JP2001150174A - Laser beam machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To finish even a work having a complicated curve shape so as to make all cutting faces vertical, to efficiently conduct a cutting and to quickly and smoothly conduct working. SOLUTION: An oscillator, a laser beam reflection mirror unit and a cooling water passage are arranged to a moving member 3E rotatable around a final axial center (d) in a six axis articulated robot 3, further, a laser beam head 4A of a high frequency excitation carbon dioxide gas laser apparatus separated from a high frequency power source is mounted thereto as well, a convergent lens unit 9, by which a laser beam diameter is once expanded and then its expanded laser beam diameter is reduced/emitted, is added to the place facing a laser beam emitting mouth 4a of the laser head part 4A.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser beam machine used, for example, for cutting a thin plate constituting a ceiling of an automobile into a predetermined outer peripheral shape.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a substance containing atoms having high energy is sealed between opposing reflection mirrors, and light generated by applying high-frequency energy thereto is repeatedly emitted and reflected by the reflection mirror to be stimulated and emitted. Laser light has a very strong directivity. By using such a highly directional laser beam for cutting, the cutting efficiency is extremely high compared to cutting using an electron beam, and also compared to cutting using a water jet.
There is an advantage that machining efficiency can be greatly improved under a high actual operation rate without the need for a highly sealed work room.

In realizing laser processing having the above advantages, a planar (planing machine) having a structure as shown in FIG. 3 has conventionally been used. That is,
A table 21 on which a non-processed object A such as a thin plate constituting a ceiling portion for an automobile can be mounted in a plane is arrowed with respect to a gantry 22.
A reciprocating drive is possible in the 1-X2 direction, and an arm 23 integrally extended in a cantilever manner from the gantry 22 to the upper portion of the table 21 is supported so as to be reciprocable in the directions of arrows Y1-Y2. A laser head 25 is provided on the tool rest 24, and the reciprocating motion of the non-workpiece A in the direction of the arrow X1-X2 via the table 21 and the arrow of the laser head 25 via the tool rest 24. The non-processed object A is cut in a plane by the driving reciprocating movement in the Y1-Y2 direction,
Furthermore, for cutting on three-dimensional surfaces such as curved surfaces,
The laser head 25 is moved with respect to the tool rest 24 by an arrow Z1-Z.
This is achieved by moving in two directions or swinging and tilting in the directions of arrows R1-R2.

[0004]

However, in the conventional laser beam machine constructed using the above-described planar, the rotation of the laser head 25 around the vertical axis is impossible or small, and the laser head 25 is not rotated. 25 has a narrow movable range and is restricted to a movable range of at most two-dimensional half, so that a non-processed object A having a complicated curved surface such as an automobile ceiling has a cut surface perpendicular to the surface. Can not be cut well to finish
There has been a problem that the applicable range of laser processing with good processing efficiency and processing efficiency is naturally limited due to the shape of the workpiece.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and even for a work having a complicated curved surface shape such as a ceiling for an automobile, the finished product is so formed that all cut surfaces are perpendicular to the surface. In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a laser processing machine that can perform cutting processing efficiently and efficiently, and can perform the processing operation itself lightly and smoothly.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, a laser beam machine according to the present invention comprises at least a high-frequency laser oscillator, a laser light reflecting mirror unit and a cooling water passage, and is separated from a high-frequency power supply. The laser head in the high-frequency-excitation carbon dioxide laser apparatus is mounted on a movable member rotatable around the final axis of the articulated robot.

According to the laser processing machine of the present invention having the above configuration, the movable range of the laser head is three-dimensionally mounted by mounting the laser head on a movable member rotatable around the final axis of the articulated robot. Even if the workpiece is spread out and has a complicated curved surface shape such as a car ceiling, the laser head section should be able to cope with the curved surface without difficulty so that all the cut surfaces are perpendicular to the surface. Cutting can be performed. As a result, the entire workpiece can be processed with a good finish while securing the high processing efficiency and processing efficiency inherent in laser processing.

In addition, by using a high-frequency-pumped carbon dioxide laser device, which is the most compact and lightweight laser device among the laser devices, a laser head portion having a high-frequency laser oscillator, a laser light reflecting mirror unit and a cooling water passage is separated from a high-frequency power supply. The robot can be mounted on an articulated robot with a high degree of freedom in design and mounting posture, eliminating the need to use a large robot and reducing the size and cost of the entire processing machine compared to using a conventional planar. Not only can be achieved, but also because the laser head is lightweight,
It is also excellent in the mobility at the time of the cutting operation, and the light and smooth operation makes it possible to remarkably improve the processing efficiency.

In the above-mentioned laser beam machine according to the present invention, as described in claim 2, the diameter of the laser beam is temporarily enlarged to a position facing the laser beam emission port of the laser head, and the laser beam is enlarged. By providing a focusing lens unit that reduces the laser beam diameter and emits it, it is possible to reduce the laser beam diameter under a certain frequency, and for example, a reinforcing material such as glass fiber is included in a bundle. Even with such a processed product, the reinforcing material can be cut at a high speed to perform a predetermined processing reliably and efficiently.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an entire laser beam machine according to the present invention. This laser beam machine has a work 1 having a table 1 on which a non-processed object A such as a thin plate constituting an automobile ceiling can be mounted in a plane. Cradle 2 and 6-axis articulated robot 3 installed on the side of this work cradle 2
And a high-frequency-excited carbon dioxide (CO2) laser device 4 as main components.

