Molds, processing methods, and laser composite processing machines

Abstract

To provide a metal mold, a processing method and a laser composite processing machine that allow maintenance man-hours of the metal mold to be reduced, and that further allow circular chamfering to be properly performed.SOLUTION: In a metal mold (an upper die 51A, a lower die 51B), a workpiece W is inserted, before forming a circular prepared hole S for tap processing in the tabular workpiece W by using laser processing, whereby a chamfer is formed at an edge part E of a portion to become a prepared hole S. The metal mold comprises a blade tip 52A, 52B having an inclined surface 53A, 53B inclining inward in a radial direction, to form a chamfer, with respect to at least a part of the edge part E.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a mold, a processing method, and a laser hybrid processing machine.

Background Art

[0002] It is known to form a pilot hole for tapping in a plate-shaped workpiece by laser processing and perform tapping on this pilot hole with a tapping tool. At this time, in order to remove burrs and the like generated by laser processing, chamfering is performed on the edge of the pilot hole with a chamfering mold before tapping.

[0003] Also, it has been proposed to perform chamfering on the cutting part in advance before cutting the workpiece into a desired shape by laser processing (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] When a pilot hole is formed by laser processing and chamfering is performed with a mold after tapping on the pilot hole, dross, oxide films, etc. may peel off from the workpiece and adhere to the chamfering mold. Therefore, there is a problem that the mold needs to be cleaned frequently, increasing the maintenance man-hours. Also, in Patent Document 1, only chamfering is performed on the non-circular cutting part prior to laser processing, and no consideration is given to performing other processes such as tapping on the cutting part after laser processing. Therefore, when tapping is performed after forming a pilot hole by laser processing, appropriate circular chamfering prior to laser processing is required.

[0006] A mold according to an aspect of the present invention is a mold that forms a chamfer on the edge of the portion to be formed of a circular pilot hole for tapping by laser processing, by clamping the workpiece before the pilot hole is formed in the plate-shaped workpiece, and comprises a cutting edge having an inclined surface that is inclined radially inward for forming the chamfer on at least a part of the edge. The cutting edge is flat from the inside of the inclined surface toward the radially inward direction, and further comprises a ring-shaped flat portion on the inside of the inclined surface. . [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A mold according to an aspect of the present invention is a mold that forms a chamfer on the edge of the portion that will become the pilot hole by clamping a workpiece before a circular pilot hole for tapping is formed in the plate-shaped workpiece by laser processing, and is equipped with a cutting edge having an inclined surface that is inclined radially inward for forming a chamfer on at least a part of the edge.

[0008] A processing method according to an aspect of the present invention is a method for forming a circular pilot hole for tapping in a plate-shaped workpiece, comprising: forming a chamfer on at least a part of the edge of the portion that will become the pilot hole by clamping the workpiece with a die equipped with a cutting edge having an inclined surface that slopes radially inward before the pilot hole is formed; and forming the pilot hole by cutting the inside of the chamfer with a laser after the chamfer has been formed.

[0009] A laser composite processing machine according to an aspect of the present invention is a laser composite processing machine comprising a forming processing unit for forming a plate-shaped workpiece and a laser processing unit for laser processing the workpiece, wherein the forming processing unit comprises a mold as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, and the forming processing unit forms a chamfer on at least a part of the edge of a portion that will become a circular pilot hole for tapping in the workpiece, and then the laser processing unit forms a pilot hole inside the chamfer in the workpiece. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the mold and processing method described above, by performing chamfering on the edges of the portion that will become the pilot hole before forming the pilot hole by laser processing, dross and oxide films peeled off from the workpiece do not adhere to the mold used for chamfering, thereby reducing the maintenance man-hours required for the mold. Furthermore, even when tapping is performed after forming the pilot hole by laser processing, appropriate chamfering can be achieved.

[0011] Furthermore, in the mold according to the above embodiment, the cutting edge may be provided to protrude in a ring shape so as to form a chamfer around the entire circumference of the edge. According to this embodiment, a chamfer can be formed around the entire circumference of the edge in a single press using the mold, and the chamfer can be efficiently formed before the formation of a pilot hole by laser processing. Furthermore, in the mold according to the above embodiment, the cutting edge may be provided to protrude so as to form a chamfer on a part of the edge. According to this embodiment, the pressure applied to the workpiece in a single press can be reduced.

[0012] Furthermore, in the mold according to the above embodiment, the cutting edge is flat from the inside of the inclined surface toward the radially inward direction, and may further include a ring-shaped flat portion on the inside of the inclined surface. According to this embodiment, a flat portion is provided on the workpiece that continues from the inclined surface, so that a pilot hole can be formed by laser processing this flat portion, and laser processing can be performed while maintaining a stable and constant distance between the laser head and the workpiece. As a result, the accuracy of laser processing to form the pilot hole can be improved. Furthermore, in the mold according to the above embodiment, a circular recess may further be provided on the inside of the flat portion. According to this embodiment, since the workpiece is not processed inside the flat portion during pressing, the area of ​​the workpiece processed by the mold can be reduced, and the force applied to the mold during pressing can be reduced.

