Processing equipment
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- FANUC LTD
- Filing Date
- 2023-01-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-04
Smart Images
Figure 0007900525000001 
Figure 0007900525000002 
Figure 0007900525000003
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a processing apparatus.
Background Art
[0002] As a processing head used for processing using a laser beam, a galvanometer scanner (galvanometer scanner head) has been conventionally used (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The galvanometer scanner can be used for a variety of purposes, such as metal welding, cutting of thin metal plates, metal marking, resin welding, resin cutting, resin marking, etc., and is highly convenient. Therefore, the galvanometer scanner is incorporated into a robot or a dedicated machine, and is used in a wide range of applications, such as welding of sheet metal, welding of motor flat copper wires, precision welding of bus bars of Li batteries, and cutting of CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics). [[ID=D13]]
[0003] However, there are processes that cannot be handled by conventional galvanometer scanners. For example, for cutting thick metal plates, it is necessary to prepare a dedicated cutting processing head separate from the galvanometer scanner. The reason for this will be explained below.
[0004] When cutting thick metal with a laser beam, while irradiating the surface of the workpiece with the laser beam, a high-pressure assist gas is supplied coaxially with the laser beam to proceed with cutting while blowing away the molten metal. This is because if the molten metal remains at the cutting part, there is a risk that the molten metal will solidify and adhere to the cutting surface, or in the worst case, the cut metal will be reconnected by the molten metal. In the supply of the assist gas, it is desirable to bring the distance between the tip of the processing head and the workpiece as close as possible in order to increase the pressure of the assist gas for blowing away the molten metal. Also, it is desirable that the opening at the tip of the processing head (the laser beam emission port) is narrow.
[0005] On the other hand, when performing metal welding using a galvanometer scanner, the laser beam is irradiated onto the surface of the workpiece while moving a mirror installed in the processing head. Since this metal welding requires molten metal, it is not possible to supply high-pressure assist gas as when cutting thick metal plates. Furthermore, when performing metal welding using a galvanometer scanner, the processing area can be widened by widening the space that the laser beam deflected by the mirror can scan. For this reason, when performing metal welding using a galvanometer scanner, it is desirable to keep the distance between the tip of the processing head and the workpiece as far as possible, and it is also desirable that the opening at the tip of the processing head (the laser beam emission port) be wide.
[0006] As such, the required configurations for the processing heads differed significantly, making it essential to use a dedicated metal cutting head when cutting thick metal plates, and the galvanometer scanner could not be repurposed. Therefore, when processing using a galvanometer scanner was required in addition to metal cutting, it was necessary to either connect a laser light source to both the dedicated metal cutting head and the galvanometer scanner, or to swap the galvanometer scanner and the dedicated metal cutting head each time the processing content was switched between metal cutting and metal welding. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]
[0007] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2013 / 183435 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]
[0008] However, connecting a laser light source to both the metal cutting processing head and the galvanometer scanner required multiple laser light sources, resulting in a lot of waste. Furthermore, when switching between the galvanometer scanner and the metal cutting processing head, the laser light source had to be reconnected to the processing head (either the galvanometer scanner head or the metal cutting processing head), which posed a risk of damage to lenses and other components due to dust and debris entering them. While components like "beam switches" that split a single laser beam into two and connect them to two processing heads exist to avoid the hassle of reconnecting laser light sources, their complex structures and relatively high cost created a need for a simpler method of switching between processing modes.
