Processing device with combined annular water curtain and water-guided laser, and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of machining and provides a processing device with combined annular water curtain and water-guided laser, and a method, which solve the problem of the inability of water-guided laser technology to prolong the length of a stable water jet during processing. The processing device with combined annular water curtain and water-guided laser comprises a light-water coupling device, an annular water jet device, a nozzle, and an annular nozzle, wherein the nozzle is provided at the lower end of the light-water coupling device, the annular nozzle is provided on the annular water jet device, the nozzle is coaxially arranged inside the annular nozzle, the light-water coupling device is used to couple a laser beam and high-pressure water and then spray a light-guided water jet from the nozzle, and the annular water jet device is used to spray the high-pressure water from the annular nozzle to create an annular water curtain surrounding the light-guided water jet. The processing device is mainly used for precise hot processing, such as cutting, punching, and grooving.

Description

Annular water curtain composite water-guided laser processing device and method Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of machining, and in particular relates to an annular water curtain composite water-guided laser machining device and method. Background Art

[0002] In aerospace equipment, medical devices, semiconductor micro-machining and other processing companies, the manufacturing of many key precision components has extremely high technical requirements for processing accuracy, efficiency, thermal damage and fracture quality. Conventional processing methods are difficult to effectively take into account the above requirements.

[0003] Water-guided laser technology is an environmentally friendly, highly efficient precision machining technology. Its principle is to couple a high-energy laser beam into a fine water jet, which then guides the laser onto the workpiece surface for precision thermal processing such as cutting, drilling, or grooving. The water jet also removes excess heat and debris. Therefore, water-guided laser technology enables precise control of high-density energy in both cold and hot source modes, resulting in ultra-precise, efficient, and high-quality cuts. It is ideally suited for the fine machining of materials such as high-temperature alloys, wafers, and carbon fibers, as well as for the processing of biomedical device components.

[0004] The two most critical factors determining the precision machining capabilities of water-guided lasers are water jet diameter and stable water jet length. The water jet diameter significantly influences machining accuracy. The smaller the nozzle diameter, the smaller the water jet diameter, and the higher the machining accuracy. Furthermore, the machining depth and distance of water-guided lasers depend on the stable length of the water jet—the length of the jet segment that achieves optimal light guidance. This segment exhibits characteristics such as a smooth, clean surface and a tight, cylindrical flow. Therefore, the industry is highly focused on these two technical indicators. However, achieving consistent results in both metrics is difficult. This is because, upon exiting the nozzle, high-pressure water jets experience intense friction with the surrounding air, disrupting the stable laminar flow within. Consequently, after a certain distance, the water jet destabilizes, breaking up and forming droplets, which disrupt the light-water coupling channel. Research has shown that smaller water jet diameters are more susceptible to this effect, resulting in shorter stable water jet lengths. Even though some researchers have applied an auxiliary atmosphere to the water jet nozzle to isolate the air and extend the length of the stable liquid flow, the distance over which the auxiliary atmosphere can remain tightly packed after being ejected is extremely limited, and the protective effect disappears after spreading a certain distance. Therefore, how to effectively increase the stable jet length of the water jet, especially the jet length of smaller diameter water jets, is of great help in effectively improving the processability, incision quality, efficiency, and promotion of water-guided laser technology.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, the present invention aims to propose an annular water curtain composite water-guided laser processing device and method to solve the problem that the water-guided laser technology cannot extend the stable water jet length during processing.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present invention, an annular water curtain composite water-guided laser processing device is provided, comprising a light-water coupling device, an annular water jet device, a nozzle, and an annular nozzle, wherein a nozzle is provided at the lower end of the light-water coupling device, an annular nozzle is provided on the annular water jet device, and the nozzle is coaxially arranged in the annular nozzle, the light-water coupling device is used to couple the laser beam with high-pressure water and then eject a light-guiding water jet from the nozzle, and the annular water jet device is used to eject the high-pressure water from the annular nozzle to form an annular water curtain that covers the light-guiding water jet.

[0008] Furthermore, an isolation space is enclosed between the light-guiding water jet and the annular water curtain.

[0009] Furthermore, the annular water jet device is connected to the lower end of the optical-water coupling device.

[0010] Furthermore, the optical-water coupling device and the annular water jet device are both provided with a high-pressure water inlet.

[0011] Furthermore, a laser emitting device is provided at the upper end of the optical-water coupling device for emitting a laser beam into the optical-water coupling device.

[0012] Furthermore, the laser beam is a single energy beam or a composite energy beam.

