim 3, (Appendix 5) The receiving base is made of stainless steel 5. The cutting device according to claim 2, wherein the cutting device is a cutting device for cutting a plurality of pieces of material. (Appendix 6) When the receiving surface of the receiving table is the XY plane and the direction perpendicular to the receiving surface is the Z direction, The cutting control unit an XY position control mechanism for controlling a relative position of the cutting blade with respect to the receiving base in an XY plane; a Z-position control mechanism for controlling a relative position of the cutting blade with respect to the receiving base in the Z direction; 6. The cutting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising: (Appendix 7) The disconnection determination unit an FFT processing unit that performs a fast Fourier transform on the cutting sound to calculate a frequency distribution of sound pressure; a completion determination unit that determines that cutting of the object to be cut is completed when a change in the sound pressure in a predetermined frequency range of the frequency distribution of the sound pressure becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold; 7. The cutting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising: (Appendix 8) The predetermined frequency range includes at least a portion of a band from 1 kHz to 10 kHz. 8. The cutting device according to claim 7, (Appendix 9) A method for controlling a cutting device having a cutting blade for cutting an object to be cut, a receiving stand that receives the cutting blade when cutting the object to be cut, and a cutting control unit that controls movement of a cutting edge of the cutting blade toward the receiving stand in order to cut the object to be cut placed on the receiving stand, When the cutting blade is cutting the object to be cut Nisei The cutting sound is collected, determining whether cutting of the object has been completed based on the change in the cutting sound; thing A method for controlling a cutting device, comprising: (Appendix 10) When the receiving surface of the receiving table is the XY plane and the direction perpendicular to the receiving surface is the Z direction, Controlling the relative position of the cutting blade with respect to the receiving base in the XY plane; Controlling the relative position of the cutting blade with respect to the receiving base in the Z direction. 10. A method for controlling a cutting device according to claim 9. (Appendix 11) A control program for a cutting device having a cutting blade for cutting an object to be cut, a receiving stand that receives the cutting blade when cutting the object to be cut, and a cutting control unit that controls movement of a cutting edge of the cutting blade toward the receiving stand in order to cut the object to be cut placed on the receiving stand, a process of controlling collection of cutting sounds that are generated when the cutting blade cuts the object to be cut; and determining whether or not cutting of the object has been completed based on the change in the cutting sound. A control program for a cutting device, characterized by being executed by a computer. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1, 100 cutting blade 2,200 cradles 3, 410 Cutting control section 4,300 sound collector 5, 420 Cutting judgment section 10, 1000 cutting equipment 201 Receiving surface 202 suction port 203 Recess 900 Cutting object 910 Electronic circuit 920 terminal

Claims

1. a cutting blade for cutting the object to be cut; a receiving base that receives the cutting blade when cutting the object to be cut; a cutting control unit that controls the movement of the cutting edge of the cutting blade toward the receiving table in order to cut the object placed on the receiving table; a sound collector that collects cutting sounds that are generated when the cutting blade cuts the object to be cut; a cut determination unit that determines whether cutting of the object has been completed based on a change in the cutting sound; and The disconnection determination unit an FFT processing unit that performs a fast Fourier transform on the cutting sound to calculate a frequency distribution of sound pressure; a completion determination unit that determines that cutting of the object is completed when a change in the sound pressure in a predetermined frequency range of the frequency distribution of the sound pressure becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold; A cutting device comprising:

2. The receiving base is made of a material that is less hard than the cutting blade.

2. The cutting device according to claim 1.

3. 3. The cutting device according to claim 2, wherein the cutting blade is made of a metal material.

4. The metal material is an alloy containing tungsten carbide.

4. The cutting device according to claim 3.

5. The receiving base is made of stainless steel 5. A cutting device according to claim 2, wherein the cutting device is a cutting device for cutting a material.

6. When the receiving surface of the receiving table is defined as an XY plane and the direction perpendicular to the receiving surface is defined as a Z direction, The cutting control unit an XY position control mechanism for controlling a relative position of the cutting blade with respect to the receiving base in an XY plane; a Z-position control mechanism for controlling a relative position of the cutting blade with respect to the receiving base in the Z direction; 6. The cutting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

7. The predetermined frequency range includes at least a portion of a band from 1 kHz to 10 kHz.

7. A cutting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A method for controlling a cutting device having a cutting blade for cutting an object to be cut, a receiving stand that receives the cutting blade when cutting the object to be cut, and a cutting control unit that controls movement of a cutting edge of the cutting blade toward the receiving stand in order to cut the object to be cut placed on the receiving stand, A cutting sound generated when the cutting blade cuts the object to be cut is collected, The cutting sound is subjected to a fast Fourier transform to calculate a frequency distribution of sound pressure; determining that cutting of the object is completed when a change in the sound pressure in a predetermined frequency range of the frequency distribution of the sound pressure becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value; A method for controlling a cutting device.

9. A control program for a cutting device having a cutting blade for cutting an object to be cut, a receiving stand that receives the cutting blade when cutting the object to be cut, and a cutting control unit that controls movement of a cutting edge of the cutting blade toward the receiving stand in order to cut the object to be cut placed on the receiving stand, a process of controlling collection of cutting sounds that are generated when the cutting blade cuts the object to be cut; A process of calculating a frequency distribution of sound pressure by performing a fast Fourier transform on the cutting sound; a process of determining that cutting of the object to be cut is completed when a change in the sound pressure in a predetermined frequency range of the frequency distribution of the sound pressure becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value; A control program for a cutting device, characterized by being executed by a computer.

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