[0009] The objective of this disclosure is to provide a processing apparatus that can perform metal cutting of thick plates in addition to the processing that can be performed using a conventional galvanoscanner, using a single processing head. [Means for solving the problem]
[0010] This disclosure relates to a processing apparatus that includes a laser light source for generating laser light, a light source control unit for controlling the laser light source, at least one laser deflection mechanism for deflecting and irradiating the laser light emitted by the laser light source to an arbitrary position on a workpiece, a deflection control unit for controlling the laser deflection mechanism, a processing head having at least the laser deflection mechanism and an output port from which the laser light is emitted via the laser deflection mechanism, and an auxiliary member that is detachable from the processing head, positioned between the output port and the workpiece when mounted on the processing head, and having a communication port that communicates with at least the output port, wherein the apparatus is capable of selecting between a processing state with the auxiliary member attached and a processing state without the auxiliary member attached. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0011] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing the configuration of the processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2]This figure shows the processing state of processing device 1 without auxiliary members. [Figure 3] This figure shows the machining state of the machining apparatus 1 with the auxiliary member attached, in which machining is performed with the auxiliary member 50 mounted on the machining head 20. [Figure 4] This figure shows examples of multiple laser generation conditions stored in the condition storage unit 31a of the light source control unit 31. [Figure 5] This is a diagram showing the configuration of the processing apparatus 1B of the second embodiment. [Figure 6] This figure shows the machining state of the machining apparatus 1B with the auxiliary member attached, in which machining is performed with the auxiliary member 60 mounted on the machining head 20. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0012] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the second and subsequent embodiments, components common to the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.
[0013] (First Embodiment) Figure 1 shows the configuration of the processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment. Note that the following figures, including Figure 1, are schematic representations, and the size and shape of each part have been exaggerated or omitted as appropriate to facilitate understanding. For example, in Figure 1, the internal structure of the processing head 20 and auxiliary member 50 is schematically shown.
[0014] The processing apparatus 1 comprises a laser light source 10, a processing head 20, a control unit 30, a moving device 40, and an auxiliary member 50.
[0015] The laser light source 10 is composed of various laser oscillators including a laser medium, an optical resonator, an excitation source, and the like. The laser light source 10 generates a laser beam L and emits the generated laser beam L toward a processing head 20 described later. The laser light source 10 may be attached to the processing head 20 and be movable integrally with the processing head 20, or may be fixed and installed at a position separate from the processing head.
[0016] The processing head 20 is provided at the tip of a movable arm 41 of a moving device 40. The processing head 20 in the present embodiment is a galvanometer scanner that emits the laser beam L from the laser light source 10 and scans the laser beam L toward a processing site of a workpiece (workpiece to be processed) W1 or the like (see Fig. 2 etc.). The processing head 20 includes, for example, a lens 21, a mirror 22, galvanometer mirrors 23, 24, an emission port 25, an auxiliary member detection unit 26, and an auxiliary member fixing unit 27.
[0017] The lens 21 is a condenser lens that condenses the laser beam L emitted from the laser light source 10 toward an object, and is moved in the optical axis direction of the laser beam L by a driving mechanism (not shown).
[0018] The mirror 22 deflects the laser beam L that has passed through the lens 21 in the direction of the galvanometer mirror 23. Depending on the arrangement of the lens 21 and the galvanometer mirror 23, the mirror 22 may be omitted.
[0019] The galvanometer mirrors 23 and 24 are each configured to be rotatable about two non-parallel rotation axes. The galvanometer mirrors 23 and 24 are each rotationally driven by a galvanometer motor (not shown) to constitute a laser beam deflection mechanism that scans the laser beam L emitted from the laser light source 10 to deflect and irradiate the laser beam L. The laser beam L from the laser light source is sequentially reflected by the two galvanometer mirrors 23 and 24. The laser beam L is irradiated toward the workpiece W1 etc. after passing through the emission port 25. At this time, when the two galvanometer mirrors 23 and 24 are each rotationally driven, the incident angle of the laser beam L incident on these galvanometer mirrors 23 and 24 continuously changes. As a result, the laser beam L that is sequentially reflected by the galvanometer mirrors 23 and 24 and reaches the workpiece W1 etc. is scanned along a predetermined scanning path above the workpiece W1 etc., and laser processing is performed.
[0020] The emission port 25 is an opening for the laser beam L to be emitted from the processing head 20. The emission port 25 is opened to a sufficient size for the scanned laser beam L to pass through. Note that a condenser lens, a protective glass, etc. may be further provided near the emission port 25.
