JP2003138314A - Laser hardening device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser hardening device which can correctly measure the temperature of a part to be hardened, and control the temperature of the part even when a torch is moved in a complicated manner. SOLUTION: A beam splitter 20 to select the reflected light 29a reflected from the part to be hardened is provided in light guiding means 3, 9, 10, 12, 13, and 16 between a laser oscillator 2 and a condenser lens 21, and temperature measuring means 22a and 22 to measure the temperature of the part to be hardened from the reflected light selected by the beam splitter are provided. Since the reflected light from the part 27a to be hardened can be directly caught by the beam splitter, and the temperature can be measured, the reflected light from the part 27a can be correctly captured even when the condenser lens or a work is relatively moved, and the temperature of the part 27a can be correctly measured without providing any complicated follow-up mechanism or the like.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser hardening apparatus capable of accurately measuring the temperature of a hardened portion and accurately controlling the temperature of the hardened portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a method of quenching a metal by using a laser beam has been proposed, but in order to perform quenching properly, the temperature of the quenching site is accurately detected and the temperature of the site is controlled. There is a need.

[0003]

However, such temperature control is not carried out in the conventional laser hardening apparatus. It is also possible to measure the temperature of the hardened part by detecting the hardened part from the outside with an infrared sensor, but the torch that emits the laser beam has a complicated movement so that three-dimensional hardening is possible. Therefore, it is difficult to make the sensor follow, and it is not practical.

In view of the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a laser hardening apparatus capable of accurately measuring the temperature of a hardened portion and controlling the temperature of the hardened portion even if the torch moves in a complicated manner. It is a thing.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a laser oscillator (2), and light guiding means (3, 9, 10, 1) for guiding a laser beam (29) emitted from the laser oscillator.
2, 13, 16) and a condenser lens (2
1) is arranged, the laser beam is condensed by the condenser lens, and the quenching is performed by irradiating the quenching site (27a) of the work (27) to perform quenching. In the light guiding means between the condenser lens and the condenser lens, the reflected light (29
A beam splitter (20) for selecting a) is provided, and the beam splitter is provided with temperature measuring means (22a, 22) for measuring the temperature of the quenching site from the reflected light selected by the beam splitter. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the laser light having a predetermined width (W) is provided between the beam splitter and the condenser lens.
Beam rocking means (16, 17, 25) for vibrating in 1)
Is provided and configured.

In the invention of claim 3, the temperature measuring means is
It is composed of an infrared thermometer (22, 22a).

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the condenser lens (2
1) is provided so as to be movable relative to the work (27) in a three-dimensional direction.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the beam splitter can directly capture the reflected light reflected from the quenching portion (27a) to measure the temperature, how the condenser lens and the work can be used. Even with relative movement, the reflected light from the quenching site (27a) can be captured accurately,
Hardened part (2
An accurate temperature measurement of 7a) is possible.

Since the beam oscillating means is provided between the beam splitter and the condenser lens, the beam splitter is located upstream of the beam oscillating means. Even if the oscillation of the laser beam is controlled by the oscillation means, the reflected light can be captured accurately.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the temperature can be measured with a simple structure by using the general infrared thermometer (22) in the temperature measurement using the light wave.

According to the invention of claim 4, the beam splitter for selectively supplying the reflected light (29a) to the temperature measuring means guides the light even if the condenser lens (21) is relatively movable in the three-dimensional direction. Since it is provided in the light means, the temperature of the quenching portion (27a) can be accurately measured regardless of the posture of the condenser lens.

The numbers in parentheses are for convenience of showing the corresponding elements in the drawings, and the present description is not limited to the description in the drawings.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a main part of a laser hardening apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

As shown in FIG. 1, the laser hardening apparatus 1 has a laser oscillator 2, and the saddle 5 is attached to the laser oscillator 2 via a duct 3 which is extendable and contractible.
Are connected. The saddle 5 is provided so as to be movable and driven in the Y-axis direction which is a horizontal direction via a guide means such as a column (not shown).
Further, the quenching head 7 has an upper reflecting cylinder 6 fixed to the saddle 5.

The upper reflecting cylinder 6 is provided with a first reflecting mirror 9, and the upper reflecting cylinder 6 has a duct 10 which is extendable and retractable in the Z-axis direction which is the vertical direction and whose center is the Z-axis. It is provided so as to be rotatable and positionable in the A-axis direction. A lower reflecting cylinder 11 is provided below the duct 10 in the figure, and a second reflecting mirror 12 is provided on the lower reflecting cylinder 11.