[0013] Furthermore, the diameter of the light-guiding water jet is 10-600 μm, and the water pressure ranges from 0-100 MPa.

[0014] Furthermore, the inner diameter of the annular water curtain is in the range of 2 mm to 50 mm, the liquid flow width is in the range of 30 μm to 8 mm, and the liquid flow velocity is in the range of 0.01 times to 10 times the flow velocity of the light-guiding water jet.

[0015] Furthermore, the high-pressure water is pure water, distilled water or other liquids that meet the light guiding requirements.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for using the aforementioned annular water curtain composite water-guided laser processing device is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0017] S1. The water in the optical-water coupling device is ejected from the nozzle at high speed under pressure to form a single water jet;

[0018] S2. The water in the annular water jet device is ejected from the annular nozzle under pressure to form an annular water curtain surrounding the single water jet, with a certain gap between the annular water curtain and the single water jet;

[0019] S3. Couple the laser beam into a single-channel water jet to form a light-guiding water jet, and the light-guiding water jet and the annular water curtain are sprayed together to the surface of the workpiece to be processed for processing.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] The present invention coaxially combines another annular water curtain with the light-guiding water jet. The annular water curtain does not participate in the thermal processing process, but can form an isolated space to protect the light-guiding water jet. This design can effectively shield the influence of the external gas environment on the isolated space, so that the light-guiding water jet located at the center is always in a static environment, thereby effectively improving its anti-interference and stability.

[0022] The annular water curtain of the present invention can drive the gas in the isolation space to move in the same direction as the annular water curtain through the friction effect on the surrounding gas. The annular water curtain and the light-guiding water jet are coaxial and in the same direction, so the flow direction of the gas in the isolation space is also in the same direction as the light-guiding water jet. Therefore, the relative speed of the light-guiding water jet with the surrounding gas will be greatly reduced after being ejected, and the friction effect between the light-guiding water jet and the surrounding gas will also be significantly weakened, thereby enhancing the stability of the light-guiding water jet and effectively extending the length of the stable light-guiding water jet.

[0023] The annular water curtain of the present invention can form an isolated space and can drive the gas in the isolated space to produce directional movement, thereby generating a certain negative pressure effect in the isolated space. As the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the nozzle increases, the injection speed of the light-guiding water jet at the nozzle mouth will increase. At the same time, since the negative pressure phenomenon in the isolated space also means a decrease in the amount of surrounding gas, the resistance of the light-guiding water jet to the surrounding gas will also be reduced, and the stable liquid flow length of the light-guiding water jet will be further increased.

[0024] The invention effectively extends the stable jet distance, and can still have a significant effect in the case of a smaller diameter water jet. At the same time, the increase in the stable jet length is of great help in improving the processability range, incision quality, and processing efficiency of the water-guided laser.

[0025] The water curtain processing method of the present invention can more effectively remove excess processing heat and cutting residues, so the heat-affected zone of the obtained incision will be smaller and the incision quality will be better;

[0026] The annular water jet device is simple in design, easy to install and easy to implement, has many compound beneficial effects, obvious effects and good practicality;

[0027] The advantage of the annular water curtain design of the present invention over the conventional method of applying an auxiliary atmosphere at the nozzle is that, since the density of water is significantly greater than the density of gas, the annular water curtain has a greater impulse after being ejected, and is less likely to be affected by the surrounding atmosphere and cause the spray shape to be destroyed. Therefore, the isolation space formed by the annular water curtain is more stable and dense than that formed by the auxiliary atmosphere, and the effective protection distance is also longer, so the isolation effect against external gases is better, and its thermal processing stability will also be better; the annular water curtain has a molecular density close to or the same as that of the light-guiding water jet, so during its spraying and falling process, the change in the movement speed of the light-guiding water jet is relatively close to that of the light-guiding water jet. Therefore, even after the light-guiding water jet is ejected for a long distance, the surrounding gas can still maintain a relatively small relative motion with the light-guiding water jet under the drive of the annular water curtain. When the auxiliary atmosphere method is adopted, there will be a large difference between the surrounding gas flow field at the nozzle and the surrounding gas flow field after a certain distance of spraying, which will cause a change in the liquid flow state. Therefore, the use of an annular water curtain design will be more conducive to achieving a significant increase in the length of the stable water jet;

[0028] The liquid sprayed from the annular water curtain of the present invention can be recycled, so it saves more resources and is more environmentally friendly than the method of applying auxiliary atmosphere. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which constitute part of the present invention, are provided to provide a further understanding of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are provided to explain the present invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings:

[0030] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an annular water curtain composite water-guided laser processing device according to the present invention.

