JP2005288489A - Laser marking apparatus, and its printing control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser marking apparatus and its printing control method for carrying out the marking operation by irradiating a laser beam on a moving object to be printed (a workpiece), which apparatus can surely carry out a required printing operation without causing printing errors even if the moving speeds of the workpieces are variously different. <P>SOLUTION: A non-printing time (a waiting time) from the finish of the printing operation for a required marking unit in a marking pattern to be printed until the start of the printing operation for the next marking unit is made variable. By this way, the printing region of the next marking unit can surely come in a printing area during the elongated waiting time, when the carrying speed of the workpiece W is low, As a result, the printing operation never fails. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a laser marking device that performs marking by irradiating a moving object to be printed (work) with laser light and a printing control method therefor.

  The laser marking device reflects a laser beam from a laser light source by a galvanometer mirror, irradiates a laser spot at a predetermined coordinate position on the workpiece, and drives the galvanometer mirror to move the spot on the workpiece and Marking pattern is printed. When printing on a moving workpiece being conveyed by a conveyor such as a belt conveyor, printing starts when the tip of the workpiece enters the printing area of the laser marking device, and a laser spot is selected according to the moving speed of the workpiece. While correcting the irradiation position, printing is sequentially performed on the upstream side in the transport direction to print in a required area of the workpiece.

  By the way, in the laser marking device, since the rotation angle of the galvanometer mirror is naturally limited, there is also a limit in the print area where the laser beam can be irradiated. On the other hand, the moving speed of the workpiece varies. For this reason, there is no problem when the movement speed of the workpiece is high, but when the movement speed of the workpiece is slower than the printing speed, printing is started after confirming that the tip of the workpiece has entered deep into the printing area. Even so, if printing is advanced upstream in the transport direction, the boundary of the printing area is reached at an early stage, and printing after that cannot be performed. Consequently, complete printing may not be performed.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 9A, when the character “ABC” is to be printed on the workpiece 1 that is moving in the left direction in the drawing, the tip of the workpiece 1 is printed in the print area 2 (rectangular frame). It is assumed that printing is started when the vehicle has entered the inside. When the printing of “A” is completed, as shown in FIG. 5B, the area where “B” is to be printed has entered deeply into the printing area 2 and can be printed without any problem. . However, if the moving speed of the workpiece 1 is slow, the area for printing “B” has not yet completely entered the printing area when printing of “A” is completed ((D) in the figure). As a result, if printing of “B” is started immediately as usual, a printing error will occur (see (E) in the figure).

As a technique that can cope with such a phenomenon, there is an invention described in Patent Document 1. This is to adjust the printing speed (laser beam scanning speed) according to the marking information and the moving speed of the workpiece so that the marking information can be surely printed on the moving workpiece even when printing on the moving workpiece. .
Japanese Patent No. 311451

  However, in the configuration in which the printing speed is adjusted as described above, there arises a problem that the printing quality is not constant this time. That is, for example, when the movement speed of the workpiece is slow, the printing speed is slow, the irradiation time of the laser to the workpiece is lengthened, and excessive thermal energy is given to the workpiece. The phenomenon of being crushed occurs. On the other hand, when the moving speed of the workpiece is high, the printing speed is high and sufficient color development may not be obtained.

  The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and even if there is a situation in which the moving speed of the workpiece is variously different, it is possible to reliably perform the required printing without causing a printing error. Another object of the present invention is to provide a laser marking device that can obtain a certain print quality.

