Detection method for laser backing plate, and related apparatus

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a detection method for a laser backing plate, and a related apparatus. The laser backing plate is configured to be placed on a printing platform of a processing device, and the processing device comprises a 3D printing head, a laser head detachably connected to the 3D printing head, and a camera, wherein the 3D printing head extrudes printing material onto the printing platform; and the laser backing plate is configured to support an object to be laser-processed, and the surface of the laser backing plate facing the camera is provided with a first identifier. The detection method comprises: acquiring, by means of a camera, an image of a processing device in a direction toward a printing platform; and detecting whether a first identifier is present in the image, and if the first identifier is present in the image, determining that a laser backing plate is placed on the printing platform. Accordingly, an image of the printing platform can be automatically detected to determine whether the laser backing plate is placed, thereby greatly improving the accuracy of laser processing.

Description

Laser pad testing methods and related devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202510343610X, filed on March 21, 2025, entitled "Method and Related Apparatus for Detecting Laser Pads", and to Chinese Patent Application No. 2025103517183, filed on March 24, 2025, entitled "Method and Related Apparatus for Detecting Laser Pads", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of laser processing technology, and in particular to a method and related apparatus for detecting laser pads. Background Technology

[0003] Laser pads are protective bases used to hold materials during laser processing. There are many types of laser pads, such as honeycomb panels, blade-type pads, ceramic-coated pads, and aluminum mesh pads. The function of these laser pads is to protect the worktable from laser burns, provide better ventilation, and reduce scorching or discoloration. In short, laser pads can optimize the processing effects of laser engraving and laser cutting. Currently, the placement of laser pads mainly relies on operator awareness. Operators manually place the laser pads into the processing equipment and then remember that they are in place. This method is not intelligent enough, and operators can forget, resulting in low reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, this application provides a method and related apparatus for detecting laser pads, which can automatically detect the image of the printing platform to determine whether the laser pad is placed, greatly improving the accuracy of laser processing.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a method for detecting a laser pad, wherein the laser pad is used to be placed on the printing platform of a processing device, the processing device including a 3D printing head, a laser head detachably connected to the 3D printing head, and a camera; wherein the 3D printing head extrudes printing consumables onto the printing platform; the laser pad is used to support an object to be laser-processed, and the laser pad has a first mark on its surface facing the camera;

[0006] The detection method includes:

[0007] The camera acquires an image of the processing equipment in the direction of the printing platform;

[0008] The presence of the first identifier in the image is detected. If the first identifier is present in the image, it is determined that the laser pad is placed on the printing platform.

[0009] In one possible embodiment, the printing platform is provided with a guide limiting part, and the laser pad is provided with a structure adapted to the guide limiting part to restrict the movement of the laser pad in the horizontal direction.

[0010] In one possible embodiment, the method further includes:

[0011] Detect whether the image includes the guide limiting part; if the image does not include the guide limiting part, determine that the laser pad is offset and placed on the printing platform.

[0012] In one possible embodiment, the method further includes:

[0013] Detect whether the image includes the guide limiting part. If the image includes the guide limiting part, obtain the placement state of the laser pad relative to the printing platform based on the distance between the first identifier and the guide limiting part.

[0014] In one possible embodiment, the first mark is disposed on a structure that adapts the laser pad to the guide limiting portion;

[0015] The method further includes:

[0016] If the distance between the first identifier and the guide limiting part is greater than a preset threshold, the laser pad is offset and placed on the printing platform.

[0017] In one possible embodiment, the guide limiting part and the laser pad are provided with a structure adapted to the guide limiting part located in the non-processing area.

[0018] In one possible embodiment, the first identifier is located in the edge region of the laser pad; or, the first identifier is disposed on a structure of the laser pad that is adapted to the guide limiting portion.

[0019] In one possible embodiment, the guide limiting portion includes a guide limiting block, and the laser pad includes an end face adapted to the guide limiting block, the end face abutting against the surface of the guide limiting block.

[0020] In one possible embodiment, the laser pad is provided with consumables that can be recovered after laser ablation, for calibrating the position of the laser head.

[0021] In one possible embodiment, the edge of the laser pad is provided with at least two first markings, and the edge of the printing platform is provided with at least two guide limiting modules.

[0022] In one possible embodiment, a support member is provided on the laser pad to prevent the object to be laser-processed from shifting during processing. The method further includes:

[0023] The image is detected to determine the contact area data between the object to be laser-processed and the supporting member;

[0024] If the contact area data is less than the preset contact area threshold corresponding to the object to be laser-processed, a prompt will be made to replace the laser pad or the support component.

[0025] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a processing device, including a 3D print head, a laser head detachably connected to the 3D print head, a printing platform, a camera, and a processor; wherein the 3D print head extrudes printing consumables onto the printing platform; a laser pad is placed on the printing platform, the laser pad is used to support the object to be laser-processed, and the laser pad has a first mark on its surface facing the camera; the processor is used to execute instructions for the steps of the method as described in any of the first aspects of embodiments of this application.

[0026] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for electronic data interchange, wherein the computer program causes a computer to perform some or all of the steps described in any method of the first aspect of embodiments of this application.

[0027] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product, wherein the computer program product includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, the computer program being operable to cause a computer to perform some or all of the steps described in any method of the first aspect of this application. The computer program product may be a software installation package.

