Plate Workpiece Cutting with Clamp Relaxation Against Heat Distortion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing workpiece parts from plate-shaped workpieces suffer from heat-induced distortions leading to curling and incomplete cutting, which affect cutting accuracy and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A method involving intermittent relaxation steps during the cutting process, where clamping devices are released and then re-clamped to alleviate heat-induced distortions, ensuring high dimensional accuracy and process reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If continuous cutting process is used without interruption, then productivity is maintained, but heat-induced distortions and curling occur leading to incomplete cutting
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting process is interrupted periodically by relaxation steps where clamping devices are released and re-clamped. This periodic interruption allows the workpiece to relax heat-induced stresses and prevents cumulative distortions that would otherwise lead to incomplete cutting, while maintaining overall productivity through automated cycle management.
2Stability of the object's composition
If clamping devices are continuously engaged, then workpiece stability is maintained, but heat-induced distortions accumulate causing curling
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping system transitions from a static continuously-engaged state to a dynamic system that periodically releases and re-engages. During relaxation steps, clamping devices are released to allow workpiece flexibility and stress relief, then re-engaged to restore stability, adapting the constraint level to the thermal state of the workpiece.
Solution Approach 2:
Relaxation steps are performed in advance before complete thermal distortion accumulates. By periodically releasing clamps during the cutting process, the system prevents the buildup of heat-induced stresses that would cause curling and dimensional inaccuracy, rather than correcting distortions after they occur.
3Manufacturing precision
If relaxation steps are introduced during cutting, then heat-induced distortions are reduced, but productivity decreases due to process interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The relaxation steps are integrated into the cutting process as automated cycles rather than separate manual operations. The system maintains continuous productive action by automatically releasing and re-clamping during designated intervals, ensuring that the useful action of stress relief occurs without requiring external intervention or significant process downtime.
4Stability of the object's composition
If multiple clamping devices are used to prevent rotation, then workpiece stability improves, but complexity of the clamping system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping devices serve multiple functions: they provide mechanical support, prevent workpiece rotation, and enable periodic relaxation cycles. By designing the clamping system to perform these diverse functions, the patent reduces the need for additional specialized components, thereby managing complexity while achieving rotational stability.
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 effectively reduces heat-induced distortions, preventing incomplete cutting and ensuring high accuracy and reliability in producing workpiece parts.
Implementation Method 1
distortions in the plate-shaped workpiece may occur due to the heat input by the cutting process
Implementation Method 2
the plate-shaped workpiece to be held by a plurality of clamping devices during the cutting process
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing workpiece parts from a plate-shaped workpiece in a processing machine or laser processing machine includes positioning and holding the workpiece on a workpiece support by clamping devices. A plurality of workpiece parts are cut out of the workpiece with a process beam. The process beam is moved relative to the workpiece support by a processing head and/or the workpiece is moved relative to the workpiece support by the clamping devices. A cutting process for processing the workpiece to produce the workpiece parts is interrupted at least once by a relaxation step for the workpiece. During the relaxation step at least one clamping device is released to relax the workpiece. The at least one clamping device is closed following the relaxation and before continuing the cutting process. A data processing program and a processing machine for producing the workpiece parts are also provided.