High-Energy Beam Contour Cutting for Small Slot Accuracy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current numerically controlled cutting machines, particularly those using high-energy beams, face challenges in efficiently processing contours that lead to contour damage, often skipping critical cuts due to small size discrepancies, requiring manual intervention and increasing operational effort.

Innovation Solution

A control unit is developed to automatically recognize and process defined contours, such as I-slots and T-slots, by overriding the contour damage avoidance function and averaging line movements to minimize errors, ensuring that critical cuts are made even if they are identified as bottlenecks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the contour damage avoidance function is activated to prevent contour violations, then the reliability of cutting is improved, but the productivity deteriorates due to skipping critical cuts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontour cutting accuracyVSAvoidcutting speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically changes the operational parameters of the contour damage avoidance function by introducing a tolerance value that allows slight contour violations. When the beam diameter minus the contour width is less than the tolerance, the system permits cutting despite potential contour damage, thus maintaining productivity while preserving sufficient reliability for the application

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If the contour damage avoidance function skips contours with potential damage, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to manual intervention requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontour accuracyVSAvoidoperational simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service by automatically determining whether to apply contour damage avoidance based on predefined tolerance criteria. The control unit autonomously evaluates each contour against the tolerance value and decides whether to permit cutting without operator intervention, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision while significantly improving ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Manufacturing precision

If the beam diameter is reduced to match small contour widths, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the device complexity increases due to precise beam control requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontour width accuracyVSAvoidbeam control system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Rather than reducing the beam diameter to match small contour widths (which would increase device complexity), the system changes the operational parameter by introducing a tolerance value that accommodates the existing beam diameter. This allows the system to maintain both manufacturing precision and simpler device complexity by accepting slight deviations within the tolerance range

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

This solution simplifies the cutting process, reduces manual effort, and ensures accurate processing of complex contours, enhancing the efficiency and precision of high-energy beam cutting machines by automatically generating intended cuts while tolerating slight deviations.

Implementation Method 1

a high-energy beam, in particular laser or electron beams, to make recesses in metallic workpieces

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLaser beam heating: Laser

Implementation Method 2

a high-energy beam penetrates into the workpiece and generates a melt there

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Data Source

PatentEP3630406B1Method for detecting and processing defined contours in the cutting of a solid body by means of a high energy beam
Publication Date: 2021.07.28 SIEMENS AG
  • EP3630406B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3630406B1 patent drawingFigure 2~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for detecting and processing predefined contours during severing of a solid body by means of a high-energy beam. To this end, the defined contours are stored in a control unit that controls the severing (S10), and when they occur in an NC program are detected by the control unit (S12). The control unit deactivates the function for avoiding contour breaches (S13), and generates a cutting gap (S14) in accordance with a programmed contour. According to the invention, the high-energy beam travels along the contour with an averaged line movement.