[0013] Furthermore, in the processing method according to the above embodiment, a die is used to form a chamfer on a part of the edge, and after forming a chamfer on a part of the edge with the die, the die is rotated or another die is used to form a chamfer on the part of the edge that has not been chamfered. According to this embodiment, chamfering can be performed around the entire circumference of the edge of the pilot hole while reducing the pressure applied to the workpiece during pressing.

[0014] Furthermore, according to the laser composite processing machine described above, after chamfering a desired location on the workpiece using the forming processing unit, a pilot hole is formed inside the chamfer using the laser processing unit, and then tapping is performed using the forming processing unit, thereby enabling efficient chamfering, pilot hole formation, and tapping of desired locations on the workpiece. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of a laser composite processing machine according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of a mold according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing method according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the upper die aligned in a laser composite processing machine. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the lower die in a laser composite processing machine after it has been aligned. [Figure 6] This diagram shows the process of pressing a workpiece between the upper and lower dies of the molding section. [Figure 7] This diagram shows a magnified view of the process of pressing a workpiece between the upper and lower dies. [Figure 8] This diagram shows the shape of the chamfer formed on the workpiece by the mold. [Figure 9] This diagram shows the laser processing being performed by the laser processing unit of a laser composite processing machine. [Figure 10] This diagram shows the pilot hole formed by the laser processing unit. [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing the state of tapping in the forming process section. [Figure 12] It is a diagram showing a tapped hole formed by tapping. [Figure 13] It is a diagram showing another example of the mold according to this embodiment. [Figure 14] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG. 13. [Figure 15] It is a flowchart explaining another example of the processing method according to this embodiment. [Figure 16] An example of chamfering the workpiece using the mold shown in FIG. 13 is shown. (A) is a diagram of chamfering a part of the edge, and (B) is a diagram of chamfering the entire circumference of the edge.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Also, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solution means of the invention. In the drawings, the same or similar parts may be denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations may be omitted. In addition, the shape and size of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clearer explanation, and thus may be different in shape and dimensions from the actual product. In FIG. 1, the directions in the figure may be described using the XYZ coordinate system. In the XYZ coordinate system, a plane parallel to the horizontal plane is defined as the XY plane. One direction in this XY plane is denoted as the X direction, and the direction orthogonal to the X direction is denoted as the Y direction. Also, the direction perpendicular to the XY plane is denoted as the Z direction. Each of the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction is explained such that the direction pointed by the arrow in the figure is the + direction, and the direction opposite to the direction pointed by the arrow is the - direction.

[0017] Figure 1 shows an example of an external perspective view of the laser composite processing machine 1. The laser composite processing machine 1 is capable of forming a pilot hole for tapping in a plate-shaped workpiece W by laser processing, and then performing tapping on that pilot hole. Tapping is a process that forms a screw groove in the pilot hole. As shown in Figure 1, the laser composite processing machine 1 comprises a laser processing unit 10, a transport device 20, a forming processing unit 30, and a control unit 40. The control unit 40 controls the operation of the laser processing unit 10, the transport device 20, and the forming processing unit 30.

[0018] The laser processing unit 10 performs laser processing on the workpiece W in the laser processing area R1. The laser processing unit 10 comprises a frame 11A, a frame 11B, a frame 11C, a table 12, a laser head 13, and a head drive unit 14. The laser processing area R1 is the area enclosed by frame 11A and frame 11B. Frames 11A and 11B are plate-shaped main frames that stand upright in the Z direction and extend in the X direction. Frames 11A and 11B are connected to each other by frame 11C and support the head drive unit 14. Frame 11C is located below the laser processing area R1 and supports the table 12. Frame 11A has an opening (not shown) through which the workpiece W, which is transported by the transport device 20, can pass.

[0019] Table 12 supports the workpiece W in the laser processing area R1. Table 12 comprises a rectangular base plate 12A and a plurality of support plates 12B. The plurality of support plates 12B are arranged in the X direction in an upright position on the upper surface of the base plate 12A. A plurality of protrusions 12C are formed on the upper ends of the support plates 12B. Table 12 supports the lower surface of the workpiece W with the upper ends of the protrusions 12C. The protrusions 12C are, for example, sawtooth-shaped and are formed to be at the same height as the base plate 12A.