  In order to achieve the above object, a laser marking apparatus according to claim 1 prints a marking pattern such as characters, symbols, and figures by irradiating a printing target object being conveyed by a conveying means with a laser beam. A laser marking device, a laser light source for emitting laser light, a galvano mirror for irradiating the laser light in a predetermined printing area by changing the direction of the laser light from the laser light source, and turning on / off the laser light source Data generating means for controlling and generating coordinate data for controlling the galvanometer mirror based on marking information relating to the marking pattern to be printed, and storage means for storing the coordinate data generated by the data generating means A transport speed for inputting a transport speed of the object to be printed in the print area. The laser beam is moved on the object to be printed by driving the galvano mirror according to the transport speed inputted from the transport speed input means while taking out the coordinate data stored in the input means and the storage means And a printing control means for performing a printing operation on an object to be printed, and the printing control means finishes the printing of a predetermined marking unit of the marking pattern to be printed and then performs the next marking. It has a feature in that it has a wait time setting means that can change the non-printing time until the unit printing is started.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the wait time setting means passes the non-printing time from the start to the end of the print area of the next marking unit through a predetermined position in the print area. It is characterized in that it is determined with reference to the time required for printing and the time required for printing of the marking unit.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the conveying speed input means is configured to input a speed signal from a driving speed detecting means for detecting a speed of a driving unit of the conveying means. Features.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the transport speed input unit is configured to perform the transport speed based on a time difference in which the print target transported by the transport unit passes through a plurality of predetermined positions. Is calculated and input.

  According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the transport speed input means includes an input device operated by an operator, and a value based on an operation of the input device is input. And

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, the printing apparatus includes a printing speed variable setting unit that changes a printing speed of the marking unit by changing a driving speed of the galvano mirror. The setting means is a time (movement) required for the start to end of the print area of the next marking unit to pass through a predetermined position in the print area when the workpiece is transferred at the transfer speed set by the transfer speed input means. Moving time calculating means for calculating (time), and printing time calculating means for calculating time (printing time) required for printing of the next marking unit based on the printing speed set by the printing speed variable setting means. If the time is shorter than the travel time, the time difference obtained by subtracting the print time from the travel time is defined as the non-print time. And setting.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the print control means sets the time required for printing the next marking unit and the next marking unit for all the marking units before starting printing. The time until the end of the print area enters a predetermined position in the print area is calculated, and the maximum value of the time difference for each marking unit is set as the non-print time.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein after the weight time setting means prints one marking unit, the end of the printing area of the next marking unit is changed from the beginning to the end. A time required to pass a predetermined position in the printing area (movement time) and a time required for printing in the marking unit (printing time) are calculated. When the printing time is shorter than the movement time, the movement time A time difference obtained by subtracting the printing time from is set as the non-printing time.

  A ninth aspect of the present invention is a printing control method for a laser marking device for printing a marking pattern such as characters, symbols, figures, etc. by irradiating an object to be printed being conveyed by a conveying means with a laser beam. The non-printing time from the end of printing of a predetermined marking unit in the marking pattern to be started to the start of printing of the next marking unit can be changed.

  According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the ninth aspect of the invention, the non-printing time includes the time required for printing in the next marking unit and the end of the printing area in the next marking unit entering a predetermined position in the printing area. It is characterized in that it is determined with reference to the time until.

  According to the first or ninth aspect of the present invention, the wait time setting means is provided, and this completes the printing of a predetermined marking unit of the marking pattern to be printed and then starts the printing of the next marking unit. Since the non-printing time (wait time) is variable, if the workpiece transfer speed is slow, set the wait time longer so that the printing area of the next marking unit is ensured within the print area. As a result, printing does not fail. Note that the weight time may be changed separately for each marking unit, or may be changed for all marking units at once.

The non-printing time (wait time) is determined by referring to the time required for the end of the printing area of the next marking unit to pass the predetermined position in the printing area and the time required for printing of the next marking unit. According to the invention of claim 2 or claim 10 to be determined, a more appropriate wait time can be set.
In addition, according to the invention of claim 3 or 4, since the conveyance speed can be automatically acquired, even when it is changed, the change is easily followed and a state in which no printing error occurs is maintained. it can.

  In addition, according to the invention of claim 7, for each marking unit, the time difference obtained by subtracting the time required for printing from the time required for moving the print area is obtained, and the maximum value thereof is set as the wait time. The optimum wait time can be determined prior to the start of the printing operation, and the processing load on the print control unit during printing can be reduced.