[0028] As can be seen, through the aforementioned laser pad detection method and related device, the laser pad is placed on the printing platform of a processing equipment, which includes a 3D printing head, a laser head detachably connected to the 3D printing head, and a camera; wherein, the 3D printing head extrudes printing filament onto the printing platform; the laser pad is used to support the object to be laser-processed, and the laser pad has a first mark on its surface facing the camera; the detection method includes: acquiring an image of the processing equipment in the direction of the printing platform through the camera; detecting whether the first mark exists in the image; if the first mark exists in the image, determining that the laser pad is placed on the printing platform. The ability to automatically detect the image of the printing platform to determine whether the laser pad is placed greatly improves the accuracy of laser processing. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a processing equipment provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 2A is a schematic diagram of a laser pad and printing platform provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 2B is a partial schematic diagram of a laser pad and printing platform provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating a laser pad detection method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating another laser pad detection method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the effect of a laser pad being correctly placed on a printing platform according to an embodiment of this application.

[0035] Figure 6 is a functional unit block diagram of a laser pad detection device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0037] The terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or apparatuses.

[0038] In the embodiments of this application, "at least one item" or its similar expression refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of a single item or a plurality of items. "One or more" means one or more, while "multiple" means two or more. For example, "at least one item" of a, b, or c can represent the following seven cases: a, b, c; a and b; a and c; b and c; a, b, and c. Each of a, b, and c can be an element or a set containing one or more elements.

[0039] In this application's embodiments, "connection" refers to various connection methods, such as direct or indirect connection, to achieve communication between devices. This application's embodiments do not impose any limitations on this. In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. In one example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows mutual communication; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components.

[0040] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0041] Currently, whether the laser pad is placed correctly and whether it is placed properly are generally determined manually, which is costly.

[0042] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides a method and related apparatus for detecting laser pads, which can automatically detect images of the printing platform to determine whether a laser pad has been placed, greatly improving the precision of laser processing.

[0043] Please refer to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a processing device provided in an embodiment of this application, including a processor (not shown in the figure), a processing platform 110, a camera 120, and a tool head 130, wherein the processor is electrically connected to the camera 120 and the tool head 130 respectively.

[0044] The processing platform 110 refers to a universal worktable that can be used for various processing methods. For example, the processing platform 110 can be used for 3D printing, laser processing, and other processing methods. For 3D printing, it needs to include a printing platform, which may include a heated bed, and may further include at least one of a printing panel located on the heated bed and a heated bed support for supporting the heated bed. The heated bed support can elastically support the heated bed or fixedly support the heated bed and the printing panel. The processing equipment provided in this application can be used for both 3D printing and laser engraving, laser cutting, etc. For laser processing, the processing platform 110 may include a laser pad on which the object to be laser-processed is placed. Optionally, if the processing equipment can perform both 3D printing and laser processing, the processing platform 110 may include not only the laser pad but also the aforementioned printing platform. When laser processing is required, the laser pad can be placed on the printing platform; when 3D printing is required, the laser pad can be removed. Alternatively, the processing platform 110 can also be a printing platform. This processing equipment can engrave / cut the printed parts while printing, or engrave / cut the printed parts on the printing platform after printing is completed. Further details will not be elaborated here.

[0045] The camera 120 can be a built-in camera on the processing equipment. The camera 120 can be positioned to capture the entire processing platform 110, such as above the front door housing, top housing, or side frame of the processing equipment. In one possible embodiment, the camera 120 can also be mounted on a motion component, for example, on a tool head. The movement of the motion component moves the camera 120 to capture images of the processing platform and transmits the images to the processor.

[0046] The tool head 130 and the processing platform 110 are movable relative to each other. The tool head 130 may include a 3D printing head and a detachably connected laser head, etc. The 3D printing head includes a hot end for heating the printing material, and the laser head can be detachably connected to the 3D printing head via a mounting component. The 3D printing head can extrude printing filaments onto the printing platform. Specifically, the hot end of the 3D printing head for heating the printing material can extrude the printing filaments through a nozzle. The printing filaments can be easily heated and melted plastic filaments, such as polylactic acid or acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer. The nozzle diameter can be 0.2mm, 0.4mm, and 0.8mm, etc. The printing filaments contained in the 3D printing head can also be multiple colors and different properties of printing materials, not just one type of printing filament.

[0047] In some feasible implementations, when the 3D printing head is connected to the laser head, after the 3D printing head has finished printing the product or during the printing process, the laser head performs laser engraving on the 3D printed product / part of the product. The high energy density of the laser beam causes the material surface to heat up rapidly, melt, or vaporize, thereby forming the desired pattern or text. This reduces the steps of first installing the 3D printing head, then disassembling it, and then installing the laser head, improving production efficiency. Alternatively, the processing consumables for the laser head, such as acrylic sheets, wood, metal, glass, stainless steel, and rock, can be placed on the processing platform, allowing the laser head to process products other than 3D printed products. The processing equipment of this application can achieve 3D printing independently, laser engraving / cutting independently, or both simultaneously. By sharing the same set of motion devices, such as guide rods / processing platforms, between the laser head and the 3D printing head, various processing methods can be achieved, such as printing, engraving / cutting, printing while engraving / cutting, or printing first and then engraving / cutting, providing multiple possibilities for complex product manufacturing, further improving production efficiency, and reducing costs.

[0048] Sculpting refers to the process of altering the appearance of a material without completely penetrating it. It involves removing portions of a material through carving, engraving, or other methods to create a desired shape, pattern, or design. Examples include carving fine lines and patterns on a material's surface using a carving knife, or engraving text or images on a material's surface using a laser beam.

[0049] Cutting refers to altering the appearance, properties, and / or state of a material by means of mechanical force, heat, water, or chemical methods, separating the material into two or more parts. Cutting can include, for example, through-cutting, bleaching, curing, burning, etc. Examples include mechanical cutting, thermal cutting, water cutting, or chemical cutting.

[0050] Optionally, after the 3D print head finishes printing the product, a laser head can be used to perform secondary processing on the product. For example, the laser head can perform laser engraving on the product printed by the 3D print head, avoiding the repeated installation and removal of the 3D print head and the laser head, and improving the production efficiency of the processing equipment.