[0021] The auxiliary member detection unit 26 is a sensor that detects whether or not an auxiliary member 50 described later is attached to the processing head 20. The auxiliary member detection unit 26 may be configured by, for example, a pressure switch, or may be configured by appropriately using various sensors such as an optical sensor or a magnetic sensor. The auxiliary member detection unit 26 transmits the detection result of whether or not the auxiliary member 50 described later is attached to the processing head 20 to a control unit 30 described later.
[0022] The auxiliary member fixing unit 27 is a fixing mechanism for fixing the auxiliary member 50 described later in a mounted state. The auxiliary member fixing unit 27 may be configured to fix the auxiliary member 50 using a fastening mechanism such as bolts and nuts, or may be configured to fix the auxiliary member 50 using magnetic force or compressed air.
[0023] The control unit 30 is configured, for example, by integrating a light source control unit 31 and a deflection control unit 32, and controls the operation of the processing device 1. The light source control unit 31 controls the laser light source 10 to control the emission of laser light L from the laser light source 10 to the processing head 20. The light source control unit 31 in this embodiment has a condition storage unit 31a that stores a plurality of laser generation conditions in advance, and when the auxiliary member detection unit 26 detects that an auxiliary member 50 has been attached, it controls the laser light source 10 with the laser generation conditions corresponding to the processing state with the auxiliary member attached. Details of the control of this light source control unit 31 will be described later.
[0024] The deflection control unit 32 controls the laser deflection mechanism (galvanometer mirrors 23 and 24 and a galvanometer motor (not shown)). More specifically, the deflection control unit 32 adjusts the incident angle of the laser beam L incident on each of the galvanometer mirrors 23 and 24 by outputting control commands to the galvanometer motor (not shown). This adjusts the irradiation position of the laser beam L emitted from the processing head 20 toward the workpiece W1, etc.
[0025] Furthermore, when the auxiliary member detection unit 26 detects that the auxiliary member 50 has been installed, the deflection control unit 32 restricts the range in which the laser beam L can be deflected by the laser deflection mechanism (galvanometer mirrors 23, 24 and a galvanometer motor not shown) to a narrower range. Details regarding this restriction of the deflection range will be described later.
[0026] The control unit 30, comprising the light source control unit 31 and the deflection control unit 32 in this embodiment, can be realized by installing and executing a processing program (computer program) on a computer device. The control unit 30 may be a general-purpose smartphone, tablet terminal, laptop computer, or a dedicated computer specifically for the processing device 1. In this invention, a computer device refers to an information processing device equipped with a control unit, a storage device, etc. Furthermore, in this description, the light source control unit 31 and the deflection control unit 32 are provided as an integrated unit within the control unit 30. However, this is not limited to this, and for example, the light source control unit 31 and the deflection control unit 32 may be provided on separate computer devices. In addition, some of the functions of the control unit 30 may be provided in a location away from the processing device 1, or on a server in the cloud, etc.
[0027] The mobile device 40 is a robot equipped with a movable arm 41, and the processing head 20 is movably supported at the tip of the movable arm 41. The mobile device 40 is controlled and operated by the control unit 30, and can be positioned to place the processing head 20 away from the auxiliary member 50, as shown in Figure 2 above, or to place it at the location where processing is performed with the auxiliary member 50 attached, as shown in Figure 3 below. In this embodiment, the mobile device 40 is exemplified as having the processing head 20 movably supported at the tip of the movable arm 41, but for example, the processing head 20 may be fixed and the auxiliary member 50 may be made movable by the mobile device 40. Also, although the mobile device 40 is exemplified as a robot equipped with a movable arm 41, its specific form can be changed as appropriate, for example, by combining a mobile stage that moves on a plane with a lifting device that moves up and down.
[0028] The auxiliary member 50 is a component that can be attached to and detached from the processing head 20. The auxiliary member 50 is a component that is attached to the processing head 20 when cutting thick metal plates that cannot be processed by the processing head 20 alone. When the auxiliary member 50 is attached to the processing head 20, it is positioned between the ejection port 25 of the processing head 20 and the workpiece W1 or other workpiece. The auxiliary member 50 includes a seal portion 51, a communication port 52, an auxiliary member lens 53, a nozzle portion 54, a gas injection portion 55, and a position sensor 56. When the auxiliary member 50 is attached to the processing head 20, it becomes an integral part of the processing head 20 and can be moved by the moving device 40.
