Laser Head Coolant Conductivity Control for Stable Tracking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing coolant supply systems for laser processing heads face issues with degraded measurement accuracy and tracking control due to increased electric conductivity of the coolant over time, leading to potential disruptions during prolonged deactivation of the coolant supply machine.
Innovation Solution
A coolant supply system that includes a controller to monitor and manage the electric conductivity of the coolant, implementing procedures to drain and replace the coolant when conductivity exceeds limits, and to clean the system to maintain optimal conductivity levels, ensuring continuous and accurate tracking control even during extended deactivation periods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the coolant supply machine is deactivated for a long time, then energy consumption is reduced, but the electric conductivity of the coolant exceeds the upper limit value causing tracking control degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs preliminary actions by detecting whether the laser processing machine is in a standby state and, if so, automatically executes coolant replacement before the electric conductivity exceeds the upper limit. This preventive measure ensures tracking control accuracy is maintained without requiring continuous operation of the coolant supply machine, thus reducing energy consumption while preventing reliability degradation.
2Productivity
If the coolant is accumulated in the tank over time, then the coolant supply machine can operate efficiently, but the electric conductivity of the coolant increases quadratically exceeding the upper limit value
Solution Approach 1:
The controller implements a feedback mechanism that continuously monitors the standby state of the laser processing machine and automatically triggers coolant replacement when the machine is in standby mode. This feedback-based control prevents the electric conductivity of accumulated coolant from exceeding the upper limit value, thereby maintaining distance sensor measurement accuracy while allowing efficient coolant accumulation during active operation.
3Measurement precision
If the electric conductivity of the coolant is monitored continuously, then tracking control accuracy is maintained, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a self-service approach where the controller automatically detects the standby state of the laser processing machine and autonomously executes coolant replacement without requiring continuous manual monitoring or complex real-time conductivity measurement systems. This simplifies the overall system complexity while still maintaining tracking control accuracy through automated preventive maintenance.
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 system effectively maintains proper electric conductivity of the coolant, preventing tracking control degradation and ensuring uninterrupted laser processing by regularly replacing and cleaning the coolant and system components, thus maintaining the accuracy of capacitance type distance sensors.
Implementation Method 1
The laser processing head in the machine disclosed in the Patent Document 1 includes a capacitance type distance sensor that measures a distance from the laser processing head to the workpiece
Implementation Method 2
deionized water generated by a deionized water generation device
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A coolant supply system includes a coolant tank for accumulating coolant generated by using deionized water, a coolant supply passage for supplying the coolant in the coolant tank to the laser processing head, an electric conductivity meter for measuring an electric conductivity of the coolant to be supplied to the laser processing head, a drainage passage capable of draining the coolant from the coolant tank, an electromagnetic valve provided on the drainage passage, and a controller that controls open/close operations of the electromagnetic valve. The controller turns the electromagnetic valve from a closed state into an open state to drain the coolant in the coolant tank through the drainage passage when a measured value of the electric conductivity meter exceeds over a preset upper limit value.