Laser Nozzle Gold Plating Peeling Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional laser machining nozzles experience temperature rise and peeling of gold plating due to increased reflectance and insufficient cooling, leading to reduced machining performance.

Innovation Solution

A double nozzle structure with a main assist-gas nozzle and an auxiliary assist-gas nozzle surrounding it, where assist-gases flow along the inner and outer sides, and gold plating is applied to the interior surface to reflect the laser beam, effectively cooling the nozzle and reducing peeling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If gold plating is applied to increase reflectance, then laser beam absorption is reduced, but temperature rise still occurs causing plating peeling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelaser beam absorptionVSAvoidplating stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The single nozzle is segmented into an inner nozzle and an outer nozzle, allowing separate gas flow paths for cooling. The inner nozzle receives assist gas for machining, while the outer nozzle receives cooling gas that flows along the exterior surface to dissipate heat from the gold-plated interior surface, preventing plating peeling while maintaining high reflectance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Cooling gas introduced through the outer nozzle acts as an intermediary cooling medium that flows along the exterior surface of the inner nozzle, transferring heat away from the gold-plated interior surface without interfering with the laser beam path or assist gas function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If assist gas is flowed through the same path as laser beam, then molten metal is removed, but cooling effect is insufficient to prevent plating peeling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemolten metal removalVSAvoidnozzle temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The gas flow path is segmented into two separate channels: the inner nozzle for assist gas that removes molten metal, and the outer nozzle for cooling gas that reduces nozzle temperature. This segmentation allows each gas to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling function is added in another spatial dimension by introducing the outer nozzle that surrounds the inner nozzle. The cooling gas flows in the annular space between the outer nozzle wall and inner nozzle exterior surface, creating a three-dimensional cooling structure that supplements the two-dimensional assist gas flow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 double nozzle structure significantly reduces temperature rise and peeling of the gold plating, enhancing machining quality and stability by maintaining a uniform beam intensity and efficient cooling.

Implementation Method 1

a reflectance is increased by applying gold plating onto the reflection surface, thereby the absorptance of the laser beam to the laser machining nozzle is curbed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

assist-gases can be flowed along the inner side of and along the outer side of a front end portion of the main assist-gas nozzle, and even when the laser beam is reflected on the interior surface of the main assist-gas nozzle, a temperature rise of the main assist-gas nozzle can be curbed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection cooling: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP2174744B1Laser working nozzle
Publication Date: 2016.05.04 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP2174744B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~2
  • EP2174744B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A laser machining nozzle herein obtained includes a main assist-gas nozzle (2) for emitting a laser beam (8) and a main assist-gas, and an auxiliary assist-gas nozzle (5) annularly surrounding the main assist-gas nozzle for emitting an auxiliary assist-gas, whereby a gold plating (12) is provided on an interior surface of the main assist-gas nozzle to reflect the laser beam, so that a temperature rise of the laser machining nozzle can be prevented, and even when the laser beam (8) is reflected on the interior surface of the laser machining nozzle, it is possible to reduce peeling of the gold plating (12) applied onto the interior surface of the laser machining nozzle.