[0051] The processor can be a server or a processor integrated into the processing equipment. It receives and detects images from the camera 120 to determine if the laser pad is placed, and further determines whether the placement of the laser pad is correct. For example, the placement status can include whether the placement position is offset. For example, if the laser pad is correctly placed, the laser head can be controlled to process the object to be laser-processed. If the current laser pad placement is incorrect, a prompt message can be generated and displayed through a display module. The display module can be integrated into the processing equipment or decoupled from it.

[0052] The laser pad can be used to support the object to be laser-processed. The processing platform 110 shown in Figure 1 is part of the processing platform. Because laser processing generates high temperatures and impacts, direct contact with the printing platform can easily cause surface wear and deformation, affecting the precision and lifespan of the processing equipment. Using a laser pad allows it to withstand the high temperatures and impacts generated during laser processing, isolating the printing platform from the laser processing process, thus effectively protecting the processing equipment and extending its lifespan. Specifically, the laser pad can include polymer materials such as phenolic resin and epoxy resin. These materials have good high-temperature resistance, can withstand the high heat generated during laser processing, and are not easily deformed or burned. At the same time, they have high chemical stability and are not easily corroded by the chemicals generated during laser processing. The laser pad can also include wood materials such as linden and birch. Wooden laser pads are relatively soft, making it easier for the laser to penetrate the material during processing, thus achieving more precise cutting and engraving effects. In addition, wood has a certain degree of elasticity, which can buffer the impact generated during laser processing to some extent, reducing damage to the laser processing equipment. The laser pad can also include metal materials such as aluminum alloy and stainless steel. Metal laser pads possess excellent thermal conductivity, enabling them to rapidly dissipate heat generated during laser processing, effectively preventing material deformation or damage due to overheating. Furthermore, the high hardness and wear resistance of metal materials allow them to withstand the friction and wear generated during laser processing, extending the pad's lifespan. For example, in a processing device capable of both laser processing and 3D printing, where the laser head is detachably mounted to the 3D printing head, the processing platform can be specifically implemented by placing the laser pad on the printing platform, forming a structure from top to bottom: object to be laser processed - laser pad - printing platform.

[0053] Please refer to Figure 2A, which is a structural schematic diagram of a laser pad and printing platform provided in an embodiment of this application. The laser pad 210 includes a laser pad 210 and a printing platform 220. The laser pad 210 is placed on the printing platform 220, and a first identifier 211 is provided on the surface of the laser pad 210 facing the camera. The first identifier 211 can have various visual representations, such as a QR code, barcode, checkerboard pattern, zebra stripe, etc.

[0054] In one feasible implementation, the printing platform 220 may be provided with a guide limiting part 221, and the laser pad 210 may have a structure adapted to the guide limiting part 221 to restrict the movement of the laser pad 210 in the horizontal direction. For example, the laser pad 210 may have an end face that can abut against the guide limiting part 221. This end face includes a first end face and a second end face, wherein the first end face abuts against a first side edge of the laser pad to restrict the movement of the laser pad 210 along the Y direction on the processing plane; the second end face abuts against a second side edge of the laser pad to restrict the movement of the laser pad 210 along the X direction on the processing plane; the first side edge of the laser pad is disposed along the Y direction, and the second side edge of the laser pad is disposed along the X direction.

[0055] The guide limiting part 221 and the laser pad 210 are provided with structures adapted to the guide limiting part 221 located in the non-processing area.

[0056] In one possible embodiment, the first mark 211 is disposed on the structure of the laser pad 210 that is adapted to the guide limiting part 221, or the first mark 211 is located in the edge region of the laser pad 210.

[0057] In one possible embodiment, the guide limiting portion 221 includes a guide limiting block, and the laser pad 210 includes an end face adapted to the guide limiting block, the end face abutting against the surface of the guide limiting block.

[0058] In one possible embodiment, the edge of the laser pad 210 is provided with two first markings 211, and the edge of the printing platform 220 is provided with two guide limiting modules.

[0059] In one possible embodiment, the laser pad 210 is provided with a reusable consumable 212 that can be recovered after laser ablation, which is used to calibrate the position of the laser head. The reusable consumable 212 can be photosensitive paper or thermal paper, etc., and is not specifically limited here.

[0060] In one possible embodiment, a support member is provided on the laser pad 210. The support member is used to prevent the object to be laser-processed from shifting during the processing. The support member can be a serrated bar, a grid, or other structure, and is not specifically limited here.

[0061] Please refer to Figure 2B, which is a partial schematic diagram of a laser pad and printing platform provided in an embodiment of this application. As can be seen, the first mark 211 can be a diamond stripe. The laser pad includes an end face 213 adapted to the guide limiting part 221. The end face 213 abuts against the surface of the guide limiting part 221. The guide limiting part 221 can restrict the laser pad from moving in the horizontal direction, which will not be described in detail here.

[0062] It should be noted that Figures 2A and 2B are only possible examples and do not represent limitations on the first mark and the guide limiter. The number, position, and style of the first mark and the number, position, and style of the guide limiter can be flexibly adjusted as needed, which will not be elaborated here.

[0063] The following describes a method for detecting a laser pad according to an embodiment of this application, with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for detecting a laser pad according to an embodiment of this application. The laser pad is placed on the printing platform of a processing device, which includes a 3D printing head, a laser head detachably connected to the 3D printing head, and a camera. The 3D printing head extrudes printing material onto the printing platform. The laser pad is used to support the object to be laser-processed, and the laser pad has a first marking on its surface facing the camera. The method specifically includes the following steps:

[0064] Step 301: Acquire an image of the processing equipment in the direction of the printing platform using a camera.