[0020] The laser head 13 performs laser processing by irradiating the workpiece W on the table 12 with laser light L (see Figure 9) according to the control of the control unit 40. For example, the laser head 13 performs drilling by irradiating the workpiece W on the table 12 with laser light L along the contour of a pilot hole, which will be described later. The laser head 13 is provided on the head drive unit 14 and is movable in the X, Y, and Z directions by the head drive unit 14. The head drive unit 14 includes a gantry 14A, a slider 14B, and a lifting / lowering unit 14C. The gantry 14A is provided on the upper part of the frame 11A and frame 11B along the Y direction. The head drive unit 14 includes a drive mechanism such as a ball screw mechanism that moves the gantry 14A in the X direction. The gantry 14A is movable in the X direction by this drive mechanism. A guide 14AG that guides the slider 14B is provided on the upper surface of the gantry 14A along the Y direction.

[0021] Slider 14B is provided on the -X side surface of the gantry 14A. The head drive unit 14 includes a drive mechanism such as a ball screw mechanism for moving slider 14B in the Y direction. Slider 14B is movable in the Y direction by this drive mechanism. A guide 14BG for guiding the lifting unit 14C is provided on the -X side surface of slider 14B along the Z direction. The lifting unit 14C is provided on the -X side surface of slider 14B. The head drive unit 14 includes a drive mechanism such as a ball screw mechanism for moving the lifting unit 14C in the Z direction. The lifting unit 14C is movable in the Z direction by this drive mechanism. The laser head 13 is held below the lifting unit 14C. The laser head 13 can move in the X, Y, Z directions, and combined directions within the laser processing area R1 by moving the gantry 14A in the X direction, moving the slider 14B in the Y direction, and moving the lifting unit 14C in the Z direction.

[0022] The transport device 20 transports the workpiece W between the laser processing unit 10 and the molding processing unit 30. The transport device 20 comprises a carriage 21, a plate 22, and a plurality of workpiece holders 23. The carriage 21 is provided to be movable in the Y direction by a drive unit (not shown). The plate 22 is provided on the +Y side of the carriage 21. The plurality of workpiece holders 23 are provided at intervals in the X direction, protruding from the +Y side surface of the plate 22. The workpiece holders 23 are capable of gripping the end of the workpiece W.

[0023] The forming section 30 performs chamfering and tapping on the workpiece W in the forming area R2. The forming section 30 can also perform punching and forming on the workpiece W. The forming section 30 comprises a frame 31, a chamfering section 32, and a tapping section 33. The frame 31 comprises a vertical frame 31A and a horizontal frame 31B. The vertical frame 31A is a plate-shaped member that stands upright in the Z direction and extends in the X direction. The vertical frame 31A supports each part of the forming section 30. The vertical frame 31A is provided with an opening 31C through which the workpiece W conveyed by the conveying device 20 can pass. The horizontal frame 31B is provided on the -Y side of the vertical frame 31A and is a plate-shaped member that extends in the X direction. The horizontal frame 31B supports, for example, the chamfering section 32 and the tapping section 33 in a suspended state.

[0024] The chamfering section 32 comprises a plurality of upper molds 51A and lower molds 51B, a striker 60, and mold supports 61 and 62. The upper molds 51A and lower molds 51B sandwich the workpiece W before a circular pilot hole S for tapping is formed in the plate-shaped workpiece W by laser processing, thereby forming a chamfer on the edge E of the portion that will become the pilot hole S. Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of the upper mold 51A (lower mold 51B) according to this embodiment. The upper part of Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA shown in the lower part of Figure 2.

[0025] The upper die 51A and the lower die 51B sandwich the workpiece W from above and below, thereby forming a chamfer on the edges E of the portion that will become the pilot hole S on both the upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece W. For example, the upper die 51A and the lower die 51B each have cutting edges 52A and 52B. The upper die 51A forms a chamfer on the upper surface of the workpiece W by pressing the cutting edge 52A against the upper surface of the workpiece W. The lower die 51B forms a chamfer on the lower surface of the workpiece W by pressing the cutting edge 52B against the lower surface of the workpiece W. The upper die 51A and the lower die 51B have the same configuration. Components of the upper die 51A are denoted with "A" at the end of their reference numerals, and components of the lower die 51B are denoted with "B" at the end of their reference numerals to distinguish multiple components of the same type from each other.

[0026] The upper die 51A and lower die 51B are equipped with cutting edges 52A, 52B and recesses 55A, 55B. The cutting edges 52A, 52B protrude in a ring shape to form a chamfer around the edge E. The cutting edges 52A, 52B are equipped with inclined surfaces 53A, 53B and flat surfaces 54A, 54B, respectively. The inclined surfaces 53A, 53B each form a chamfer on at least a portion of the edge E of the pilot hole S formed by laser processing. The inclined surfaces 53A, 53B are each formed in a ring shape and are inclined radially inward. In other words, the inclined surfaces 53A, 53B are inclined so that the cutting edges 52A, 52B each gradually protrude radially inward. The angle of the inclined surfaces 53A, 53B is formed at any angle necessary for chamfering, for example, set to 45 degrees with respect to the surface direction of the workpiece W.