<First Embodiment>
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
The laser marking device according to the present embodiment is installed above a belt conveyor 40 corresponding to a conveying unit. When the workpiece W that is an object to be printed is conveyed by the belt conveyor 40, the laser marking apparatus is moved against the moving workpiece W. Then, a printing operation for printing a marking pattern such as characters, symbols and figures by irradiating the laser beam is performed.

1. 1. Outline of Laser Marking Device The laser marking device of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 1 as a whole. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a laser light source, and laser light L emitted therefrom is a galvano scanner 20. The direction is changed by the direction of the workpiece W. The galvano scanner 20 includes a pair of galvanometer mirrors 20V and 20W that are rotatable about axes orthogonal to each other, drive means 20X and 20Y that rotate these, and a converging lens 20Z. The light L is reflected by one galvanometer mirror 20V toward the other galvanometer mirror 20W, where it is reflected again and transmitted through the converging lens 20Z, and an irradiation point of the laser beam L is formed on the workpiece W. By rotating the galvanometer mirror 20V, the irradiation point of the laser beam L can be moved along the X-axis direction of the XY plane parallel to the convey surface of the conveyor that can recognize the workpiece W, and the galvanometer mirror 20W is rotated. By moving it, it can be moved along the Y-axis direction.

  Note that the rotation angles of the galvanometer mirrors 20V and 20W are determined in advance within a predetermined range due to restrictions on the structure or control of the driving means 20X and 20Y. Since a planar area that can be moved dimensionally is also determined, this is referred to as a “printing area” in the present invention.

The print control unit 30 moves the irradiation point of the laser beam L to a required position in the print area corresponding to a plurality of points including the start point and the end point for the line elements constituting the line element based on the marking pattern input from the console 35. A plurality of coordinate data sets represented by digital values for driving the galvano scanner and an on / off control signal for the laser light source 10 are generated.
Then, the print control unit 30 sequentially supplies a plurality of coordinate data sets to the galvano scanner 20 at a predetermined timing to control the rotation angles of the galvano mirrors 20V and 20W, and also provides an on / off control signal to the laser light source 10. The on / off operation is controlled.

2. 1. Description of Conveying Line As shown in FIG. 1, the conveying line is controlled to flow at a predetermined speed v from the right to the left in the figure, and the workpiece W placed on the belt conveyor 40 is moved from the right in the figure. Carried to the left. The conveyance speed v of the belt conveyor 40 can be input by an operator operating the console 35 of the laser marking device, for example. Here, the direction along the X axis of the print area recognized by the XY orthogonal coordinate system is matched with the transport direction.
Also, a work detection device 53 having a photoelectric sensor is provided above the belt conveyor 40 in the transport direction upstream of the laser marking device, and the work detection signal J is sent when the work W advances to the detection area of the photoelectric sensor. It is designed to output.

  A rotary encoder 51 (corresponding to “driving speed detecting means” of the present invention) is attached to the shaft portion of the conveyor driving unit for driving the belt conveyor 40, and the conveying speed input means is driven by the conveyor based on a signal from the rotary encoder 51. A pulse signal S (corresponding to the “speed signal” of the present invention) corresponding to the conveying speed v of the means is given to the print control unit 30 of the laser marking device via the input / output circuit 33.

3. Detailed Description of Each Unit of Laser Marking Apparatus In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a laser light source 10 is housed in a housing and unitized as a laser emission unit 12. The galvano scanner 20 is housed in a housing and unitized as a scanning unit 22, and the print control unit 30 is housed in the housing and unitized as a controller unit 32. The laser emitting unit 12, the scanning unit 22, and the controller unit 32 are interchangeable with the same type or different types.

(1) Laser emission unit The laser emission unit 12 is configured by housing an input / output circuit 13 for exchanging signals with the laser light source 10 together with the outside. The input / output circuit 13 is connected to a laser oscillator 17 to which a drive current is supplied from an oscillator power supply 18. Further, the laser light L from the laser light source 10 is guided to the scanning unit 22 side through an optical fiber cable 19 drawn from, for example, an opening formed in the housing wall.

