Laser Beam Vibration and Nozzle Sizing for Thick Sheet Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laser machining apparatuses require increased assist gas consumption and nozzle diameter as sheet metal thickness increases, leading to higher costs.
Innovation Solution
A laser machining apparatus and method that incorporates a beam vibrating mechanism to adjust the laser beam's amplitude and nozzle diameter, using a calculation to determine an optimal nozzle size that minimizes assist gas consumption while maintaining cut quality across varying sheet metal thicknesses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the nozzle diameter is increased to cut thicker sheet metal, then the cutting capability is improved, but the assist gas consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beam vibration to the laser beam in the cutting direction, causing the beam to oscillate back and forth along the cut path. This vibration spreads the laser energy over a longer effective path length, enabling the beam to penetrate thicker materials without requiring a larger nozzle diameter, thus maintaining low assist gas consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of beam delivery by introducing vibration amplitude and frequency control. By adjusting the vibration amplitude Qx and using the calculated nozzle diameter formula that incorporates rtop, rbottom, and Qx, the system optimizes cutting performance for different material thicknesses while maintaining a small, fixed nozzle diameter that reduces assist gas usage
2Reliability
If the nozzle diameter is increased to maintain assist gas pressure for thicker materials, then the cutting performance is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single nozzle design universal for cutting sheet metal of various thicknesses by combining beam vibration technology with a specifically calculated nozzle diameter. The vibration mechanism allows one nozzle to perform the function of multiple nozzles with different diameters, eliminating the need for multiple nozzle sizes and reducing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic beam vibration to compensate for the limitations of a fixed, small nozzle diameter. The vibrating beam dynamically adjusts its effective interaction length with the material, enabling consistent cutting performance across different thicknesses without requiring dynamic nozzle adjustment
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 reduces assist gas consumption and costs by using a smaller nozzle diameter while ensuring high-quality cutting of sheet metal, even with thicker materials, by vibrating the laser beam in a parallel direction and optimizing nozzle size based on specific calculations.
Implementation Method 1
a laser beam for cutting a sheet metal being emitted through the opening
Implementation Method 2
irradiate the sheet metal with the laser beam
Implementation Method 3
a beam vibrating mechanism configured to vibrate the laser beam in a parallel direction with a cutting advancing direction
Implementation Method 4
cuts sheet metal while discharging molten metal melted in a kerf by blowing assist gas to the sheet metal
Data Source
AI summary
A beam vibrating mechanism vibrates a laser beam in a parallel direction with a cutting advancing direction of a sheet metal. An amplitude amount of the laser beam is Qx, a radius of a first circular region having an area occupying 86% beam energy at a center side of total beam energy in a sectional area of the laser beam on a top surface of the sheet metal is rtop, and a radius of a second circular region having an area occupying 86% beam energy at a center side of total beam energy in a sectional area of the laser beam in a bottom surface of the sheet metal is rbottom. A calculation value Va is expressed by the expression: Va=(Qx+rtop+√{square root over (2)}×rbottom). When a standard deviation of the calculation value Va at a time of cutting sheet metals of a plurality of plate thicknesses is Vasd, a nozzle having a diameter of an opening between a minimum value obtained by 2Va−Vasd, and a maximum value obtained by 2.5 Va+Vasd is used as a nozzle attached to a machining head.