[0027] The flat portions 54A and 54B are formed flat from the inside of the inclined surfaces 53A and 53B toward the radially inward direction. Furthermore, the flat portions 54A and 54B are circular in shape on the inside of the inclined surfaces 53A and 53B. The flat portions 54A and 54B are formed continuously from the inside of the inclined surfaces 53A and 53B. Thus, the cutting edges 52A and 52B protrude in a ring shape and are provided with inclined surfaces 53A and 53B that are inclined toward the radially inward direction, and flat portions 54A and 54B that are flat from the inside of the inclined surfaces 53A and 53B toward the radially inward direction. The recess 55 is circular in shape and is formed on the inside of the cutting edges 52A and 52B. The recess 55 is located on the inside of the flat portions 54A and 54B and can contact the workpiece W when the workpiece W is formed by the cutting edges 52A and 52B. Furthermore, the recess 55 forms a space that allows for an excess amount corresponding to the amount the cutting edges 52A and 52B bite into the workpiece W.

[0028] As shown in Figure 1, the striker 60 drives the upper die 51A by descending. The striker 60 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is movable up and down. Chamfering is performed by the striker 60 descending and lowering the upper die 51A. The mold support 61 is provided in a position that sandwiches the workpiece W with respect to the mold support 62 and supports a plurality of upper dies 51A along the X direction. The plurality of upper dies 51A have different diameters for their cutting edges 52A and 52B. The mold support 61 is supported by a guide 31D provided on the wall surface of the vertical frame 31A and is movable in the X direction along the guide 31D. The mold support 61 supports the upper die 51A such that when the upper die 51A is lowered by the striker 60, the cutting edges 52A and 52B of the upper die 51A protrude downward.

[0029] The mold support 62 is positioned to sandwich the workpiece W with respect to the mold support 61 and supports a plurality of lower molds 51B arranged along the X direction. The mold support 62 is supported by a guide 31D provided on the wall surface of the vertical frame 31A and is movable along the guide 31D in the X direction. When the upper mold 51A performs chamfering on the upper surface of the workpiece W, the mold support 62 supports the lower molds 51B so as to perform chamfering at a processing position on the lower surface corresponding to the processing position on the upper surface where the chamfering is formed.

[0030] The tapping unit 33 performs tapping on the workpiece W. The tapping unit 33 is suspended from a guide (not shown) provided along the X direction on the lower surface of the horizontal frame 31B, and is movable in the X direction along this guide. The tapping unit 33 is equipped with a tapping tool 33A for performing tapping on the workpiece W. The tapping tool 33A forms a screw groove on the cut surface of a pilot hole S formed in the workpiece W by, for example, laser drilling. When performing tapping on the pilot hole S of the workpiece W, the tapping unit 33 lowers the tapping tool 33A while rotating it in contact with the cut surface of the pilot hole S of the workpiece W.

[0031] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the processing method according to this embodiment. The control unit 40 causes the conveying device 20 to convey the workpiece W so that the edge E of the portion that will become the pilot hole S for tapping is positioned at the position (hereinafter referred to as the "press position") P where the upper die 51A and the lower die 51B will chamfer. (Step S101) In step S101, the conveying device 20 positions the workpiece W in the Y direction with respect to the press position P.

[0032] Next, the control unit 40 moves the die support 61 so that the upper die 51A is positioned at the press position P (step S102). The control unit 40 drives a drive unit (not shown) to move the die support 61 in the X direction and positions the upper die 51A to be used for chamfering above the press position P. At this time, the control unit 40 moves the tapping unit 33 so that it does not interfere with the die support 61. Prior to step S102, the control unit 40 selects an upper die 51A from among several upper dies 51A to be used for chamfering according to the diameter of the pilot hole S for tapping. That is, in step S102, as shown in Figure 4, the control unit 40 moves the die support 61 in the X direction and positions the selected upper die 51A at the press position P.

[0033] Next, the control unit 40 moves the die support 62 so that the lower die 51B is positioned at the press position P (step S103). The control unit 40 drives a drive unit (not shown) to move the die support 61 in the X direction and positions the lower die 51B used for chamfering among the multiple lower dies 51B so that it is positioned below the press position P. The upper die 51A and the lower die 51B are associated as a pair (one set), and when the upper die 51A is selected, the corresponding lower die 51B is selected. That is, in step S103, as shown in Figure 5, the control unit 40 moves the die support 62 and positions the selected lower die 51B at the press position P.