(2) Scanning unit The scanning unit 22 includes an input / output circuit 23 for exchanging signals with the galvano scanner 20, a D / A converter 24, a servo circuit 25, and a printing area in the casing. The information storage unit 27 and the movement amount correction circuit 29 are accommodated. Also, the housing is formed with an opening for inserting the distal end side of the optical fiber cable 19 led out from the laser emitting unit 12, and the distal end of the optical fiber cable 19 is positioned by this opening, and from this distal end The emitted laser beam L is guided to the galvanometer mirrors 20V and 20W. The convergent lens 20Z is fitted into a mounting opening formed through the casing.

The D / A converter 24 converts the coordinate data set of digital values represented by the XY coordinate system of the print area sent from the controller unit 32 side into two types of analog corresponding to the XY axes of the XY coordinate system. Convert to voltages Vx and VY.
On the other hand, the movement amount correction circuit 29 repeatedly generates the correction signal P every time it receives the print start signal T from the print control unit 30. The correction signal P is a triangular wave voltage signal, and the slope of the voltage rise is proportional to the moving speed v of the workpiece W. The moving speed v of the workpiece W is grasped by the pulse signal S input from the rotary encoder 51 via the input / output circuits 23 and 33. The correction signal P generated by the movement amount correction circuit 29 is subtracted by the subtractor 26 from the analog voltage Vx on the X axis side from the D / A converter 24, and the servo circuit 25. Controls the driving means 20X of the galvanometer mirror 20V (see FIG. 1) based on the voltage from the subtractor 26. Further, the servo circuit 25 can change the supply current to the galvanometer mirror driving means 20X and 20Y according to the printing speed inputted at the console 35 of the controller unit 32, whereby the driving speed of the galvanometer mirrors 20V and 20W, As a result, the moving speed of the laser beam irradiation point can be adjusted.

  As described above, the voltage Vx from the D / A converter 24 is subtracted by the triangular wave signal in the X-axis direction (work W transport direction) because the work W always moves along the X axis in the transport direction. This is because, since it moves toward the downstream side, it is necessary to shift the irradiation point of the laser beam L from the original position to the downstream side in the transport direction with the passage of time from the start of printing.

  The print area information storage unit 27 stores print area information. This fluctuates due to a difference in characteristics of the converging lens 20Z, a size of the galvanometer mirrors 20V and 20W, a difference in rotation angle range, and a difference in rotation characteristics. Accordingly, the print area information includes information on the characteristics of the converging lens 20Z, the size rotation angle ranges and rotation characteristics of the galvano mirrors 20V and 20W, or information indicating the range of the print area itself determined based on them. May be.

(3) Controller unit The controller unit 32 has an input / output circuit 33 for exchanging signals with the outside, together with the print control unit 30, and a memory 34 (corresponding to "storage means" of the present invention). Is housed. The input / output circuit 33 is electrically connected to the print control unit 30 and is detachable from the input / output circuit 13 of the laser emission unit 12 and the input / output circuit 23 of the scanning unit 22 via, for example, connectors 41 and 42. Thus, they are connected (electrically) so that signals can be transmitted.
The controller unit 32 is provided with a display portion of a console 35 on which a marking pattern can be set. A marking pattern and a marking position to be printed by an operator operating the console 35 while confirming on the display portion. And can be set.

  When the marking pattern to be printed and its position are set, the print control unit 30 reads out the font information stored in the font storage area in the memory 34 as the font information storage means based on the set information, The marking pattern is divided into predetermined line elements and generated as marking data. This marking data is converted into a plurality of coordinate data sets indicating the positional relationship in the XY coordinate system in the actual print area based on a predetermined conversion coefficient. This is stored in the memory 34 as storage means together with the on / off information of the laser light source. In other words, the print control unit 30 functions as a data generation unit that controls the on / off of the laser light source and generates coordinate data for controlling the galvano mirrors 20V and 20W.

