Beam Block Plunger Ejection for Precise Laser-Cut Tubes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laser cutting systems face issues with dimensional deviations and defects in small perforated tubular workpieces like stents due to molten material accumulation on the beam block during the melt cutting process, leading to increased reject rates and production costs.
Innovation Solution
A beam block with a tubular head section and a plunger element that reciprocates to eject molten material from the inner surface, preventing accumulation and allowing for efficient removal during laser cutting, thereby reducing reject rates and production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a beam block is used to focus laser machining and avoid material alterations on the opposite tube wall, then laser cutting precision is improved, but molten material accumulates on the beam block surface causing dimensional deviations and defects
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful molten material from the beam block inner surface by introducing a gas flow that transports the accumulated material out of the beam block, preventing dimensional deviations and defects while maintaining the beam block's protective function
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a gas flow as an intermediary substance that mediates between the molten material and the beam block surface, carrying the harmful material away without interfering with the laser cutting process or the beam block's protective function
2Object-affected harmful factors
If molten material is allowed to accumulate on the beam block, then the beam block protects the opposite tube wall from laser damage, but dimensional deviations and defects occur on the workpiece inner surface
Solution Approach 1:
The invention continuously removes molten material from the beam block inner surface through gas flow, ensuring that the beam block maintains its protective function without accumulating material that would cause workpiece defects
Solution Approach 2:
The gas flow operates continuously during the laser cutting process to continuously remove molten material from the beam block surface, maintaining both protection and precision throughout the entire machining 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
The solution significantly reduces the reject rate of perforated tubular workpieces by one-third, lowering material and personnel costs, and improving the accuracy of laser cutting by effectively removing molten material, thus enhancing the overall efficiency of the process.
Implementation Method 1
the laser cuts through the material of the semi-finished product thereby producing small structures... A laser cutting system for such small structures typically uses a microsecond pulsed laser that perform a melt cutting process... In such process the material is heated to its melting point
Implementation Method 2
a gas jet blows the molten material out of the kerf limiting the raise the temperature of the material
Data Source
AI summary
A beam block for laser cutting to produce a perforated tubular workpiece includes a tubular head section configured to be accommodated within an inner cavity of a semi-finished product during laser cutting, The tubular head section includes a recess at its first end configured to accept molten workpiece material into an inner surface of the tubular head section. A shaft section is located at a second end of the tubular head section. A plunger is configured to be reciprocated along an inner cavity of the tubular head section inner to the first end of the tubular head section to thereby eject molten workpiece material from the inner surface of the tubular head section. The plunger can be reciprocated periodically during laser cutting to eject molten workpiece material.