[0034] Furthermore, steps S102 and S103 are not limited to being executed in the order described above; steps S102 and S103 may be performed simultaneously, or step S102 may be performed after step S103.

[0035] Next, the control unit 40 uses the upper die 51A and the lower die 51B to form a chamfer on the workpiece W (step S104). In step S104, the control unit 40 moves the striker 60 directly above the upper die 51A, and then lowers the striker 60 as shown in Figure 6. As a result, as shown in Figure 7, with the upper die 51A lowered and the lower die 51B fixed in the vertical direction, the cutting edges 52A and 52B sandwich the workpiece W from both sides, and the cutting edges 52A and 52B bite into the workpiece W, forming a chamfer on the upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece W. That is, a chamfer is formed on each edge E of the upper and lower surfaces of the part of the workpiece W where the pilot hole S is formed.

[0036] Figure 8 shows the shape of the chamfer formed on the workpiece W by the upper die 51A and the lower die 51B. As shown in Figure 8, ring-shaped recesses 70A and 70B are formed as chamfers on the upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece W, respectively. The recesses 70A and 70B have inclined surfaces 71A and 71B that are inclined radially inward, and flat surfaces 72A and 72B that are formed radially inward from the inclined surfaces 71A and 71B. The inclined surface 71A is formed when the inclined surface 53A of the cutting edge 52A is pressed against the workpiece W. The inclined surface 71B is formed when the inclined surface 53B of the cutting edge 52B is pressed against the workpiece W. The flat surface 72A is formed when the flat portion 54A of the cutting edge 52A is pressed against the workpiece W. The flat surface 72B is formed when the flat portion 54B of the cutting edge 52B is pressed against the workpiece W.

[0037] Here, since a circular recess 55A is formed on the inside of the cutting edge 52A, the area 80A inside the recess 70A of the workpiece W is not crushed. Similarly, since a circular recess 55B is formed on the inside of the cutting edge 52B, the area 80B inside the recess 70B of the workpiece W is not crushed. Therefore, the area of ​​the workpiece W formed by the upper die 51A and the lower die 51B can be reduced, and the pressure applied to the workpiece W from the upper die 51A and the lower die 51B can be reduced. Furthermore, if multiple pilot holes S for tapping are formed in the workpiece W, the control unit 40 repeats steps S101 to S104 described above.

[0038] Next, the control unit 40 causes the workpiece W to be transported to the laser processing unit 10 by the transport device 20 (step S105). The control unit 40 transports the workpiece W in the +Y direction by the transport device 20, transporting the workpiece W from the molding unit 30 to the laser processing unit 10. Next, the laser processing unit 10 forms a pilot hole S by laser processing at the position where the chamfer has been formed (step S106). Figure 9 shows the state in which a pilot hole S is formed in the workpiece W by the laser processing unit 10. As shown in Figure 9, the laser processing unit 10 positions the laser head 13 so that the laser beam L is irradiated onto the flat surface 72A of the recess 70A, and moves the laser head 13 along this flat surface 72A to form the pilot hole S.

[0039] At this time, the distance between the laser head 13 and the plane 72A is adjusted by the distance sensor 13A provided on the laser head 13. The distance sensor 13A measures the distance between the laser head 13 and the plane 72A by emitting sensor light S1 and receiving reflected light S2 from the plane 72A. In this way, since the sensor light S1 is emitted toward the plane 72A rather than the inclined surface 71A, the variation in the distance between the laser head 13 and the plane 72A is reduced, and the laser light L can be appropriately irradiated onto the workpiece W.

[0040] The control unit 40 uses the distance sensor 13A to control the distance between the tip of the laser head 13 and the workpiece W to be constant. When the sensor light S1 is emitted toward the inclined surface 71A, variations in reflected light S2 may occur, resulting in an unstable distance between the tip of the laser head 13 (nozzle tip) and the workpiece W. As described above, by emitting the sensor light S1 toward the flat surface 72A, variations in reflected light S2 are eliminated, and the distance between the tip of the laser head 13 and the workpiece W can be kept constant, thereby improving the accuracy of processing with the laser light L. Note that instead of the optical sensor 13A that emits sensor light S1, a sensor that measures the distance between the laser head 13 and the flat surface 72A by measuring the change in capacitance may be used. Even with a capacitance-detecting sensor, if the nozzle tip of the laser head 13 faces the inclined surface 71A, variations in capacitance may occur, resulting in an unstable distance between the tip of the laser head 13 and the workpiece W. By having the nozzle tip of the laser head 13 face the flat surface 72A, variations in capacitance are suppressed, making it possible to maintain a constant distance between the tip of the laser head 13 and the workpiece W.