[0029] The seal portion 51 is provided at the joint between the auxiliary member 50 and the processing head 20, and is a sealing mechanism composed of an elastic material such as rubber or a mechanical seal to prevent the compressed assist gas, which will be described later, from leaking to the outside.
[0030] The communication port 52 is an opening that communicates with the output port 25 of the processing head 20, through which the laser beam L passes. In addition to the auxiliary member lens 53 described later, or in place of the auxiliary member lens 53, a window such as protective glass may be provided at the communication port 52.
[0031] The auxiliary lens 53 is provided to further focus the laser beam L to a state suitable for cutting thick metal plates. By providing the auxiliary lens 53, the focal length can be adjusted and the laser beam L can be further focused, thereby improving the cutting ability.
[0032] The nozzle section 54 is located in a position close to the workpiece W2, which will be described later, and is the opening from which the laser beam L that cuts the workpiece W2 is emitted. The nozzle section 54 is formed with an opening size that is sufficiently smaller than the outlet 25 of the processing head 20 so that the assist gas from the gas injection section 55, which will be described later, can be injected at high pressure and coaxially with the optical axis of the laser beam L.
[0033] The gas injection unit 55 is configured to inject compressed gas coaxially with the laser beam onto the workpiece. The gas injection unit 55 is connected to an external assist gas supply source (not shown). Examples of assist gases include oxygen, nitrogen, and air.
[0034] The position sensor 56 is a sensor that detects the distance between the workpiece W2 and the auxiliary member 50, which will be described later, and for example, an optical sensor can be used. When cutting thick metal plates using the auxiliary member 50, it may be necessary to bring the tip of the nozzle 54 close to the workpiece W2, and in such cases, it is necessary to accurately determine the distance between the workpiece W2 and the auxiliary member 50 using the position sensor 56. Note that the position sensor 56 may be omitted.
[0035] In the processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, which has the configuration described above, it is possible to select between a processing state with an auxiliary member attached, in which processing is performed with the auxiliary member 50 attached to the processing head 20, and a processing state without an auxiliary member, in which processing is performed without the auxiliary member 50 attached to the processing head 20. This point will be explained in more detail.
[0036] In the processing head 20 described above, the configuration is the same as that of a conventional galvanometer scanner, except for the auxiliary member fixing part 27 that allows the attachment of the auxiliary member 50. Therefore, in the auxiliary member-free processing state, where processing is performed without the attachment of the auxiliary member 50, the processing device 1 can perform processing in the same way as a conventional galvanometer scanner. That is, in the auxiliary member-free processing state, the processing device 1 can perform six types of processing, such as metal welding, thin metal cutting, metal marking, resin welding, resin cutting, and resin marking. These processing in the auxiliary member-free processing state can be appropriately performed by using multiple types of processing conditions by appropriately controlling the laser light source 10 and the laser deflection mechanism (galvanometer mirrors 23, 24 and a galvanometer motor not shown) with the control unit 30. Note that the six types of processing listed above are merely examples, and the processing that the processing device 1 can perform in the auxiliary member-free processing state may be more or less than the examples above.
[0037] However, the processing device 1 in its processing state without auxiliary members cannot handle the cutting of thick metal plates. This is because, when cutting thick metal plates using a laser beam, it is necessary to irradiate the surface of the workpiece with the laser beam and simultaneously supply high-pressure assist gas coaxially with the laser beam to blow away the molten metal while proceeding with the cutting. Therefore, the processing device 1 of this embodiment has a processing head 20 that has a configuration substantially the same as that of a conventional galvanometer scanner, with the addition of a configuration that allows an auxiliary member 50 to be attached, and the auxiliary member 50 is configured to be detachable. The auxiliary member 50 has a configuration that enables processing conditions suitable for cutting thick metal plates, and the processing device 1 can perform cutting of thick metal plates in the processing state with the auxiliary member 50 attached to the processing head 20.