[0065] In one feasible implementation, if the camera is a chassis camera of the processing equipment, then the camera is fixed inside the chassis. Optionally, the camera can be a top-down camera, fixedly mounted on the front or top shell of the chassis, tilted at an angle towards the printing platform. Optionally, to avoid the tool head obstructing the area where the markings may appear, before step 301, the tool head can be controlled to move to the same side as the camera, preventing the tool head from falling into the camera's field of view.

[0066] Optionally, in some feasible implementations, if the camera is mounted on the tool head and can move with the tool head, the tool head can be controlled to move to the area above where the mark may appear, and then the camera can capture an image of the area that may include the mark.

[0067] The device can capture at least one image of the processing equipment in the direction of the printing platform using a camera. The printing platform can be provided with a guide limiting part, and the laser pad has a structure adapted to the guide limiting part to restrict the movement of the laser pad in the horizontal direction.

[0068] In one possible embodiment, the guide limiting portion and the laser pad have a structure adapted to the guide limiting portion located in the non-processing area, and the first mark is located in the edge area of ​​the laser pad; or, the first mark is disposed on the structure of the laser pad adapted to the guide limiting portion. This can prevent damage to the guide limiting portion and the first mark during processing.

[0069] In one possible embodiment, the guide limiting portion includes a guide limiting block, and the laser pad includes an end face adapted to the guide limiting block, the end face abutting against the surface of the guide limiting block.

[0070] In one possible embodiment, the laser pad is provided with reusable consumables that can be recovered after laser ablation, which are used to calibrate the position of the laser head. The reusable consumables can be photosensitive paper or thermal paper, etc., which will not be elaborated here.

[0071] In one possible embodiment, the edge of the laser pad is provided with at least two first marks, and the edge of the printing platform is provided with at least two guide limiting modules. It is understood that at least two guide limiting modules can hold the laser pad in place, preventing it from moving horizontally. Three first marks and three guide limiting modules can be provided as needed, and no specific limitation is made here. In a feasible implementation, the first marks are provided on the structure where the laser pad and the guide limiting part cooperate. To detect whether the laser pad is placed correctly, the number of first marks and the number of guide limiting modules can be set to be the same. In this case, the position of the laser pad can be determined based on the distance between each first mark and each guide phase structure. For example, correct placement of the laser pad can include the laser pad being in place and the front of the laser pad facing the laser head, i.e., only one surface of the laser pad has a first mark. If the presence of the first mark can be detected, it can be considered that the laser pad is not placed upside down.

[0072] In one possible embodiment, the first identifier can be a specific pattern such as zebra stripes or swirl patterns. It is understood that the first identifier is distinct from other patterns on the laser processing platform and the laser pad to avoid errors during identification. The number of first identifiers is at least two, and they are set in pairs along the edge of the laser pad. The laser pad has four sides, and two first identifiers can be set at each end of any one side. It should be noted that when the number of first identifiers is greater than two, any side of the laser pad other than the side already marked with a first identifier can be used to set the first identifier, and in this case, it is no longer necessary to set them in pairs. This will not be elaborated further. By setting at least two first identifiers, the detection results can be more accurate during subsequent laser pad offset detection.

[0073] Step 302: Detect whether there is a first identifier in the image. If the first identifier exists in the image, determine that the laser pad is placed on the printing platform.

[0074] In one possible embodiment, an image can be input into a trained object detection model, and the output of the object detection model can be used to determine whether a first identifier exists in the image. The object detection model can be used to identify each first identifier in the image and generate a first detection box to enclose the first identifier. A first detection box may include one first identifier.

[0075] Specifically, the object detection model can be built using YOLOv5. The YOLOv5 network structure mainly consists of three parts: the backbone, the neck, and the head. For the backbone, YOLOv5 offers several different options, including CSPDarknet53 and CSPResNet50. These backbones are designed based on the CSPNet (Cross Stage Partial Network) concept. CSPNet's main function is to divide the feature map of the convolutional neural network into two parts: one part is directly passed to the next layer, and the other part undergoes a series of convolutional operations before being fused with the directly passed part. This structural design not only effectively reduces the computational cost and number of parameters, thus improving the model's efficiency, but also enhances its feature extraction capabilities, enabling the model to better learn various feature information in the image, thereby improving the accuracy of object detection. For the neck network, YOLOv5 employs an improved structure based on the Path Aggregation Network (PANet). The main function of PANet is to enable rapid information flow and feature fusion between feature maps at different levels by establishing additional connections between bottom-up and top-down feature propagation paths. This structural design allows the model to fully utilize feature information from other levels at different levels, thereby improving the model's detection capability and robustness in complex scenes and for objects of different sizes. Regarding the head network, YOLOv5 uses an anchor box-based detection head structure. While maintaining detection accuracy, YOLOv5's detection head structure significantly reduces the computational cost and number of parameters, thus improving the model's operational efficiency. Specifically, YOLOv5's detection head structure mainly consists of three parts: a classification prediction head, a bounding box regression prediction head, and a confidence prediction head. The main function of the classification prediction head is to predict the class probability of the target object in each anchor box; the main function of the bounding box regression prediction head is to predict the bounding box position of the target object in each anchor box; and the main function of the confidence prediction head is to predict the presence confidence of the target object in each anchor box. By fusing the prediction results of these three parts, the final detection result of the target object in each anchor box can be obtained. The target detection model can identify the first identifier in the image, which will not be elaborated here. When the first identifier is identified in the image, it can be determined that the laser pad is placed on the printing platform.

[0076] Optionally, in some feasible implementations, there are multiple ways to detect whether a first identifier exists in an image. Commonly used object detection algorithms can be employed, such as Regions with Convolutional Neural Networks (R-CNN), Segment Anything Model (SAM), etc. These are all commonly used object detection algorithms. This application does not limit how to detect whether a first identifier exists in an image.

