Laser Cutting Nozzle Gap Control to Prevent End-Cut Tilting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laser cutting of plate-shaped workpieces, especially with movable nozzle sleeves, often results in tilting of cut workpiece parts due to cutting gas pressure, leading to contamination of the cutting nozzle and optical components as the slag is thrown upwards instead of escaping downwards.
Innovation Solution
Increasing the distance between the cutting nozzle and the workpiece surface along a predetermined final section before the cut-off point, ensuring a gap for lateral escape of cutting gas, sparks, and slag, thereby preventing tilting and contamination. This distance is maintained at least 0.3 mm to 1 mm at the cut-off point, and can be increased abruptly or gradually, while keeping the focal position of the laser beam constant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the distance between the cutting nozzle and the workpiece surface is small to maintain precise cutting control, then cutting precision is improved, but the workpiece part tilts due to cutting gas pressure causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The distance between the cutting nozzle and the workpiece surface is dynamically adjusted during the cutting process. The method increases the distance on a predetermined final section in front of the cut-off point, allowing the system to transition from a small distance (for precision) to a larger distance (to prevent tilting and contamination) at the appropriate moment in the cutting sequence.
2Reliability
If the distance between the cutting nozzle and the workpiece surface is increased to prevent tilting and contamination, then process reliability is improved, but cutting precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The distance increase is applied locally only to a predetermined final section in front of the cut-off point, rather than increasing the distance throughout the entire cutting contour. This localized adjustment maintains precise cutting control for the majority of the cut while preventing tilting and contamination only where needed at the end of the cutting process.
3Reliability
If microjoints are used to fix workpiece parts to prevent tilting, then process reliability is improved, but the workpiece surface quality deteriorates due to remaining marks
Solution Approach 1:
The method extracts or removes the need for microjoints by instead increasing the nozzle distance to prevent tilting. This eliminates the harmful side effect of microjoint marks on the workpiece surface while maintaining the beneficial effect of preventing workpiece tilting and contamination.
4Reliability
If the laser cutting head is moved to increase distance after cut-off to prevent contamination, then process reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to additional movement time
Solution Approach 1:
The distance increase is performed as a preliminary action on the final section before the actual cut-off point is reached. By preparing the larger gap in advance during the cutting traverse, the method eliminates the need for additional post-cut movement to prevent contamination, thereby maintaining cutting speed while ensuring process reliability.
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 method enhances process reliability by preventing tilting of cut workpieces and reducing contamination of the cutting nozzle and optical components, ensuring efficient expulsion of slag downwards without spattering, even with a movable nozzle sleeve.
Implementation Method 1
a laser beam and a cutting gas emerging from a cutting nozzle (9)
Implementation Method 2
the melted workpiece material (the slag)
Implementation Method 3
the gas pressure of the cutting gas acts on the workpiece part at the free cut point
Implementation Method 4
the cutting gas, sparks, smoke and any slag can escape laterally
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2f
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to laser cutting method for cutting a self-contained cut contour (8) into a preferably flat workpiece (2) by means of a laser beam (3) and a cutting gas (10) emitted from a cutting nozzle (9). According to the invention, the distance (A) of the cutting nozzle (9) relative to the workpiece surface (2a) is increased on or along a predefined final stretch (13) before the free point of punch (E) of a workpiece (11) cut free by the cut contour (8).