[0038] In this disclosure, "thick plate" refers to a plate thickness exceeding the thickness that can be properly cut by the processing head 20 alone. The thickness that can be properly cut by the processing head 20 alone varies depending on the type of metal to be cut, the output of the laser light emitted by the laser light source 10, and the criteria for determining what kind of cutting state is appropriate. Therefore, it is difficult to clearly define the dimensions of the plate thickness that constitutes a thick plate. In this embodiment, as one criterion when cutting an iron plate using a laser light source 10 with an output of 500W or more, an auxiliary member 50 is attached to the processing head 20 when the plate thickness is 1.6 mm or more.
[0039] Figure 2 shows the processing state of the processing apparatus 1 without auxiliary members. Note that the control unit 30 is not shown in Figure 2 (the same applies to Figures 3 and 6, which will be described later). In the state shown in Figure 2, the processing head 20 does not have the auxiliary member 50 attached. Therefore, the processing apparatus 1 in this state without auxiliary members can perform six types of processing on the workpiece W1, such as metal welding, thin metal cutting, metal marking, resin welding, resin cutting, and resin marking.
[0040] Figure 3 shows the processing state of the processing apparatus 1 in the state of processing with an auxiliary member attached, where the auxiliary member 50 is mounted on the processing head 20. In the state shown in Figure 3, the auxiliary member 50 is mounted on the processing head 20. In Figure 3, after metal welding is performed in the state shown in Figure 2, the moving device 40 moves the processing head 20 to the mounting position of the auxiliary member 50, mounts the auxiliary member 50, and cuts the workpiece W2, which is a thick metal plate. When the auxiliary member 50 is mounted on the processing head 20, the auxiliary member detection unit 26 detects the presence of the auxiliary member 50 and transmits the detection result to the control unit 30.
[0041] When the control unit 30 learns from the detection result sent from the auxiliary member detection unit 26 that the auxiliary member 50 has been attached, it switches to a control specific to the auxiliary member-attached machining state, which is performed in the form in which the auxiliary member 50 has been attached. Specifically, when the auxiliary member detection unit 26 detects that the auxiliary member 50 has been attached, the light source control unit 31 and the deflection control unit 32 switch to a control suitable for the auxiliary member-attached machining state.
[0042] Figure 4 shows an example of multiple laser generation conditions stored in the condition storage unit 31a of the light source control unit 31. For example, as shown in Figure 4, the condition storage unit 31a stores condition 1, metal welding, and condition 2, thick plate metal cutting (with auxiliary member attached). Of these conditions, condition 1 is selected when the detection result by the auxiliary member detection unit 26 is "auxiliary member 50 is not attached". On the other hand, condition 2 is a condition that the light source control unit 31 automatically selects when the detection result by the auxiliary member detection unit 26 is "auxiliary member 50 is attached". Here, we will explain assuming that the above two conditions are stored in the condition storage unit 31a, but the condition storage unit 31a may store more conditions.
[0043] The specific details of conditions 1 and 2 above are appropriately set by the specific configuration of the laser light source 10 and the processing head 20, but for example, the following settings can be given as examples.
[0044] For example, the conditions for metal welding under Condition 1 are set as "Laser output 4kW (CW (Continuous Wave)), no piercing."
[0045] For Condition 2, the conditions for cutting thick metal plates (with auxiliary members attached) are set as, for example, "laser output 6kW, frequency 3kHz, duty cycle 85%, piercing performed."
[0046] As described above, the light source control unit 31 of this embodiment stores a plurality of laser generation conditions in the condition storage unit 31a in advance, and when the auxiliary member detection unit 26 detects that the auxiliary member 50 has been attached, it controls the laser light source 10 with the laser generation conditions corresponding to the processing state with the auxiliary member attached. Therefore, the user does not need to select conditions each time the processing is switched, which simplifies the work and prevents accidents such as cutting thick metal plates with incorrect conditions.
