Multi-Laser Substrate Cutting for Fast Rounded Corners and Strong Edges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laser processing of substrates such as glass, sapphire, and ceramics requires water to achieve satisfactory yield and quality, as it helps in cooling and cleaning, making it difficult to achieve high cutting quality and resistance without it.
Innovation Solution
A multi-laser cutting method and system that uses two laser beams, one for straight line cutting and another for round corner cutting, with a cooling unit to manage thermal energy, allowing for precise pattern formation on substrates with high cutting quality, bending resistance, and impact resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If water is used for cooling and cleaning during laser processing, then substrate temperature is controlled and scrap is removed, but the processing system becomes more complex and water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling function from a separate water-based system and integrates it directly into the laser processing head. The cooling unit is positioned to receive substrate directly from the laser processing unit, allowing cooling to occur at the point of processing without requiring a separate water delivery system throughout the workspace.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a cooling unit as an intermediary component between the laser processing unit and the substrate collection. This cooling unit acts as a mediator that receives hot substrate from processing, cools it, and then delivers cooled substrate to the collection area, eliminating the need for water-based cooling systems.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional single-laser processing is used, then the processing system is simpler, but cutting quality and resistance properties are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the laser processing function into two distinct laser units: a first laser unit for cutting processing and a second laser unit for smoothing processing. Each laser unit is optimized for its specific function, with the first laser creating the initial cut and the second laser refining the edge quality and enhancing resistance properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional laser processing system where a single processing head can perform both cutting and smoothing operations by switching between two laser units. The system can also selectively apply cooling based on the processing mode, making the entire system adaptable to different processing requirements.
3Productivity
If laser processing is performed without cooling, then the system is simpler, but yield and processing quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling function with the laser processing unit by integrating a cooling unit directly into the processing head. This allows the cooling mechanism to be combined with the laser delivery system, eliminating the need for separate water delivery infrastructure while maintaining effective substrate cooling during and immediately after processing.
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 method achieves high cutting quality, bending resistance, and impact resistance in forming patterns like round corners and lines on substrates, overcoming the limitations of conventional laser processing by effectively managing thermal energy and substrate cooling.
Implementation Method 1
a first laser beam is selected and moved along a line trajectory to heat up a portion of the substrate and cut out the line
Implementation Method 2
the processing unit generates control instructions to operate to the cooling unit to output substance to cool off a thermal energy generated from cutting out the line by the first laser beam
Implementation Method 3
a second laser beam is selected and moved along a round corner trajectory to perform cutting on a portion of the substrate to form a round corner
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses that a multi-laser cutting method and system, which is applied to a substrate to form a primary substrate having a pattern of rounded corners and a line, the throughput could be improved because CO2 laser cannot cut the round corner at the high speed, but the substrate strength could be kept due to the high cutting quality of the lines by CO2 laser. The poor quality of the cutting edges of the round corners will not affect on the substrate strength but the round corner cutting by the second laser unit will speed up the cutting process. The present invention applies the method by the 2 different laser machines to balance the throughput. Because at the same speed, for example 150 mm/sec, the cycle time per 1 substrate will be different due to the different length of the cutting lines.