[0077] As can be seen, through the aforementioned laser pad detection method and related device, the laser pad is placed on the printing platform of a processing equipment, which includes a 3D printing head, a laser head detachably connected to the 3D printing head, and a camera; wherein, the 3D printing head extrudes printing filament onto the printing platform; the laser pad is used to support the object to be laser-processed, and the laser pad has a first mark on its surface facing the camera; the detection method includes: acquiring an image of the processing equipment in the direction of the printing platform through the camera; detecting whether the first mark exists in the image; if the first mark exists in the image, determining that the laser pad is placed on the printing platform. This method can automatically detect the image of the printing platform to determine whether the laser pad is placed, offering high reliability and ensuring the safety of laser processing, greatly improving the accuracy of laser processing.

[0078] In one possible embodiment, if it is determined that the first identifier does not exist in the image, it can be determined that no laser pad is placed on the laser processing platform, and information prompting the placement of the laser pad needs to be generated and displayed.

[0079] As can be seen, by detecting the image of the laser processing platform to determine whether the first identifier exists in the image, it is possible to first detect whether the laser pad exists. Since the premise for detecting whether the laser pad is offset is that the laser pad has been set on the laser processing platform, performing this step first can eliminate the case where the laser pad is not set, reduce system power consumption, and provide data support for subsequent laser pad offset detection.

[0080] Please refer to Figure 4, which illustrates another laser pad detection method provided in this application embodiment. The laser pad is used to place on the printing platform of a processing device, which includes a 3D printing head, a laser head detachably connected to the 3D printing head, and a camera. The 3D printing head extrudes printing filament onto the printing platform. The laser pad is used to support the object to be laser-processed, and a first marking is provided on the surface of the laser pad facing the camera. The method specifically includes the following steps:

[0081] Step 401: Obtain an image of the processing equipment in the direction of the printing platform using a camera.

[0082] Step 402: Detect whether there is a first identifier in the image. If the first identifier exists in the image, determine that the laser pad is placed on the printing platform.

[0083] Step 403: Detect whether the image includes the guide limiting part. If the image does not include the guide limiting part, determine that the laser pad is offset and placed on the printing platform.

[0084] The printing platform has at least two guide and limiting modules along its edge. The image including the guide and limiting parts is a top view of the image including the guide and limiting modules. For example, the top view of the guide and limiting modules can be a parallelogram, trapezoid, square, etc., and the color of the top view of the guide and limiting modules is the same as the color of the guide and limiting modules themselves, without specific limitations. The number of top view patterns of the guide and limiting modules can be at least two. It can be understood that the number of top view patterns of the guide and limiting modules is the same as the number of first identifiers. The guide and limiting modules are generally positioned adjacent to the first identifiers to facilitate subsequent offset detection. For example, when the first identifier 'a' is positioned at one end of the x-side of the laser pad and the first identifier 'b' is positioned at the other end of the x-side of the laser pad, the guide and limiting module 'c' can be positioned at one end of the x-side of the printing platform, and the guide and limiting module 'd' can be positioned at the other end of the x-side of the printing platform. The x-side of the printing platform and the x-side of the laser pad are on the same side. Therefore, if the laser pad is not offset, the second identifier 'c' is adjacent to the first identifier 'a', and the second identifier 'd' is adjacent to the first identifier 'b'.

[0085] As can be seen, the absence of the guide limiting portion in the image indicates that the guide limiting portion is obscured by the laser pad, confirming that the laser pad is offset on the printing platform. Timely adjustment is necessary.

[0086] Step 404: Detect whether the image includes the guide limiting part. If the image includes the guide limiting part, obtain the placement state of the laser pad relative to the printing platform based on the distance between the first identifier and the guide limiting part.

[0087] Specifically, if the distance between the first identifier and the guide limiting part is greater than a preset threshold, the laser pad is offset on the printing platform; if the distance between the first identifier and the guide limiting part is less than or equal to the preset threshold, the laser pad is correctly placed on the printing platform.

[0088] In one possible embodiment, the distance between the first identifier and the guide limiting portion can be the distance between the two in the image. That is, the pixel distance is directly used to determine whether the laser pad is misaligned on the printing platform.

[0089] In one possible embodiment, the distance between the first identifier and the guide limiting part can be the actual distance obtained by converting the distance in the image, and the actual distance is used to determine whether the laser pad is offset on the printing platform.

[0090] Specifically, the first shape data and the second shape data in the image can be detected to determine at least two first detection boxes and at least one second detection box. Each first detection box includes a first identifier, and the at least one second detection box includes the at least two guide limit modules. At least two first position data are determined based on the coordinate data of each first detection box, and at least one second position data is determined based on the coordinate data of the at least one second detection box.

[0091] Specifically, each first detection box and each second detection box are determined using the object detection model trained above.

[0092] In one possible embodiment, a first detection box can be generated for each first identifier, and then the midpoint coordinates of each first detection box can be calculated as the first position data. In this case, the first position data may include the midpoint coordinates of each first detection box.

[0093] In one possible embodiment, all first identifiers can be included in a first detection box, and then the midpoint coordinates of the first detection box can be calculated as the first position data. In this case, the first position data includes the midpoint coordinates of a first detection box.

[0094] In one possible embodiment, a second detection frame for each guide limit module can be generated, and the midpoint coordinates of each second detection frame can be calculated as second position data. In this case, the second position data may include the midpoint coordinates of each second detection frame.

[0095] In one possible embodiment, all guide and limit modules can be included in a second detection frame, and then the midpoint coordinates of the second detection frame can be calculated as the second position data. In this case, the second position data includes the midpoint coordinates of the second detection frame.