[0047] Furthermore, when the auxiliary member detection unit 26 detects that the auxiliary member 50 has been installed, the deflection control unit 32 restricts the range in which the laser beam L can be deflected by the laser deflection mechanism (galvanometer mirrors 23, 24 and a galvanometer motor not shown) to a narrower range. As shown in Figure 2, when the auxiliary member 50 is not installed, the output port 25 of the processing head 20 has a sufficiently wide opening to accommodate the deflection of the laser beam L. Therefore, when the auxiliary member 50 is not installed, the processing device 1 can perform processing such as welding and marking by deflecting the laser beam L by the laser deflection mechanism (galvanometer mirrors 23, 24 and a galvanometer motor not shown). However, as shown in Figure 3, when the auxiliary member 50 is installed, the laser beam L can only pass through the nozzle portion 54, which is narrower than the output port 25 of the processing head 20. Also, if the laser beam L is accidentally irradiated to a part of the nozzle portion 54 other than the opening, the auxiliary member 50 may be damaged.
[0048] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the auxiliary member detection unit 26 detects that the auxiliary member 50 has been attached, the deflection control unit 32 restricts the range in which the laser beam L can be deflected by the laser deflection mechanism (galvanometer mirrors 23, 24 and a galvanometer motor not shown) to a narrower range. More specifically, in this embodiment, when the auxiliary member detection unit 26 detects that the auxiliary member 50 has been attached, the deflection control unit 32 stops the deflection operation of the laser deflection mechanism and fixes the laser beam L to a position where it passes through the opening of the nozzle unit 54. In this case, the control unit 30 moves the cutting position (irradiation position of the laser beam L) by controlling the moving device 40 to move the position of the processing head 20 itself, or by moving the workpiece W2, and performs cutting.
[0049] Furthermore, if the auxiliary member detection unit 26 detects that the auxiliary member 50 has been attached, the control unit 30 detects the distance between the workpiece W2 and the auxiliary member 50 using the position sensor 56 and adjusts the distance between the workpiece W2 and the auxiliary member 50 to a distance suitable for cutting thick metal plates.
[0050] As described above, the processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment allows for the cutting of thick metal plates in addition to the processing that can be performed using a conventional galvanometer scanner, using a single processing head 20.
[0051] (Second Embodiment) Figure 5 shows the configuration of the processing apparatus 1B of the second embodiment. The processing apparatus 1B of the second embodiment differs from the processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment in that it can utilize not only the auxiliary member 50 of the first embodiment but also an auxiliary member 60, while other parts are the same as the processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment. Therefore, parts that perform the same functions as those of the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted as appropriate.
[0052] The processing apparatus 1B of the second embodiment is equipped with an auxiliary member detection unit 26B in place of the auxiliary member detection unit 26 of the first embodiment. The auxiliary member detection unit 26B is a sensor that can not only detect whether an auxiliary member 50 or an auxiliary member 60 is attached to the processing head 20, but also detect the type of auxiliary member that is attached. That is, the auxiliary member detection unit 26B can detect whether an auxiliary member 50 is attached, an auxiliary member 60 is attached, or whether no auxiliary member is attached. The auxiliary member detection unit 26B sends the detection result to the control unit 30. The auxiliary member detection unit 26B may be configured, for example, by a push switch, or by using various sensors such as optical sensors or magnetic sensors as appropriate.
[0053] The auxiliary member 60 is a component that provides processing conditions for more appropriate marking on metal, and is detachable from the processing head 20. The auxiliary member 60 is made of a material such as a metal plate that can block light, and covers the processing area of a flat metal workpiece (workpiece) W3 to form a sealed space. The auxiliary member 60 has a communication port 61 that communicates with the output port 25 of the processing head 20, and has a window 62 that closes this communication port 61. The window 62 is made of, for example, a transparent glass plate and is capable of transmitting laser light L. By providing the window 62, the airtightness inside the auxiliary member 60 can be improved.