[0041] Figure 10 shows a pilot hole S formed by the laser processing unit 10. As shown in Figure 10, the laser processing unit 10 forms the pilot hole S in a recess 70A where the flat surface 72A is removed and the inclined surface 71A remains. On the lower side of the workpiece W, the pilot hole S is formed in a recess 70B where the flat surface 72B is removed and the inclined surface 71B remains. However, the configuration shown in Figure 10 is just one example, and a configuration in which a part (a part of the inside) of the inclined surfaces 71A and 71B is removed is also possible, or a configuration in which a part of the flat surfaces 72A and 72B that follow the inclined surfaces 71A and 71B remains.

[0042] Next, the control unit 40 causes the transport device 20 to transport the workpiece W to the molding unit 30 (step S107). When a pilot hole S is formed in the workpiece W, the transport device 20 transports the workpiece W to the molding unit 30. The control unit 40 positions the workpiece W in the Y direction so that tapping can be performed on the pilot hole S. Next, the control unit 40 moves the tapping unit 33 to position the tap tool 33A relative to the pilot hole S (step S108). Prior to step S108, the control unit 40 moves the mold supports 61 and 62 so as not to interfere with the tapping unit 33. In step S108, the control unit 40 moves the tapping unit 33 so that the tap tool 33A is directly above the pilot hole S and the rotation axis of the tap tool 33A coincides with the center of the pilot hole S.

[0043] Next, the control unit 40 performs tapping on the pilot hole S (step S109). As shown in Figure 11, the control unit 40 rotates and lowers the tap tool 33A using a drive unit (not shown) provided in the tapping unit 33. As a result, as shown in Figure 12, a screw hole SA with a screw groove Wa is formed on the circumferential surface of the pilot hole S. Even after the formation of the screw hole SA, inclined surfaces 71A and 71B remain on the upper and lower edges of the screw hole SA, maintaining a chamfered state on the edges of the screw hole SA.

[0044] As described above, according to this embodiment, by performing chamfering on the edge E of the portion that will become the pilot hole S before forming the pilot hole S by laser processing, dross and oxide film peeled off from the workpiece W do not adhere to the upper die 51A and lower die 51B, and the maintenance man-hours for the upper die 51A and lower die 51B can be reduced. Furthermore, even when tapping is performed after forming the pilot hole S by laser processing, an appropriate chamfer can be applied to the screw hole SA. In addition, the cutting edges 52A and 52B are provided to protrude in a ring shape so as to form a chamfer around the entire circumference of the edge E of the pilot hole S formed by laser processing. With this configuration, a chamfer can be formed around the entire circumference of the edge E in a single press operation, and the chamfer of the pilot hole S can be formed efficiently.

[0045] In the configuration where chamfering is performed using a die after forming a pilot hole S by laser processing, the chamfering die may have a projection that fits into the pilot hole S to prevent changes in the hole diameter of the pilot hole S. Therefore, if the thickness of the workpiece W is thin, the dies (the projection of the upper die and the projection of the lower die) interfere with each other, limiting the thickness of the workpiece W that can be chamfered. In other words, chamfering using a die after forming a pilot hole S may not be possible when the workpiece W is a thin plate. On the other hand, in this embodiment, chamfering is performed using the upper die 51A and lower die 51B before forming the pilot hole S by laser processing, so the upper die 51A and lower die 51B do not have the above-mentioned projection that fits into the pilot hole S. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if the workpiece W is a thin plate, the dies (upper die 51A and lower die 51B) do not interfere with each other, and it is possible to broaden the range of workpiece W thickness, making it applicable to workpieces with thin plate thicknesses W.

[0046] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the cutting edges 52A and 52B of the upper mold 51A and lower mold 51B are ring-shaped, but the invention is not limited to this form. The cutting edges 52A and 52B may also be shaped to protrude so as to form a chamfer on a part of the edge E. Figure 13 shows another example of a mold according to the embodiment. Note that the upper view in Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view along line BB shown in the lower view of Figure 13. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view along line CC shown in Figure 13.

[0047] The upper mold 151A and the lower mold 151B, similar to the upper mold 51A and lower mold 51B described above, clamp the workpiece W from above and below, thereby forming a chamfer on the edges E of the portion that will become the pilot hole S on both the upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece W. The upper mold 151A has a cutting edge 152A, and by pressing the cutting edge 152A against the upper surface of the workpiece W, it forms a portion of the chamfer on the upper surface of the workpiece W. The lower mold 151B has a cutting edge 152B, and by pressing the cutting edge 152B against the upper surface of the workpiece W, it forms a portion of the chamfer on the lower surface of the workpiece W. The upper mold 151A and the lower mold 151B have the same configuration. Components of the upper mold 151A are denoted with "A" at the end of their reference numerals, and components of the lower mold 151B are denoted with "B" at the end of their reference numerals to distinguish multiple components of the same type from each other.