  Next, the printing control means 30 performs a non-printing time (in this embodiment, from the end of printing of a predetermined marking unit of the marking pattern to be printed to the start of printing of the next marking unit. Also included is a wait time setting means having a function of setting the “wait time Tw”, and the length of the wait time Tw can be changed as follows. In this embodiment, a case where three characters “ABC” are printed as a marking pattern to be printed will be described as an example, and the marking unit is an example of character units “A”, “B”, and “C”. explain.

  As shown in FIG. 3, prior to the start of the marking operation, a wait time setting routine S10 is executed. The details of the wait time setting routine S10 are shown in FIG. 4. First, the variable k is initialized and set to 2 (steps S11 and S12) to print the second marking unit (ie, the letter “B”). For the print area, the length d2 of the print area in the transport direction (X-axis direction) is calculated (step S13). In this embodiment, the “printing area” is an area that is preliminarily determined as an area in which the line elements constituting the character are to be placed inside, as indicated by a dashed line in FIG. Since the direction length d2 is determined in advance by the number of points regardless of the character, it can be calculated based on the font information read from the memory 34.

  Next, the movement time td2 is calculated by dividing the length d2 by the conveyance speed v at that time (step S14). This movement time td2 is such that after the printing of the first marking unit (ie, the character “A”) is finished, the end of the printing area of the next marking unit (ie, the character “B”) is a predetermined position (for example, This corresponds to the time required to reach the most upstream position in the X-axis direction of the print area.

  Next, the printing time ts2 required for printing the second marking unit (character “B”) is calculated (step S15). This printing time ts2 can obtain the length of the line element composing the character “B” from the font information. Therefore, the total length ΣL of the line element is determined by the moving speed of the irradiation point of the laser beam (galvanomirrors 20V, 20W (Determined by the driving speed).

If the above-described printing time ts2 is longer than the movement time td2 (“N” in step S16), the time difference tw2 is calculated to be 0 (step S17), and the printing time ts2 is shorter than the movement time dt2. In the case (“Y” in step S16), the time difference tw2 between the two times is calculated as (td2−ts2) (step S18).
Thereafter, the above time difference is calculated for all the marking units (up to K = 3) (step S19), the maximum value twmax is selected (step S20), and is set as the wait time Tw (step S19). S21).

  Thus, the printing control means 30 also functions as a printing time calculation means and a movement time calculation means. In this embodiment, the maximum value of the time difference obtained by subtracting the printing time tsk from the movement time tdk for each marking unit is the wait time. Set as Tw.

Hereinafter, the operation of the print control unit 30 of the laser marking device according to the above configuration will be described. When the laser marking apparatus is activated, the print control unit 30 operates according to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG.
The operator sets the type, size, position, etc. of the marking pattern to be printed on the workpiece W by the console 35 (step S30). On the display unit attached to the console 35, the marking pattern input by the console 35 together with a rectangular frame indicating the print area based on the print area information read from the print area information storage unit 27 is set at a set size and position. Is displayed. In the present embodiment, the print start position is also set on the screen of the display unit at the same time. The print start position is used to determine at which position in the print area the tip of the work W reaches the first marking unit. In the present embodiment, the first marking unit is determined. (That is, the character “A”) is set at a position where the print area sufficiently enters the print area.

  When the marking pattern setting is completed, the above-described weight time setting routine is executed based on the information (step S10), and the maximum value of the time difference between the moving time tdk and the printing time tsk for each marking unit is set as the weight. It is set as time Tw. Then, after initializing the variable n to 0 and setting a waiting time t0 described later (step S31), the input of the workpiece detection signal J from the workpiece detection device 53 is monitored (step S32). When the workpiece detection signal J is input, the waiting of the set waiting time t0 is waited (step S33), and the printing operation is started after the waiting. Note that the waiting time t0 has a difference between the position where the work detection device 53 detects the work and the position set as the position where printing of the first marking unit (character “A”) is started. Therefore, if the distance in the X direction of the deviation is L0, it is determined by T0 = L / v (v is the conveying speed of the belt conveyor 40). (See FIGS. 6A and 6B).