[0054] Furthermore, the auxiliary member 60 is provided with a gas inlet 63. An assist gas is supplied from the gas inlet 63 into a sealed space within the auxiliary member 60. This assist gas is introduced to suppress surface oxidation of the workpiece W3 (see Figure 6) during laser processing. Therefore, when using the auxiliary member 60, the assist gas should preferably be, for example, nitrogen or argon.
[0055] The processing apparatus 1B of the second embodiment can perform processing in the same manner as the processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, in a state without auxiliary members, where processing is performed without auxiliary members 50 and auxiliary members 60 attached to the processing head 20, and in a state with auxiliary members, where processing is performed with auxiliary member 50 attached to the processing head 20. Furthermore, the processing apparatus 1B of the second embodiment can also perform processing in the state with auxiliary members, where processing is performed with auxiliary member 60 attached to the processing head 20.
[0056] Figure 6 shows the machining state of the machining apparatus 1B in the state of machining with an auxiliary member attached, with the auxiliary member 60 mounted on the machining head 20. In the state shown in Figure 6, the auxiliary member 60 is mounted on the machining head 20. In Figure 6, after metal welding is performed in the same state as in Figure 2 of the first embodiment, the moving device 40 moves the machining head 20 to the mounting position of the auxiliary member 60, mounts the auxiliary member 60, and marks are made on the metal workpiece W3. When the auxiliary member 60 is mounted on the machining head 20, the auxiliary member detection unit 26B detects that the auxiliary member 60 has been mounted and sends the detection result to the control unit 30. Based on the detection result from the auxiliary member detection unit 26B, the control unit 30 selects machining conditions suitable for marking with the auxiliary member 60 mounted.
[0057] As shown in Figure 6, in the auxiliary member-equipped machining state, where machining is performed with the auxiliary member 60 attached to the machining head 20, the machining area of the workpiece W3 is completely sealed by the auxiliary member 60. During machining, assist gas is sent from the gas inlet 63 into the sealed space within the auxiliary member 60. Because it is a sealed space, after introducing a predetermined amount of assist gas, the supply of assist gas can be stopped or reduced, significantly reducing the consumption of assist gas. Furthermore, since the machining area of the workpiece W3 is completely sealed by the auxiliary member 60, there is no need to separately prepare shading equipment, which was conventionally required to protect people's eyes from reflected or scattered light from the workpiece.
[0058] As described above, the second embodiment offers the same advantages as the first embodiment, plus the advantage of reducing the consumption of assist gas. Furthermore, it eliminates the need to separately prepare shading equipment. Additionally, it allows for the automatic setting of appropriate conditions when using multiple types of auxiliary components.
[0059] While this disclosure has been described in detail, it is not limited to the individual embodiments described above. These embodiments can be added, replaced, modified, partially deleted, etc., in any way that does not depart from the gist of this disclosure or from the spirit of this disclosure derived from the claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, these embodiments can be implemented in combination. For example, the order of operations and processes in the embodiments described above are shown as examples only and are not limited thereto. The same applies when numerical values or mathematical formulas are used in the description of the embodiments described above.
[0060] The following additional information is disclosed regarding the above embodiments and modifications. (Note 1) The processing equipment (1, 1B) is A laser light source (10) that generates laser light, A light source control unit (31) controls the laser light source (10), At least one laser deflection mechanism (23, 24) that deflects and irradiates the laser light emitted by the laser light source (10) to any position on the workpiece, A deflection control unit (32) controls the laser deflection mechanism (23, 24), A processing head (20) having at least the laser deflection mechanism (23, 24) and an output port (25) from which the laser light is emitted via the laser deflection mechanism (23, 24), Auxiliary members (50, 60) are detachably attached to the processing head (20), and when attached to the processing head (20), they are positioned between the injection port (25) and the workpiece, and are equipped with at least two communication ports (52, 61) that communicate with the injection port (25), Equipped with, It is possible to select between a processing state with auxiliary members attached, in which processing is performed with the auxiliary members (50, 60) attached, and a processing state without auxiliary members, in which processing is performed without the auxiliary members (50, 60) attached.
[0061] (Note 2) In the above processing apparatus (1), The auxiliary member (50) has a gas injection unit (55) that injects compressed gas coaxially with the laser beam onto the workpiece.
