Laser Beam Insertion Points That Avoid Workpiece Support Damage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing laser cutting methods are complex and challenging due to the need to optimize nesting to prevent damage to workpiece supports while minimizing waste, making it difficult to achieve both damage prevention and minimal waste simultaneously.

Innovation Solution

A method for inserting a laser beam into a plate-like workpiece that involves assigning predefined surface regions to supporting regions based on known relative positions, and selecting a damage-free insertion point outside these surface regions to avoid piercing supporting regions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If nesting is optimized to prevent damage to support webs by avoiding insertion points on web tips, then reliability of workpiece support is improved, but device complexity increases due to complex optimization with multiple restrictions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkpiece support integrityVSAvoidnesting optimization complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The workpiece support surface is segmented into exclusion zones (around support web tips) and safe zones. The nesting algorithm segments the available workspace into valid insertion point regions by excluding areas around support web tips, thereby simplifying the selection process while ensuring support integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Exclusion zones are pre-defined around support web tips before the nesting optimization process begins. By preliminarily marking these protected areas, the algorithm only needs to search for insertion points in safe zones, reducing computational complexity while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If multiple restrictions are taken into account in nesting optimization (damage prevention, waste minimization), then reliability and material efficiency are improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to difficulty in providing nesting that meets all restrictions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedamage preventionVSAvoidnesting implementation ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The nesting problem is segmented into two independent sub-problems: (1) defining exclusion zones around support structures, and (2) optimizing material utilization within remaining safe areas. This segmentation allows each restriction to be handled separately, simplifying the overall implementation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the workpiece are assigned different qualities: areas around support web tips have the quality of 'protected/excluded', while other areas have 'available for cutting'. This local differentiation allows the nesting algorithm to easily apply multiple restrictions without complex global optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If insertion points are restricted to avoid support web damage, then object-affected harmful factors are reduced, but productivity decreases due to additional constraints on nesting options

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelaser beam damage to supportVSAvoidcutting process efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful factor (risk of damaging support web tips) is eliminated by extracting/excluding the critical areas around web tips from the set of possible insertion points. By removing these vulnerable zones from consideration, the system prevents damage without significantly restricting viable cutting options.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The presence of support web tips, which could potentially be damaged by laser insertion, is converted into a beneficial constraint that guides insertion point selection. The exclusion zones created around these tips actually improve productivity by providing clear boundaries for safe insertion points, making the nesting algorithm more efficient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS20250114874A1Method for inserting a laser beam of a laser cutting machine into a plate-like workpiece for cutting out a workpiece part from the workpiece along a predetermined cutting contour on the workpiece description

Publication Date: 2025.04.10 TRUMPF WERKZEUGMASCHINEN GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

A method for inserting a laser beam of a laser cutting machine into a plate-like workpiece for cutting out a workpiece part from the workpiece along a predetermined cutting contour on the workpiece is provided. The workpiece rests on a workpiece support having a plurality of supporting regions. Relative positions of the supporting regions in relation to the workpiece are known. The method includes assigning predefined surface regions on the workpiece to the supporting regions based on the known relative positions, and selecting a damage-free insertion point for inserting the laser beam into the workpiece for cutting out the workpiece part. A position of the insertion point lies outside the predefined surface regions such that the laser beam does not pierce any of the supporting regions.