[0096] When identifying the image to determine the second identification data, there are three scenarios: the first is that the guide limit module cannot be identified, in which case the second identification data is empty; the second is that the guide limit module can be identified, but only a part of it is identified; and the third is that the complete guide limit module can be identified. For the first and second scenarios, it is actually unnecessary to perform offset detection on the laser pad. This is because when the guide limit module cannot be identified or only a part of it is identified, it means that the guide limit module is blocked by the laser pad. In this case, the laser pad is obviously offset, and a prompt can be given directly without further offset detection to reduce system power consumption.

[0097] Specifically, the second shape data of the identified guide limiting modules can be compared with preset shape data to determine whether the guide limiting modules are obstructed. If the second shape data of each guide limiting module matches the preset shape data, it can be determined that the guide limiting module is not obstructed and the laser pad is not significantly offset, requiring further offset detection. If the second shape data of at least one guide limiting module does not match the preset shape data, it can be determined that at least one guide limiting module is obstructed by the laser pad. In this case, offset detection is not necessary, and a direct indication of offset can be provided to reduce system power consumption. If the second shape data does not match the preset shape data, a prompt message is generated and displayed. This prompt message indicates that the laser pad has offset within a relatively large range, where the range refers to the offset range of the laser pad.

[0098] In one possible embodiment, the relative position of the laser pad and the printing platform can be determined based on the distance between the first identifier and the guide limiting part in the image. There are two possible relative position states: one is that the laser pad is correctly placed on the printing platform, and the other is that the laser pad is offset from the printing platform. For ease of understanding, the state in which the laser pad is correctly placed on the printing platform will be described first. Referring to Figure 5, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the effect of the laser pad being correctly placed on the printing platform according to an embodiment of this application. As can be seen, the figure is a top view of the printing platform. The first identifier is in the upper left corner and exists in the form of a striped zebra pattern. The second identifier is in the upper right corner. The guide limiting module is a gray parallelogram. The first guide limiting module is located adjacent to the right of the first identifier, and the second guide limiting module is located adjacent to the left of the second identifier. The coordinate difference between the first position data corresponding to the first identifier and the second position data corresponding to the second identifier can be recorded as a preset coordinate difference.

[0099] In one possible embodiment, if the coordinate difference between the at least two first position data and the at least one second position data does not conform to a preset coordinate difference, it is determined that the relative position state does not conform to the preset position state; if the coordinate difference between the at least two first position data and the at least one second position data conforms to the preset coordinate difference, it is determined that the relative position state conforms to the preset position state. For example, the first position data includes the center coordinates of the two first detection frames of the two first identifiers, which are (u2, v2) and (u3, v3) respectively. The second position data includes the center coordinates of the second detection frame of the two guide limit modules, which are (u1, v1). u1, u2, and u3 represent pixel row coordinates, and v1, v2, and v3 represent pixel column coordinates. The coordinate differences reflecting the relative position of the first identifiers and the guide limit modules can be calculated as d1 = abs(u1 - u2) and d2 = abs(u1 - u3), where d1 represents the pixel row distance between one first identifier and the guide limit module, and d2 represents the pixel row distance between the other first identifier and the guide limit module. When either d1 or d2 does not conform to the preset coordinate difference, it can be determined that the laser pad is not correctly placed on the printing platform. When d1 and d2 conform to the preset coordinate difference, it can be determined that the laser pad is correctly placed on the printing platform. It can be understood that the accuracy of the preset coordinate difference can be flexibly adjusted as needed.

[0100] As can be seen, by detecting whether the image includes the guide limiting part, if the image includes the guide limiting part, the placement state of the laser pad relative to the printing platform can be obtained based on the distance between the first identifier and the guide limiting part in the image. Further offset detection can be performed when it is determined that the laser pad has not shifted significantly, thereby optimizing detection efficiency and improving detection accuracy.

[0101] In one possible embodiment, if the laser pad is found to be offset on the printing platform, a prompt message can be generated and displayed. The prompt message is used to indicate the offset of the laser pad, and the form of the prompt message can be at least one of voice, text, video, image, vibration, etc., without specific limitations.

[0102] In one feasible implementation, as shown in Figure 2A, a reusable consumable 212 that can be recovered after laser ablation is provided on the laser pad. In laser-based hand-eye coordination tasks (laser engraving, laser cutting, etc.), the calibration of the positional relationship between the laser and the camera has a crucial impact on the hand-eye coordination task. Specifically, in a scenario where the laser head is mounted on the print head, during the laser head calibration process, the laser head is controlled to move to a preset position, which corresponds to the location of the reusable consumable 212. The laser head is then controlled to emit a laser beam onto the reusable consumable at the preset position, forming a marking pattern on the reusable consumable. If there is a camera fixed to the print head, the print head is controlled to move to the vicinity of the preset position according to a target movement amount, and the camera captures an image of the reusable consumable containing the marking pattern. In some feasible implementations, this target movement amount is a preset value. Based on the image and the target movement amount, the position information of the laser head is obtained, thereby completing the hand-eye calibration between the laser head and the camera. Assuming the camera is not fixed to the printhead, but is movable within the processing equipment, unlike a camera fixed in the chassis, it can be controlled to move to a preset position according to the target movement, capturing an image of the recoverable consumable containing the marked pattern. Based on this image and the target movement, the laser head's position information can still be obtained, thus completing the hand-eye calibration between the laser head and the camera. This demonstrates that the placement of the recoverable consumable is crucial in the laser position calibration process. Since the recoverable consumable is placed on a laser pad, correct pad placement ensures the consumable is in the correct position. Therefore, implementing a laser pad offset setting is beneficial for calibrating the laser position and improving the accuracy of laser processing.

