Adjustable Welding Optics With Cylindrical Lenses for Variable Laser Spots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laser welding machines require complex and time-consuming equipment modifications to adapt to different welding tasks and workpiece types, as their welding optical units are typically designed for specific situations, limiting flexibility and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A welding optical unit with an adjustable beam shaper comprising a cylindrical lens pair and a spot distance adjusting device, allowing for flexible shaping of the laser beam into one or multiple partial beams and adjustable spot distances, enabling adaptation to various welding situations without exchanging components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the welding optical unit is designed for a specific welding situation with fixed components, then the welding quality and precision are improved, but the adaptability to different workpiece types and welding tasks deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustability in the welding optical unit by making the beam shaper and focusing device adjustable rather than fixed. The beam shaper can be positioned at different locations in the beam path, and the focusing device's focal length can be changed, allowing the same optical unit to adapt to different welding situations and workpiece types while maintaining high welding quality
Solution Approach 2:
The welding optical unit is designed with universal functionality through adjustable components that can accommodate multiple welding scenarios. By incorporating an adjustable beam shaper and focusing device with variable focal lengths, a single optical unit can perform multiple welding tasks across different workpiece types, eliminating the need for complete component exchanges
2Adaptability or versatility
If the welding optical unit is retrofitted to adapt to different welding tasks, then the adaptability is improved, but the equipment complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The optical unit incorporates dynamically adjustable elements including the beam shaper position and focusing device focal length that can be modified without complete retrofitting. This dynamic design allows adaptation to different welding tasks through simple adjustments rather than complex equipment modifications
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the optical system, specifically adjusting the beam shaper position and focusing device focal length parameters, to adapt to different welding tasks. This approach enables versatility through parameter modification rather than structural changes, reducing equipment complexity
3Adaptability or versatility
If the welding optical unit is retrofitted for different workpiece types, then the versatility is improved, but the time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical unit features dynamically adjustable components that can be reconfigured quickly for different workpiece types. The adjustable beam shaper and focusing device allow rapid adaptation without time-consuming component exchanges, maintaining versatility while minimizing time loss
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables preliminary configuration of the optical parameters for different workpiece types. By pre-setting the beam shaper position and focusing device focal length for various welding scenarios, the system can quickly switch between workpiece types without time-consuming adjustments during operation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and high-quality laser welding with minimal spatter and errors, maintaining process reliability and speed, while allowing for real-time adjustments during welding, thus optimizing the welding process for different materials and geometries without the need for component exchanges.
Implementation Method 1
The two cylindrical lenses of the cylindrical lens pair extend with a curve on at least one side with respect to a common refraction direction perpendicular to the optical planes
Implementation Method 2
a focusing device for focusing the laser beam incident thereon toward a workpiece to be welded
Data Source
AI summary
A welding optical unit includes a collimator for collimating a laser beam, a focusing device for focusing the laser beam toward a workpiece, an adjustable beam shaper configured to shape the laser beam. The beam shaper includes a beam subdivision assembly that includes a cylindrical lens pair comprising two cylindrical lenses with diametrically opposite focal lengths and mutually parallel optical planes. The two cylindrical lenses extend with a curve on at least one side with respect to a common refraction direction perpendicular to the optical planes, and extend translationally invariantly with respect to a common non-refraction direction parallel to the optical planes. The refraction direction and the non-refraction direction extend perpendicularly to the optical axis of the welding optical unit. The welding optical unit further includes a spot distance adjusting device configured to displace the two cylindrical lenses relative to one another with respect to the refraction direction.