A duct 13 is provided in the lower reflecting cylinder 11 so as to extend in the horizontal direction, and a side reflecting cylinder 15 is provided at the tip of the duct 13. Side reflector 15
Is provided with a third reflecting mirror 16, and the third reflecting mirror 1
6, a mirror swinging device 17 is provided with a third reflecting mirror 16 and a second reflecting mirror 16.
The laser beam path 19 between the reflecting mirror 12 and the third reflecting mirror 16 is swingably connected in the directions of arrows D and E about a swing axis VA perpendicular to the laser optical path 19. A beam splitter 20 is provided in the laser optical path 19 of the duct 13 between the third reflecting mirror 16 and the second reflecting mirror 12, and further, a condenser lens 21 is provided below the side reflecting cylinder 15. It is provided via a torch 24 attached to the lower portion of the partial reflection cylinder 15.

An infrared thermometer 22 is connected to the beam splitter 20 via a pickup 22a, and an NC device 23 is connected to the infrared thermometer 22.
The NC device 23 is connected to the above-mentioned mirror control device 25 connected to the mirror rocking device 17, and further to N
The C device 23 is connected to the head drive device 26 that drives the quenching head 7 and the laser oscillator 2.

Since the laser hardening apparatus 1 has the above-mentioned structure, when hardening the work 27, as shown in FIG. 1, the work 27 is placed on the work table (not shown) below the torch 24. Installed and in that state, NC
A quenching operation is executed via the apparatus 23 based on a quenching program generated in advance corresponding to the workpiece 27 to be quenched.

First, the NC device 23 drives a table (not shown) to move the work 27 in the X-axis direction which is a horizontal direction orthogonal to the Y-axis, and at the same time, drives the head drive device 26 to drive the hardening head. 7 is moved in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions, the lower reflecting cylinder 11 is appropriately rotated together with the side reflecting cylinder 15 in the arrow A direction, and the side reflecting cylinder 15 is further appropriately rotated in the arrow B direction. The nozzle 24 is opposed to the portion of the workpiece 27 where quenching is performed.

Next, the NC device 23 commands the laser oscillator 2 to oscillate the laser light 29 at a predetermined output,
In response to this, the laser oscillator 2 emits a laser beam 29. The emitted laser light 29 enters the first reflecting mirror 9 from the duct 3, is reflected downward by the first reflecting mirror 9 in the figure, and is further reflected in the horizontal direction by the second reflecting mirror. The light passes through the beam splitter 20 and enters the third reflecting mirror 16.

The laser light 29 incident on the third reflecting mirror is reflected by the third reflecting mirror downward in the drawing, that is, toward the work 27,
It is condensed by the condenser lens 21 and is irradiated onto the work 27. The work 27 is rapidly heated by being irradiated with the laser beam 29 and is quenched.

At this time, the work 27 is fed at a predetermined feed speed in the direction of arrow X by a drive mechanism (not shown) driven by the NC device 23, and the NC device 23 is based on the quenching width W1 designated by the quenching program. Drive the mirror swinging device 17 via the mirror control device 25,
The third reflecting mirror 16 is vibrated in the directions of arrows D and E. Then, the laser light 29 incident on the third reflecting mirror 16 is swung by the width W1 in the direction orthogonal to the arrow X axis direction which is the feed direction of the work 27, and the work 27 is swung by the swinging laser light 29. Quenching is performed by heating to a predetermined temperature within the width W1. The relative movement direction of the work 27 with respect to the torch 24 is the X-axis direction for simplification of description, but the control axis for positioning the torch 24 with respect to the work 27 is orthogonal to the X, Y, and Z axes. In addition to the control axis, the A axis, which is the rotation axis around the Z axis, and the B axis, which is the rotation axis around the Y axis, are used as the control axes, so that arbitrary three-dimensional positioning can be performed on the work 27. The hardening direction for the work 27 may be any direction in the three-dimensional space.

At this time, the quenching portion 2 for the work 27
In order to properly quench the 7a, the temperature of the quenching portion 27a needs to be accurately measured, but the temperature of the quenching portion 27a is measured by the infrared thermometer 22. The infrared ray measured by the infrared thermometer 22 is the irradiation portion 27 where the laser light 29 is currently radiating the laser light 29.
b is the infrared component of the reflected light 29a from b.
Reference numeral 9a denotes a condenser lens 2 from the irradiation portion 27b of the work 27.
First, the beam is incident on the beam splitter 20 via the third reflecting mirror 16, is reflected upward in the drawing by the beam splitter 20, and is incident on and captured by the pickup 22a of the infrared thermometer 22.

