Laser Machining Apparatus Pump Light Control for Start Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laser machining apparatuses experience a time lapse before achieving desired laser output intensity, leading to insufficient machining quality at the start of the process due to the transition time from the ground state to the pumped state, resulting in potential defects like insufficient depth of cut or locally deep cuts.
Innovation Solution
A laser machining apparatus with a pump light emitting device, a laser beam emitting device, and a controller that supplies an initial drive current followed by a standby period before initiating scanning, allowing the laser beam to reach the desired intensity, thereby reducing the transition time and improving machining quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If an initial drive current is supplied to the pump light emitting device to reduce the transition time to pumped state, then the laser output intensity reaches the desired value faster, but there is still a time lapse before the laser output intensity reaches the desired value, resulting in insufficient machining quality at the start of the process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by supplying an initial drive current to the pump light emitting device before the laser beam emitting device begins operation. This pre-excitation of the pump light source reduces the transition time required for the laser medium to reach the pumped state, allowing the laser output intensity to reach the desired value faster and improving machining quality at the start portion.
2Productivity
If the laser beam is scanned by a galvano mirror device while simultaneously initiating supply of initial drive current, then the machining process can start sooner, but the laser output intensity is still insufficient, leading to a decline in machining quality of the laser irradiation start portion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by initiating the supply of initial drive current to the pump light emitting device before the galvano mirror device starts scanning the laser beam. This ensures that the laser medium has sufficient time to transition to the pumped state and achieve the desired output intensity before the laser irradiation begins, thereby preventing machining quality defects at the start portion while maintaining efficient productivity.
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 the decline in machining quality at the start of the process by ensuring the laser beam reaches the required intensity before scanning, improving overall machining precision and reducing defects.
Implementation Method 1
a pump light emitting device (40) that emits pump light when drive current is supplied to the pump light emitting device (40)
Implementation Method 2
a laser beam emitting device (21) that transits to a pumped state to emit a laser beam for machining a workpiece when the pump light is incident from the pump light emitting device (40)
Data Source
AI summary
In a laser machining apparatus, a controller is configured to perform: supplying an initial drive current to a pump light emitting device during an initial drive current supply period; controlling a scanner to start scanning a laser beam emitted from a laser beam emitting device after a standby period has elapsed from a start of supplying the initial drive current; and supplying a prescribed drive current to the pump light emitting device after the initial drive current supply period has elapsed, a prescribed drive current value being smaller than an initial drive current value, the pump light emitting device emitting the pump light having prescribed light intensity upon receipt of the prescribed drive current, the laser beam emitting device emitting the laser beam having prescribed beam intensity when the pump light having the prescribed light intensity is incident upon the laser beam emitting device.