  When the printing operation is started, n is set to 1 in step S34, and printing of the first marking unit (that is, the letter “A”) is executed in step S35 (see FIG. 6C). As described above, since the printing operation is performed while subtracting the coordinate value in the X-axis direction according to the value of the conveyance speed v, it is set in the same manner as when the work W is moving, even if it is moving. Printing can be performed at the specified position.

  When the printing of the first marking unit is completed, the conventional operation immediately shifts to the printing operation of the second marking unit. In this embodiment, however, the process waits for the wait time Tw set in the above-described wait time setting routine. Then, after the time Tw has elapsed, the operation proceeds to the printing operation for the next marking unit (ie, the letter “B”) (steps S37, S34, S35). Then, it waits for the wait time Tw before the printing operation of the third marking unit (character “C”) (see FIG. 6F), and when it is confirmed that the printing of all the marking units is completed. (“Y” in step S37) Printing for one workpiece W is completed.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the process waits for the wait time Tw before shifting to the printing operation of “B” or “C”, so that the workpiece W is conveyed downstream by the belt conveyor 40 during that time. The end of the print area of “B” or “C” surely enters the print area, and the printing operation starts even though the print area of the marking unit to be printed is outside the print area. Can be prevented in advance.

  In particular, in the present embodiment, the weight time Tw is determined with reference to the moving time determined by the conveying speed v of the belt conveyor 40 and the printing time required for printing in marking units. Even if there is a situation where the work W is changed, an appropriate wait time Tw can be set. Furthermore, since the wait time Tw is set prior to the start of the printing operation, the processing load on the printing control unit 30 during the printing process can be reduced.

<Embodiment 2>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment only in that the wait time is set for each marking unit.

  Specifically, when the printing operation is started after the standby time t0 has elapsed from the detection of the workpiece, n is set to 1 (step S41), and the first marking unit (ie, the letter “A”) is printed first. Is executed (step S42). When this printing is completed, a wait time setting routine is executed in this embodiment (step S43). The contents of this wait time setting routine are as shown in FIG. 8, and are the same as those in the first embodiment in principle. That is, the length d in the transport direction (X-axis direction) of the printing area for printing the second marking unit is calculated (step S44), and then the length d is determined by the transport speed v at that time. The movement time td is calculated by dividing (step S45). This moving time td is determined by the end of the printing area of the next marking unit (ie, the letter “B”) after the printing of the first marking unit (ie, the letter “A”) is completed. This corresponds to the time required to reach the most upstream position in the X-axis direction of the print area.

Next, the printing time ts required to print the second marking unit (character “B”) is calculated (step S46). When the printing time ts is longer than the movement time td (“N” in step S47). The wait time Tw is set to 0 (step S48), and if the printing time ts is shorter than the movement time td (“Y” in step S47), the time difference (td−ts) between the two times is set as the wait time. Set as Tw (step S49).
Then, after performing the wait operation (step S50) for the calculated time Tw, the next marking unit (character “C”) is shifted to the printing operation. If the wait time Tw is set to 0, the process immediately proceeds to the next printing operation.