[0103] For example, the reversible consumables after laser ablation / illumination can be materials with recoverable colors, such as thermal paper, photosensitive paper, or fluorescent materials with temperature-controlled properties.

[0104] Step 405: If the laser pad is correctly placed on the printing platform, detect the image to determine the contact area data between the object to be laser-processed and the supporting member.

[0105] The laser pad is provided with a support member to prevent the object to be laser-processed from shifting during the processing. The support member may include a rack structure, a honeycomb structure, a spiral structure, etc., without specific limitations. The larger the size of the object to be laser-processed, the larger the contact area between the object and the support member. The denser the structure of the support member, the larger the contact area between the object and the support member. Conversely, the smaller the size of the object to be laser-processed, the smaller the contact area between the object and the support member. The sparser the structure of the support member, the smaller the contact area between the object and the support member.

[0106] It is evident that by detecting the image to determine the contact area data between the object to be laser-processed and the supporting component, data reference can be provided for subsequent determination of whether the object to be laser-processed is stable, because the larger the contact area between the object to be laser-processed and the supporting component, the more stable it is.

[0107] Step 406: If the contact area data is less than the preset contact area threshold corresponding to the object to be laser-processed, prompt to replace the laser pad or the support component.

[0108] In this process, experiments can be conducted in advance to determine the stability of the object to be laser-processed on the laser pad under different contact areas, thereby determining the preset contact area threshold. If the contact area data is less than the preset contact area threshold corresponding to the object to be laser-processed, it can be determined that the object to be laser-processed is not stable enough on the laser pad.

[0109] In one possible embodiment, it can be identified whether the laser pad is a laser pad with a replaceable support component. If the laser pad is a laser pad with a non-replaceable support component, it can prompt the user to replace the laser pad. If the laser pad is a laser pad with a replaceable support component, it can prompt the user to replace the support component. No specific limitation is made here.

[0110] As can be seen, this method can detect whether the laser pad is compatible with the object to be laser-processed while simultaneously detecting the offset of the laser pad, and provide timely feedback when it is incompatible, greatly improving the efficiency of laser processing.

[0111] As can be seen, the laser pad detection method and related devices are used to place the laser pad on the printing platform of a processing equipment. The processing equipment includes a 3D printing head, a laser head detachably connected to the 3D printing head, and a camera. The 3D printing head extrudes printing filament onto the printing platform. The laser pad is used to support the object to be laser-processed, and a first mark is provided on the surface of the laser pad facing the camera. The detection method includes: acquiring an image of the processing equipment in the direction of the printing platform through the camera; detecting whether the first mark exists in the image; if the first mark exists in the image, it is determined that the laser pad is placed on the printing platform. The image of the printing platform can be automatically detected to determine whether the laser pad is placed, greatly improving the accuracy of laser processing. The image of the laser processing platform can be automatically detected to determine whether the laser pad is accurately positioned, and timely prompts are given when deviation occurs, greatly improving the accuracy of laser processing. Furthermore, when the laser pad is correctly placed, it can further identify whether the laser pad matches the object to be laser-processed, thereby further improving the efficiency of laser processing.

[0112] For the parts not described in detail above, please refer to the steps of the methods described in Figure 3, which will not be repeated here.

[0113] The above primarily describes the solutions of the embodiments of this application from the perspective of the method execution process. It is understood that, in order to achieve the above functions, the electronic device includes corresponding hardware structures and / or software modules for executing each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, in conjunction with the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in the embodiments provided herein, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed by hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0114] This application embodiment can divide the processing equipment into functional units according to the above method example. For example, each function can be divided into a separate functional unit, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. It should be noted that the unit division in this application embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods.

[0115] Figure 6 is a functional unit block diagram of a laser pad detection device provided in an embodiment of this application, where each functional module is divided according to its corresponding function. The laser pad is used to be placed on the printing platform of a processing equipment, which includes a 3D printing head, a laser head detachably connected to the 3D printing head, and a camera. The 3D printing head extrudes printing material onto the printing platform. The laser pad is used to support the object to be laser-processed, and a first mark is provided on the surface of the laser pad facing the camera. The laser pad detection device 600 includes:

[0116] The acquisition unit 610 is used to acquire an image of the processing equipment in the direction of the printing platform via the camera;

[0117] The detection unit 620 is used to detect whether the first identifier exists in the image. If the first identifier exists in the image, it determines that the laser pad is placed on the printing platform.

[0118] In one possible embodiment, the printing platform is provided with a guide limiting part, and the laser pad is provided with a structure adapted to the guide limiting part to restrict the movement of the laser pad in the horizontal direction.

[0119] In one possible embodiment, the detection unit 620 is further configured to:

[0120] Detect whether the image includes the guide limiting part; if the image does not include the guide limiting part, determine that the laser pad is offset and placed on the printing platform.

[0121] In one possible embodiment, the detection unit 620 is further configured to:

[0122] Detect whether the image includes the guide limiting part. If the image includes the guide limiting part, obtain the placement state of the laser pad relative to the printing platform based on the distance between the first identifier and the guide limiting part.

[0123] In one possible embodiment, the first identifier is disposed on a structure adapted to the laser pad and the guide limiting portion; the detection unit 620 is further configured to:

[0124] If the distance between the first identifier and the guide limiting part is greater than a preset threshold, the laser pad is offset and placed on the printing platform.

[0125] In one possible embodiment, the guide limiting part and the laser pad are provided with a structure adapted to the guide limiting part located in the non-processing area.

[0126] In one possible embodiment, the first identifier is located in the edge region of the laser pad; or, the first identifier is disposed on a structure of the laser pad that is adapted to the guide limiting portion.