[0031] Laser beam 1; light-water coupling device 2; annular water jet device 3; nozzle 4; annular nozzle 5; light-guiding water jet 6; annular water curtain 7; isolation space 8. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The following will clearly and completely explain the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention and the features therein can be combined with each other without conflict, and the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments.

[0033] Referring to the accompanying drawings, this embodiment is described, according to one aspect of the present invention, providing an annular water curtain composite water-guided laser processing device, comprising a light-water coupling device 2, an annular water jet device 3, a nozzle 4, and an annular nozzle 5. The nozzle 4 is disposed at the lower end of the light-water coupling device 2, and the annular nozzle 5 is disposed on the annular water jet device 3. The nozzle 4 is coaxially disposed within the annular nozzle 5. The light-water coupling device 2 is configured to couple a laser beam 1 with high-pressure water, after which a light-guided water jet 6 is ejected from the nozzle 4. The annular water jet device 3 is configured to eject high-pressure water from the annular nozzle 5 to form an annular water curtain 7 that surrounds the light-guided water jet 6. During the cutting process, a conventional light-guided water jet 6 experiences intense friction with the surrounding air, causing the internal stable laminar flow state to gradually destabilize. Consequently, after a certain distance, the water jet destabilizes, rupturing and forming water droplets, which damage the light-water coupling channel. However, the annular water curtain 7 ejected from the coaxial annular nozzle 5 surrounds the light-guided water jet 6. As a result, an isolation space 8 is enclosed between the light-guiding water jet 6 and the annular water curtain 7. Furthermore, the gas in the isolation space 8 can be driven to produce directional motion. Since the direction of gas motion is the same as that of the light-guiding water jet 6 and the speed is close, the interaction between the two is very small, which plays a major role in stabilizing the water jet. The directional motion of the gas can also produce a certain negative pressure effect in the isolation space 8. As the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the nozzle 4 increases, the injection speed of the light-guiding water jet 6 at the nozzle 4 will increase. At the same time, since the negative pressure phenomenon in the isolation space 8 also means a decrease in the amount of surrounding gas, the resistance of the light-guiding water jet 6 to the surrounding gas will also be reduced, and the stable liquid flow length of the light-guiding water jet 6 will be further increased. Therefore, the stable jet length of the water jet can be effectively increased, and even in the case of a water jet with a smaller diameter, a good extension effect can still be achieved.

[0034] In this embodiment, the annular water jet device 3 is connected to the lower end of the optical-water coupling device 2. By integrating the annular water jet device 3 and the optical-water coupling device 2, space can be saved and the nozzle 4 and the annular nozzle 5 can be more easily arranged coaxially. A flange can be provided at the lower end of the nozzle 4, and the flange cooperates with the annular nozzle 5 to form a stable annular water curtain 7.

[0035] In this embodiment, both the optical-water coupling device 2 and the annular water jet device 3 are equipped with high-pressure water inlets. This arrangement allows for separate control of the hydraulic pressure within the optical-water coupling device 2 and the annular water jet device 3, thereby enabling independent regulation of the light-guiding water jet and the annular water curtain jet. The high-pressure water inlets of the optical-water coupling device 2 and the annular water jet device 3 can be placed on the same side, facilitating installation and providing a more rational layout for the high-pressure water piping.

[0036] In this embodiment, a laser emitting device is provided at the upper end of the optical-water coupling device 2 for emitting the laser beam 1 into the optical-water coupling device 2 .

[0037] In this embodiment, the laser beam 1 is a single energy beam or a composite energy beam. This water-guided laser processing device can adapt to different types of laser beams and has strong versatility. This can be achieved by adding different types of laser emitting devices.

[0038] In this embodiment, the diameter of the light-guiding water jet 6 is 10-600 μm, and the water pressure ranges from 0-100 MPa.

[0039] In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the annular water curtain 7 ranges from 2mm to 50mm, the liquid flow width ranges from 30μm to 8mm, and the liquid flow velocity ranges from 0.01 to 10 times the velocity of the light-guiding water jet 6. This arrangement allows the light-guiding water jet 6 to be enclosed within the annular water curtain 7, and even if the annular water curtain 7 is slightly deflected from the light-guiding water jet 6, a good, normal cutting effect can still be achieved.