The infrared thermometer 22 has a pickup 22a.
Thus, it is possible to measure in real time the temperature of the quenching portion 27a where the laser beam 29 is currently applied and quenching is actually performed. That is, the beam splitter 20 that splits the reflected light 29 a to the pickup 22 a includes the laser oscillator 2 and the quenching portion 2 of the workpiece 27 for the laser light 29.
It is arranged between the third reflecting mirror 16 which is a beam swing reflecting mirror that swings with respect to 7a, and is located on the side of the condenser lens 21 downstream of the third reflecting mirror 16 where the laser beam 29 swings. Is not arranged, the reflected light 29a from the work 27
Always follows a path opposite to the entrance path of the workpiece 27 with respect to the quenching portion 27a, and the condenser lens 21 to the third reflecting mirror 1
It returns to 6 and enters into the beam splitter 20. As a result, the pickup 22 does not have to have a special tracking mechanism.
A can always capture the reflected light 29a from the quenched portion 27a, and can accurately measure the temperature of the quenched portion 27a. The position of the beam splitter 20 is preferably arranged on the side of the third reflecting mirror 16 which is a beam swing reflecting mirror as much as possible in consideration of attenuation of the reflected light 29a.

Further, such a structure can be applied even when the torch 24 is moved and driven by the above-mentioned five-axis control to take various postures with respect to the work 27.
Whatever the posture of 4, the infrared thermometer 22
The temperature of the quenched portion 27a can be captured via the beam splitter 20. In the case of a quenching apparatus of the type in which the beam oscillating reflecting mirror that oscillates the laser beam 29 is not provided, the beam splitter 20 according to the present invention is located between the condenser lens 21 and the laser oscillator 2. Although it may be placed at a position, it is desirable to place it on the side of the condenser lens 21 as much as possible in consideration of attenuation of the reflected light 29a.

When the infrared thermometer 22 measures the temperature of the quenching portion 27a, the NC device 23 determines whether or not the temperature has reached the quenching temperature set by the quenching program, and the laser oscillator 2 is appropriately turned on. By adjusting the output, adjusting the feed speed of the work 27, and further adjusting the oscillation cycle of the laser light by the mirror oscillating device 17, the quenching portion 27a reaches the quenching temperature designated by the quenching program. To control properly.

In the above-described embodiment, the beam splitter 20 allows the laser light from the laser oscillator 2 to pass therethrough, and reflects the reflected light 29 from the quenching portion 27a of the work 27.
The beam splitter 2 has a reflective shape.
The reflection type of 0 may be any reflection type.

As the temperature measuring means for the quenching portion 27a, any thermometer can be used in addition to the infrared thermometer 22 as long as the temperature of the quenching portion 27a can be measured from the wavelength of the reflected light 29a. Good.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a main part of a laser hardening apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Laser hardening device 2 ... Laser oscillator 3, 10, 13 ... Light guide means (duct) 9 ... Light guiding means (first reflecting mirror) 12 ... Light guiding means (second reflecting mirror) 16: light guiding means, beam swinging means (third reflecting mirror) 17 ... Beam swinging means (mirror swinging device) 20 ... Beam splitter 21 ... Condensing lens 22 ... Temperature measuring means (infrared thermometer) 22a ... Temperature measuring means (pickup) 25 ... Beam swinging means (mirror control device) 27 ... work 27a ... Hardened part 29 ... Laser light 29a ... Reflected light

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Toshihiko Inoue             Aichi Prefecture Oguchi-machi Oguchi-machi Large-scale small-scale character boarding number 1               Yamazaki Mazak Co., Ltd. Head Office Factory (72) Inventor Toshihiko Asari             Aichi Prefecture Oguchi-machi Oguchi-machi Large-scale small-scale character boarding number 1               Yamazaki Mazak Co., Ltd. Head Office Factory F-term (reference) 4K034 AA04 DA06

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A light guide means for guiding a laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator is provided, a condenser lens is arranged in the light guide means, and the laser beam is collected by the condenser lens. In the laser hardening device, which performs hardening by irradiating the hardened part of the work with light, in the light guide means between the laser oscillator and the condenser lens,
A beam splitter for selecting reflected light reflected from the quenching portion is provided, and the beam splitter is provided with temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature of the quenching portion from the reflected light selected by the beam splitter, Laser hardening equipment. 2. The laser hardening apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a beam oscillating means for oscillating the laser beam with a predetermined width, provided between the beam splitter and the condenser lens. 3. The laser hardening apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature measuring means is an infrared thermometer. 4. The laser hardening apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the condenser lens is provided so as to be movable relative to the work in a three-dimensional direction.