[0127] In one possible embodiment, the guide limiting portion includes a guide limiting block, and the laser pad includes an end face adapted to the guide limiting block, the end face abutting against the surface of the guide limiting block.

[0128] In one possible embodiment, the laser pad is provided with consumables that can be recovered after laser ablation, for calibrating the position of the laser head.

[0129] In one possible embodiment, the edge of the laser pad is provided with at least two first markings, and the edge of the printing platform is provided with at least two guide limiting modules.

[0130] In one possible embodiment, a support member is provided on the laser pad to prevent the object to be laser-processed from shifting during processing. The detection unit 620 is further configured to:

[0131] The image is detected to determine the contact area data between the object to be laser-processed and the supporting member;

[0132] If the contact area data is less than the preset contact area threshold corresponding to the object to be laser-processed, a prompt will be made to replace the laser pad or the support component.

[0133] As can be seen, through the aforementioned detection method and related device for the laser pad, the laser pad is placed on the printing platform of a processing equipment, which includes a 3D printing head, a laser head detachably connected to the 3D printing head, and a camera; wherein, the 3D printing head extrudes printing filament onto the printing platform; the laser pad is used to support the object to be laser-processed, and the laser pad has a first mark on its surface facing the camera; the detection method includes: acquiring an image of the processing equipment in the direction of the printing platform through the camera; detecting whether the first mark exists in the image; if the first mark exists in the image, determining that the laser pad is placed on the printing platform. The image of the printing platform can be automatically detected to determine whether the placement of the laser pad is accurate, greatly improving the precision of laser processing.

[0134] It should be noted that the specific implementation of each operation can be described in the corresponding description of the method embodiments shown above. The laser pad detection device 600 can be used to execute the method embodiments of this application, and will not be described again here.

[0135] This application also provides a computer storage medium storing a computer program for electronic data interchange, which causes a computer to perform some or all of the steps of any of the methods described in the above method embodiments, wherein the computer includes an electronic device.

[0136] This application also provides a computer program product, which includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program operable to cause a computer to perform some or all of the steps of any of the methods described in the above method embodiments. The computer program product may be a software installation package, and the computer may include an electronic device.

[0137] The steps of the methods or algorithms described in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or by a processor executing software instructions. The software instructions can consist of corresponding software modules, which can be stored in RAM, flash memory, ROM, EPROM, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), registers, hard disk, portable hard disk, read-only optical disk (CD-ROM), or any other form of storage medium well known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the storage medium. Of course, the storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and storage medium can reside in an ASIC. Furthermore, the ASIC can reside in a terminal device or management device. Alternatively, the processor and storage medium can exist as discrete components in the terminal device or management device.

[0138] The specific embodiments described above further illustrate the purpose, technical solution, and beneficial effects of the embodiments of this application. It should be understood that the above descriptions are merely specific embodiments of the embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the protection scope of the embodiments of this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made on the basis of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application should be included within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A method for detecting laser pads, characterized in that, The laser pad is used to be placed on the printing platform of the processing equipment, which includes a 3D printing head, a laser head detachably connected to the 3D printing head, and a camera; wherein, the 3D printing head extrudes printing materials onto the printing platform; the laser pad is used to support the object to be laser-processed, and the laser pad has a first mark on the surface facing the camera; The detection method includes: The camera acquires an image of the processing equipment in the direction of the printing platform; The presence of the first identifier in the image is detected. If the first identifier is present in the image, it is determined that the laser pad is placed on the printing platform.

2. The detection method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The printing platform is provided with a guide limiting part, and the laser pad is provided with a structure adapted to the guide limiting part to restrict the movement of the laser pad in the horizontal direction.

3. The detection method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: Detect whether the image includes the guide limiting part; if the image does not include the guide limiting part, determine that the laser pad is offset and placed on the printing platform.

4. The detection method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: Detect whether the image includes the guide limiting part. If the image includes the guide limiting part, obtain the placement state of the laser pad relative to the printing platform based on the distance between the first identifier and the guide limiting part.

5. The detection method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first mark is disposed on the structure that adapts to the laser pad and the guide limiting part; The method further includes: If the distance between the first identifier and the guide limiting part is greater than a preset threshold, the laser pad is offset and placed on the printing platform.

6. The detection method according to any one of claims 2-5, characterized in that, The guide limiting part and the laser pad are provided with structures adapted to the guide limiting part located in the non-processing area.

7. The detection method according to any one of claims 2-5, characterized in that, The first mark is located in the edge region of the laser pad; or, the first mark is disposed on the structure of the laser pad that is adapted to the guide limiting part.

8. The detection method according to any one of claims 2-6, characterized in that, The guide limiting part includes a guide limiting block, and the laser pad includes an end face adapted to the guide limiting block, the end face abutting against the surface of the guide limiting block.

9. The detection method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The laser pad is equipped with consumables that can be restored after laser ablation, used to calibrate the position of the laser head.

10. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The edge of the laser pad is provided with at least two first markings, and the edge of the printing platform is provided with at least two guide and limiting modules.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The laser pad is provided with a support member, which is used to prevent the object to be laser-processed from shifting during the processing. The method further includes: The image is detected to determine the contact area data between the object to be laser-processed and the supporting member; If the contact area data is less than the preset contact area threshold corresponding to the object to be laser-processed, a prompt will be made to replace the laser pad or the support component.

12. A processing equipment, characterized in that, The device includes a 3D print head, a laser head detachably connected to the 3D print head, a printing platform, a camera, and a processor; wherein the 3D print head extrudes printing filament onto the printing platform; a laser pad is placed on the printing platform to support the object to be laser-processed, and the laser pad has a first marking on its surface facing the camera; The processor is used to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-11.

13. A computer storage medium, characterized in that, The computer storage medium stores a computer program, the computer program including program instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-11.

Images