[0048] The cutting edges 152A and 152B protrude in an arc shape to form a chamfer on a portion of the circumference of the edge E. The cutting edges 152A and 152B are provided at two locations opposite each other on either side of the center, and the combined length of the arcs at the two locations is set to be at least half the circumference of the edge E. The cutting edges 152A and 152B each have inclined surfaces 153A and 153B and flat surfaces 154A and 154B, respectively. The inclined surfaces 153A and 153B are inclined inward in an arc shape. The inclination angle of the inclined surfaces 153A and 153B is arbitrary, and is set to, for example, 45 degrees. The flat surfaces 154A and 154B are formed continuously from the inside of the inclined surfaces 153A and 153B.

[0049] Furthermore, the upper mold 151A and the lower mold 151B are provided with recesses 155A and 155B. The recesses 155A and 155B are each circular in shape and are formed inside the flat portions 154A and 154B. The recesses 155A and 155B can contact the workpiece W when the workpiece W is formed by the cutting edges 152A and 152B. Thus, the upper mold 151A and the lower mold 151B correspond to the configuration obtained by cutting out two places on either side of the center of the ring-shaped cutting edges 52A and 52B from the upper mold 51A and the lower mold 51B described above to form stepped portions 156A and 156B.

[0050] Next, a processing method using the upper die 151A and the lower die 151B will be described. Figure 15 is a flowchart of the chamfering process using the upper die 151A and the lower die 151B. In Figure 15, steps identical to those in the flowchart shown in Figure 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their explanations are omitted or simplified. First, as shown in Figure 15, the workpiece W is transported to the forming section 30 (step S101), and then the upper die 151A and the lower die 151B are positioned at the press position P (steps S102, S103).

[0051] Next, the control unit 40 lowers the striker 60 of the molding unit 30 to sandwich the workpiece W between the upper die 151A and the lower die 151B, thereby forming a chamfer on a portion of each edge E on the upper and lower surfaces of the portion that will become the pilot hole S (step S201). Figure 16(A) shows an example of a chamfer formed on a portion of the portion corresponding to the edge E of the pilot hole S by the upper die 151A. As shown in Figure 16(A), a recess 170A is formed as a chamfer on a portion of the portion corresponding to the edge E of the pilot hole S. In Figure 16(A), the portion where the chamfer was formed in step S201 is indicated by dots. The recess 170A has an inclined surface 171A that slopes radially inward and a flat surface 172A that is formed radially inward from the inclined surface 171A. The inclined surface 171A is formed by the inclined surface 153A of the cutting edge 152A. The flat surface 172A is formed by the flat portion 154A of the cutting edge 152A.

[0052] Although Figure 16(A) shows the upper surface of the workpiece W, similarly, on the lower surface of the workpiece W, a recess 170A having an inclined surface 171A and a flat surface 172A is formed as a chamfer in a part of the portion corresponding to the edge E of the pilot hole S. The inclined surface 171A is formed by the inclined surface 153B of the cutting edge 152B. The flat surface 172A is formed by the flat portion 154B of the cutting edge 152B. Here, a circular recess 155 is formed inside the cutting edges 152A and 152B, similar to the cutting edges 52A and 52B, so the area 180 inside the recess 170A of the workpiece W is not crushed. Therefore, the area formed by the cutting edges 152A and 152B can be reduced, and the pressure applied to the workpiece W can be reduced.

[0053] Next, the control unit 40 rotates the upper mold 151A and the lower mold 151B by a predetermined angle (step S202). In step S202, the upper mold 151A and the lower mold 151B are rotated so that the cutting edges 152A and 152B are positioned on the portion of the edge E where chamfering was not formed in step S201. In this embodiment, the upper mold 151A and the lower mold 151B are rotated, for example, 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise around the central axis D (see Figure 13). Note that step S202 is not limited to rotating the upper mold 151A and the lower mold 151B. For example, the mold supports 61 and 62 of the molding section 30 may support other upper molds 151A and lower molds 151B with different rotational positions, and after step S201, the other upper molds 151A and lower molds 151B with different rotational positions may be placed at the press position P in place of the upper molds 151A and lower molds 151B that were used.

[0054] Next, the control unit 40 lowers the striker 60 and sandwiches the workpiece W between the upper die 151A and the lower die 151B, thereby forming a chamfer on the portion of the edge E that does not yet have a chamfer (step S203). Figure 16(B) shows an example of a chamfer formed on the entire portion corresponding to the edge E of the pilot hole S by the process in step S203. As shown in Figure 16(B), when step S203 is performed, a ring-shaped recess 170 is formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece W. In Figure 16(B), the portion formed by step S203 is indicated by dots.

