Laser Processing Head Gas Flow Layout for Uniform Cutting Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laser processing heads with assist gas supply systems often experience cutting directionality issues in dross height, leading to suboptimal product quality during laser cutting processes.
Innovation Solution
A laser processing head design featuring a tubular main body with strategically positioned gas supply holes and a flow path forming ring, allowing assist gas to flow in a manner that minimizes pressure disturbances and ensures uniform pressure distribution, thereby reducing cutting directionality and improving product quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single gas supply hole is provided in the laser processing head, then the structure is simple, but cutting directionality occurs in dross height and product quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The single gas supply hole is segmented into multiple gas supply holes (first gas supply hole and second gas supply hole) arranged at different positions and orientations around the laser beam axis. This segmentation allows the assist gas to be supplied from multiple directions, creating a more uniform pressure distribution and preventing cutting directionality in dross height, thereby improving cutting quality while maintaining reasonable structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Each gas supply hole is designed with specific local characteristics including different orientations (first gas supply hole oriented in first axial direction, second gas supply hole oriented in second axial direction), different positions, and different cross-sectional shapes. This local quality differentiation ensures that gas is supplied uniformly from multiple directions to different regions of the processing area, eliminating the cutting directionality problem
2Device complexity
If assist gas is supplied from external supply means through a supply hole, then the gas supply system is simple, but pressure distribution becomes non-uniform and cutting directionality occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The single external gas supply is segmented into multiple gas supply paths through the first and second gas supply holes. This segmentation distributes the gas flow from a single external source into multiple independent paths that deliver gas to different locations, creating a more uniform pressure distribution across the processing area and eliminating cutting directionality
Solution Approach 2:
The gas supply system transitions from a single-point supply to a multi-dimensional supply pattern by arranging gas supply holes at different positions and orientations around the laser beam axis. This dimensional expansion of the gas supply architecture enables uniform pressure distribution in multiple directions, preventing cutting directionality while maintaining a relatively simple overall system structure
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 effectively suppresses cutting directionality and enhances product quality by maintaining uniform pressure distribution of the assist gas, resulting in reduced dross height and improved cutting performance.
Implementation Method 1
a gas supply part disposed in the main body and allowing an assist gas supplied from outside to flow into an internal space of the main body
Data Source
AI summary
A laser processing head includes a tubular main body, and a gas supply part disposed in the main body and allowing an assist gas supplied from outside to flow into an internal space of the main body. The gas supply part includes a first gas supply hole extending along a first axis on a plane orthogonal to an axis of a tube of the main body and opening at an inner circumferential surface of the main body, a second gas supply hole forming a predetermined angle relative to the first axis around the axis, extending along a second axis on the plane orthogonal to the axis and opening at the inner circumferential surface, and a flow path forming ring facing the inner circumferential surface with a predetermined interval, and forming a cylindrical space extending along the axis between the flow path forming ring and the inner circumferential surface.