[0040] In this embodiment, the high-pressure water is pure water, distilled water or other liquids that meet the light guiding requirements.

[0041] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for using the aforementioned annular water curtain composite water-guided laser processing device is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0042] S1, spraying the water in the optical-water coupling device 2 from the nozzle 4 at high speed under pressure to form a single water jet;

[0043] S2. The water in the annular water jet device 3 is ejected from the annular nozzle 5 under pressure to form an annular water curtain 7 that surrounds the single-channel water jet, and there is a certain gap between the annular water curtain 7 and the single-channel water jet; the annular water curtain 7 can drive the gas in the isolation space to move in the same direction as the annular water curtain through the friction effect on the surrounding gas, and the annular water curtain and the light-guiding water jet are coaxial and in the same direction, so the flow direction of the gas in the isolation space is also in the same direction as the light-guiding water jet. Therefore, the relative speed of the light-guiding water jet with the surrounding gas after being ejected will be greatly reduced, and the friction effect between the light-guiding water jet and the surrounding gas will also be significantly weakened, thereby enhancing the stability of the light-guiding water jet, and at the same time, the length of the stable light-guiding water jet is also effectively extended.

[0044] S3. The laser beam 1 is coupled into a single-channel water jet to form a light-guiding water jet 6. The light-guiding water jet 6 and the annular water curtain 7 are sprayed together onto the surface of the workpiece to be processed for processing, which can more effectively remove excess processing heat and cutting residues. Therefore, the heat-affected zone of the obtained incision will be smaller and the incision quality will be better.

[0045] The embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are intended only to illustrate the present invention. The embodiments do not describe all details in detail, nor do they limit the present invention to the specific embodiments described. Numerous modifications and variations are possible based on the contents of this specification. These embodiments are selected and described in detail in this specification to better explain the principles and practical applications of the present invention, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize the present invention.

Claims

1. A 1. annular water curtain composite water-guided laser processing device, characterized in that: The invention comprises a light-water coupling device (2), an annular water jet device (3), a nozzle (4) and an annular nozzle (5); the nozzle (4) is arranged at the lower end of the light-water coupling device (2); the annular nozzle (5) is arranged on the annular water jet device (3); the nozzle (4) is coaxially arranged in the annular nozzle (5); the light-water coupling device (2) is used for coupling a laser beam (1) with high-pressure water and then ejecting a light-guiding water jet (6) from the nozzle (4); and the annular water jet device (3) is used for ejecting high-pressure water from the annular nozzle (5) to form an annular water curtain (7) covering the light-guiding water jet (6).

2. The annular water curtain composite water-conducting laser processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The light-guiding water jet (6) and the annular water curtain (7) enclose an isolation space (8).

3. The annular water curtain composite water-conducting laser processing device according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The annular water jet device (3) is connected to the lower end of the light-water coupling device (2).

4. The annular water curtain composite water-conducting laser processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The optical-water coupling device (2) and the annular water jet device (3) are both provided with high-pressure water inlets.

5. The annular water curtain composite water-conducting laser processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A laser emitting device is arranged at the upper end of the light-water coupling device (2) for emitting a laser beam (1) into the light-water coupling device (2).

6. The annular water curtain composite water-conducting laser processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The laser beam (1) is a single energy beam or a composite energy beam.

7. The annular water curtain composite water-conducting laser processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The light-guiding water jet (6) has a diameter of 10-600 μm and a water pressure range of 0-100 MPa.

8. The annular water curtain composite water-conducting laser processing device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The inner diameter of the annular water curtain (7) is in the range of 2 mm to 50 mm, the width of the liquid flow is in the range of 30 μm to 8 mm, and the flow velocity of the liquid flow is in the range of 0.01 to 10 times the flow velocity of the light-guiding water jet (6).

9. The annular water curtain composite water-conducting laser processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The high-pressure water is pure water, distilled water or other liquids that meet the light-guiding requirements.

10. A method of using the annular water curtain composite water-conducting laser processing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: S1, spraying the water in the light-water coupling device (2) at high speed from the nozzle (4) under pressure Out, forming a single water jet; S2, water in the annular water jet device (3) is ejected from the annular nozzle (5) under pressure to form an annular water curtain (7) surrounding the single water jet, with a certain gap between the annular water curtain (7) and the single water jet; S3, coupling the laser beam (1) into a single-channel water jet to form a light-guiding water jet (6), and the light-guiding water jet (6) and the annular water curtain (7) are sprayed together onto the surface of the workpiece to be processed for processing.

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