Since the six-axis articulated robot 3 has a well-known structure, a detailed description of its structure is omitted, but it is possible to swing vertically about the horizontal axis a with respect to the base 3A. With respect to the first joint member 3B, the second joint member 3C rotatable around the vertical axis b with respect to the first joint member 3B, and capable of moving up and down in the vertical axis direction, and the second joint member 3C Third joint member 3 rotatable around an axis c along the longitudinal direction and movable back and forth in the axial direction along the longitudinal direction
D and a fourth joint member (movable member) 3E rotatable around a final axis d formed at the distal end of the third joint member 3D.
And a robot control panel 5 for controlling the operation of the articulated robot 3 is provided.

The high-frequency excited carbon dioxide (CO 2) laser device 4 includes a laser head 4A, a high-frequency power supply 4B,
The laser head 4A is rotatable around the final axis d of the articulated robot 3 as shown in FIG. And fixedly held by a frame member 6 flanged to the fourth joint member 3E. The laser head unit 4A includes a high-frequency laser oscillator, a laser light reflecting mirror unit, and a cooling water passage. Since the components of the laser head 4A are well known,
The description of the specific structure is omitted. The laser head 4A is covered with a protective cover 7, and a controller 8 for adjusting the output of the high-frequency excited carbon dioxide (CO2) laser device 4 is separately installed adjacent to the high-frequency power supply 4B. ing.

A focusing lens unit 9 is provided on the frame member 6 at a position facing the laser beam exit 4a of the laser head 4A. As shown in FIG. 2, the converging lens unit 9 includes a laser beam L emitted from a laser beam exit 4a of the laser head 4A.
A concave lens 9A for increasing the diameter of B from d0 to D, a convex lens 9B for reducing the diameter of the expanded laser beam LB from D to d1, and a reduced laser beam LB
And a nozzle 9C that emits the gas toward the non-processed object A together with the purge nitrogen (N ₂ ).

Next, a non-processed object A such as a thin plate constituting a ceiling portion for an automobile is formed by the laser beam machine configured as described above.
The operation when cutting is performed to obtain a predetermined outer peripheral shape will be described. A non-processed object A such as a thin plate constituting an automobile ceiling is mounted on the table 1 of the work receiving table 2 in a plane, and the multi-joint robot 3 is operated so as to draw a predetermined locus. The high-frequency power supply 4B of the high-frequency excitation carbon dioxide laser device 4 is turned on, and the laser head 4A attached to the movable member 3E of the articulated robot 3 is oscillated via the dedicated cable 4C. The beam LB is emitted.

The laser beam emitted from the laser beam emission port 4a of the laser head 4A is once expanded by the converging lens unit 9 and then reduced in diameter to have a very small diameter. Laser beam L
By emitting B toward the non-processed object A, even if the non-processed object A has a complicated curved surface shape, the laser head unit 4A can easily follow the curved surface to make the entire cut surface clear. It is possible to efficiently and efficiently perform a cutting process such that the surface is perpendicular to the surface.

Since the laser head 4A of the small and light high-frequency excited carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) laser device 4 is originally attached to the movable member 3E of the articulated robot 3, the robot 3 during the cutting operation is used. The mobility is excellent, and the processing efficiency can be significantly improved by a light and smooth operation.

In particular, the laser beam LB emitted from the laser head 4A is reduced to a laser beam having a very small diameter through the above-mentioned converging lens unit 9 and emitted to the non-processed object A, whereby the non-processed object A is processed. However, even if a reinforcing material such as glass fiber is included in a bundle, the reinforcing material can be cut at a high speed with a small-diameter laser beam, and a predetermined cutting process can be performed reliably and efficiently. it can.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, by mounting the laser head unit on the articulated robot, the movable range of the laser head unit is expanded three-dimensionally, and a complicated structure such as a ceiling for automobiles is obtained. Even if the workpiece has a curved surface, the laser head can easily be made to correspond to the curved surface and all of the cut surface can be cut to a surface perpendicular to the surface. In addition, the entire workpiece can be processed with a good finish while ensuring processing efficiency. Moreover, the originally compact and lightweight high-frequency-excited carbon dioxide laser device is separated into a high-frequency laser, a laser head having a laser beam reflection mirror unit and a cooling water passage, and a high-frequency power supply, and only the laser head is mounted on the articulated robot. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the size of the robot itself, not only to reduce the size and cost of the entire processing machine as compared with the case where a conventional planar is used, but also to reduce the weight and weight of the laser head. The articulated robot allows the cutting operation to be performed with high mobility, and has the effect of significantly improving the processing efficiency.

In particular, by adopting a configuration in which the diameter of the laser beam from the laser beam emission port of the laser head section is temporarily enlarged, and a converging lens unit for reducing the expanded laser beam diameter and emitting the laser beam is provided. It is possible to further reduce the diameter of the laser beam under the frequency.For example, even if the workpiece contains a reinforcing material such as glass fiber in a bundle, the reinforcing material can be cut at high speed. Predetermined cutting can be performed reliably and efficiently.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the entire laser beam machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of a main part of the laser processing machine.

FIG. 3 is an overall schematic perspective view of a conventional laser beam machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Work Cradle 3 Articulated Robot 3E Fourth Joint Member (Movable Member) 4 High Frequency Excited Carbon Dioxide Laser Device 4A Laser Head 4a Laser Beam Emission Port 4B High Frequency Power Supply 9 Focusing Lens Unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A laser head unit in a high-frequency excitation carbon dioxide laser device having at least a high-frequency laser oscillator, a laser light reflecting mirror unit, and a cooling water passage, and separated from a high-frequency power supply, is provided around a final axis of the articulated robot. A laser processing machine characterized by being mounted on a rotatable movable member. 2. A focusing lens unit for temporarily expanding a laser beam diameter, reducing the expanded laser beam diameter, and emitting the laser beam at a position facing the laser beam emission port of the laser head unit. The laser processing machine according to claim 1.