Robot Laser Irradiation Path Control for Safe Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laser processing systems lack adequate safety measures to prevent unintended regions from being irradiated with a laser due to unexpected robot operations, which can lead to unsafe conditions.
Innovation Solution
A laser processing system that includes a robot, a laser emission section, an irradiation path calculation section, a determination section, and a laser-output reduction section. The system calculates the irradiation path of the laser beam using information about the robot's position and determines whether it passes through a predetermined allowable irradiation region, and reduces or stops the laser output if it does not, thereby preventing unintended irradiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the laser processing system uses a robot for flexible positioning and movement, then the adaptability and ease of operation are improved, but the risk of unintended laser irradiation due to unexpected robot operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by calculating the irradiation path in advance using the robot's position information before the laser is emitted. The determination section then checks whether this pre-calculated path passes through the allowable irradiation region, preventing unintended irradiation before it can occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the robot's position information, recalculating the irradiation path, and determining whether it remains within the allowable region. Based on this determination, the laser output is adjusted in real-time to ensure safety while maintaining operational flexibility.
2Reliability
If the system reduces laser output to prevent unintended irradiation, then safety is improved, but the processing efficiency and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality control by differentiating between safe and unsafe irradiation regions. The laser output is reduced only when the irradiation path passes through regions outside the allowable irradiation region, while maintaining full output within the allowable region, thus preserving productivity where safe and ensuring safety where necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The laser output is dynamically adjusted based on the real-time determination of the irradiation path. The output control is not static but changes according to the robot's position and the calculated path, allowing the system to maintain high productivity when safe and reduce output only when safety requires it.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a laser processing system including: a robot; a laser emission section provided on the robot; an irradiation path calculation section configured to calculate an irradiation path of a laser beam emitted from the laser emission section using information on a position of the robot; a determination section configured to determine whether the irradiation path calculated passes through an allowable irradiation region that is predetermined; and a laser-output reduction section configured to reduce output of the laser beam to be emitted to the irradiation path to a second output lower than a first output for processing in accordance with a determination by the determination section that the irradiation path does not pass through the allowable irradiation region.