[0062] (Note 3) In the above processing apparatus (1, 1B), The system includes a moving device (40) for moving at least one of the processing head (20) and the auxiliary members (50, 60).
[0063] (Note 4) In the above processing apparatus (1, 1B), The processing head (20) has auxiliary member detection units (26, 26B) that detect when the auxiliary members (50, 60) are attached.
[0064] (Note 5) In the above processing apparatus (1, 1B), The deflection control unit (32) limits the deflection of the laser beam by the laser deflection mechanism (23, 24) when the auxiliary member detection unit (26, 26B) detects that the auxiliary member (50, 60) has been attached.
[0065] (Note 6) In the above processing apparatus (1, 1B), The light source control unit (31) stores a plurality of laser generation conditions in advance, and when the auxiliary member detection unit (26, 26B) detects that the auxiliary members (50, 60) have been attached, it controls the laser light source (10) with the laser generation conditions corresponding to the processing state with the auxiliary members attached.
[0066] (Note 7) In the above processing apparatus (1, 1B), The auxiliary member detection unit (26B) is capable of detecting the type of auxiliary member (50, 60) that has been attached.
[0067] (Note 8) In the above processing apparatus (1, 1B), The light source control unit (31) and the deflection control unit (32) are integrated into one unit.
[0068] (Note 9) In the above processing apparatus (1B), The auxiliary member (60) has a lens or window (62) inside. [Explanation of symbols]
[0069] 1, 1B processing equipment 10 Laser light source 20 Machining Heads 21 lenses 22 Mirror 23, 24 Galvano Mirror 25 ejection port 26, 26B Auxiliary member detection unit 27 Auxiliary member fixing part 30 Control Unit 31 Light source control unit 31a Condition memory section 32 Deflection control section 40 Mobile device 41 Movable Arm 50 Auxiliary members 51 Seal part 52 connecting ports 53 Auxiliary component lens 54 Nozzle section 55 Gas injection unit 56 Position Sensor 60 Auxiliary member 61 Connecting opening 62 windows 63 Gas Inlet
Claims
1. A laser light source that generates laser light, A light source control unit that controls the laser light source, A laser deflection mechanism that deflects and irradiates the laser light emitted by the laser light source to any position on the workpiece, A deflection control unit that controls the laser deflection mechanism, A processing head having at least the laser deflection mechanism and an output port from which the laser light is emitted via the laser deflection mechanism, An auxiliary member which is detachable from the processing head, and when attached to the processing head, is positioned between the injection port and the workpiece, and has at least a communication port that communicates with the injection port, Equipped with, A processing apparatus that allows selection between a processing state with the auxiliary member attached and a processing state without the auxiliary member attached.
2. In the processing apparatus according to claim 1, The auxiliary member has a gas injection unit that injects compressed gas coaxially with the laser beam onto the workpiece. A processing device characterized by the following.
3. In the processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, The device includes a moving mechanism for moving at least one of the processing head and the auxiliary member. A processing device characterized by the following.
4. In the processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, The processing head has an auxiliary member detection unit that detects when the auxiliary member is attached. A processing device characterized by the following.
5. In the processing apparatus described in claim 4, The deflection control unit, when the auxiliary member is detected by the auxiliary member detection unit, limits the deflection of the laser beam by the laser deflection mechanism. A processing device characterized by the following.
6. In the processing apparatus described in claim 4, The light source control unit stores a plurality of laser generation conditions in advance, and when the auxiliary member is detected by the auxiliary member detection unit, it controls the laser light source with the laser generation conditions corresponding to the processing state with the auxiliary member attached. A processing device characterized by the following.
7. In the processing apparatus described in claim 4, The auxiliary member detection unit is capable of detecting the type of auxiliary member that has been attached. A processing device characterized by the following.
8. In the processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, The light source control unit and the deflection control unit are integrated into one unit. A processing device characterized by the following.
9. In the processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, The auxiliary member has a lens or window inside. A processing device characterized by the following.