[0055] In the flowchart of Figure 15, steps S201 to S203 show an example where the upper mold 151A and the lower mold 151B are rotated or replaced once to form a ring-shaped recess 170, but the method is not limited to this. For example, the upper mold 151A and the lower mold 151B may be rotated or replaced two or more times to form a ring-shaped recess 170 on the upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece W.

[0056] Next, the workpiece W is transported to the laser processing unit 10 (step S105), and a pilot hole S is formed in the workpiece W (step S106). Next, the workpiece W is transported to the forming processing unit 30 (step S107), the tap tool 33A is positioned (step S108), and a screw hole SA is formed by tapping the pilot hole S (step S109), which is the same as in the embodiment described above.

[0057] Thus, even when using the upper die 151A and lower die 151B, similar to the embodiment described above, by performing chamfering on the edge E of the portion that will become the pilot hole S before forming the pilot hole S by laser processing, dross and oxide film peeled off from the workpiece W will not adhere to the upper die 151A and lower die 151B, thereby reducing the maintenance man-hours for the upper die 151A and lower die 151B. Furthermore, even when tapping is performed following the formation of the pilot hole S by laser processing, appropriate chamfering can be applied to the screw hole SA. In addition, since the entire edge E is chamfered in multiple stages, such as chamfering a part of the edge E and then chamfering the rest of the edge E, the pressure applied to the workpiece W in a single press operation can be reduced.

[0058] Although embodiments have been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the claims that such modified or improved forms are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, one or more of the requirements described in the above embodiments may be omitted. Also, the requirements described in the above embodiments can be combined as appropriate. In addition, the execution order of each procedure shown in the embodiments can be implemented in any order, as long as the results of the previous procedure are not used in the later procedure. Furthermore, even if the operation in the above embodiments is described using "first," "next," "followed," etc. for convenience, it is not necessary to perform it in this order.

[0059] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the cutting edges 52A, 52B (152A, 152B) have inclined surfaces 53A, 53B (153A, 153B) and flat surfaces 54A, 54B (154A, 154B), but the invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the cutting edges 52A, 52B (152A, 152B) may have inclined surfaces 53A, 53B (153A, 153B) but not flat surfaces 54A, 54B (154A, 154B). [Explanation of Symbols]

[0060] Edge...E S...Pilot hole W...work 1. Laser composite processing machine 10. Laser Processing Section 20. Conveying equipment 30... Molding processing department 40... Control Unit 51A, 151A... Upper mold (die) 51B, 151B... Lower mold (die) 52A, 52B, 152A, 152B... cutting edge 53A, 53B, 153A, 153B...Slope 54A, 54B, 154A, 154B...Plane part 55A, 55B, 155A, 155B... recessed 70A, 70B, 170A, 170... dent 71A, 71B, 171A, 171...Slope surface 72A, 72B, 172A, 172...plane

Claims

1. A mold that forms a chamfer on the edge of the portion that will become the pilot hole by clamping the workpiece before a circular pilot hole for tapping is formed in the plate-shaped workpiece by laser processing, The cutting edge has an inclined surface that slopes radially inward for forming the chamfer on at least a portion of the edge, A mold in which the cutting edge is flat from the inside of the inclined surface toward the radially inward direction, and further comprises a ring-shaped flat portion on the inside of the inclined surface.

2. The cutting edge is provided to protrude in a ring shape around the circumference of the edge so as to form the chamfer. The mold according to claim 1.

3. The cutting edge is provided so as to protrude from a part of the edge to form the chamfer. The mold according to claim 1.

4. The inside of the aforementioned flat portion is further provided with a circular recess. The mold according to claim 1.

5. A machining method for forming a circular pilot hole for tapping in a plate-shaped workpiece, Before the pilot hole is formed, a chamfer is formed on at least a portion of the edge of the portion that will become the pilot hole by clamping the workpiece, using a mold equipped with a cutting edge having an inclined surface that slopes radially inward, After forming the chamfer, the pilot hole is formed by cutting the workpiece inside the chamfer using laser processing. Processing methods, including those mentioned above.

6. This includes using a mold to form the chamfer on a portion of the edge, forming the chamfer on a portion of the edge with the mold, and then rotating the mold or using another mold to form the chamfer on the portion of the edge that does not have the chamfer formed. The processing method according to claim 5.

7. A laser composite processing machine comprising a forming section for forming a plate-shaped workpiece and a laser processing section for laser processing the workpiece, The molding section comprises a mold according to any one of claims 1 to 4. After the molding unit forms a chamfer on at least a portion of the edge of the circular pilot hole for tapping in the workpiece, the laser processing unit forms the pilot hole inside the chamfer in the workpiece. Laser composite processing machine.

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