  As described above, in this embodiment as well, since the process waits for the wait time Tw before shifting to the printing operation “B” or “C”, even if the conveying speed v of the belt conveyor 40 is low, the workpiece W is transferred by the belt conveyor 40 during that time. As a result, the end of the printing area “B” or “C” surely enters the printing area, and the printing area of the marking unit to be printed is outside the printing area. It is possible to prevent the printing operation from starting and causing an error.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention, and further, within the scope not departing from the gist of the invention other than the following. Various modifications can be made.
(1) In each of the above-described embodiments, the workpiece conveyance speed v is input by the rotary encoder 51 provided in the drive unit of the belt conveyor 40. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as indicated by a broken line in FIG. The two photoelectric switches A and B are provided along the belt conveyor 40, the time when the workpiece passes through the two positions is detected by the photoelectric switches A and B, and the conveyance speed of the workpiece W is determined based on the time difference between them. It is good also as a structure which detects v in the printing control part 30. FIG. Further, even if the actual conveyance speed v of the workpiece W is not necessarily detected, when the conveyance speed v is input by an input device (for example, the console 35) operated by the operator, the conveyance speed v input there is input. May be used as they are.

  (2) In each of the above embodiments, the case where the marking unit is one character has been exemplified. However, the marking unit is not necessarily a character unit, and a line element constituting the character may be a marking unit. A plurality of characters may be used as a marking unit.

(3) In each of the above embodiments, the wait time setting means automatically sets the wait time Tw. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the operator inputs the wait time to an input device such as a console. Various adjustments may be possible. Even with such a configuration, the operator can experimentally obtain the wait time Tw according to the conveyance speed v of the workpiece W, and use this to perform the wait operation for each printing in the marking unit.
(4) In each of the above embodiments, when the weight time setting means calculates the movement time, the print area of a predetermined size (including the line elements of characters that are actually printed) is preliminarily determined. The time required from the start to the end to pass the specified position in the print area was calculated, but the area occupied by the line elements that are actually printed is regarded as the "print area", and the start and end points to the specified position in the print area. The time required for passing may be obtained for each character.

1 is a perspective view schematically showing an overall configuration of a laser marking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Block diagram of each unit of laser marking device Flow chart during printing operation Flow chart of wait time setting routine Plan view showing the print area on the workpiece Plan view showing the printing process The flowchart which shows 2nd Embodiment of this invention. Flowchart of wait time setting routine of the second embodiment Plan view showing problems in conventional laser marking device

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Laser light source 17 ... Laser oscillator 20 ... Galvano scanner 20V, 20W ... Galvano mirror 29 ... Movement amount correction circuit 30 ... Print control part (Data generation means, printing speed variable setting means, printing time calculation means, movement time calculation means, Including wait time setting means)
35. Console (input means)
51. Rotary encoder (drive speed detection means)
53. Work detection device

Claims (10)

A laser marking device that prints a marking pattern of characters, symbols, figures, etc. by irradiating a laser beam onto an object to be printed being conveyed by a conveying means,
A laser light source for emitting laser light;
A galvanometer mirror that irradiates the laser light in a predetermined printing area by changing the direction of the laser light from the laser light source;
Data generation means for generating coordinate data for controlling the galvanometer mirror based on marking information related to the marking pattern to be printed, while controlling on / off of the laser light source;
Storage means for storing the coordinate data generated by the data generation means;
A transport speed input means for inputting a transport speed of the object to be printed in the print area;
The laser light is scanned on the moving print target by driving the galvanometer mirror according to the transport speed inputted from the transport speed input means while taking out the coordinate data stored in the storage means. A printing control means for performing a printing operation on an object to be printed,
The printing control means has a wait time setting means for changing a non-printing time from the end of printing of a predetermined marking unit of the marking pattern to be printed to the start of printing of the next marking unit. A laser marking device characterized by that. The weight time setting means determines the non-printing time as a time required for the end of the printing area of the next marking unit to pass through a predetermined position in the printing area and a time required for printing of the marking unit. 2. The laser marking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser marking apparatus is determined with reference to the laser marking apparatus. 3. The laser marking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport speed input unit is configured to input a speed signal from a drive speed detection unit that detects a speed of a drive unit of the transport unit. The transport speed input means calculates and inputs the transport speed based on a time difference during which the print target transported by the transport means passes through a plurality of predetermined positions. 3. The laser marking device according to 1 or 2. 3. The laser marking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance speed input means includes an input device operated by an operator, and a value based on an operation of the input device is input. The printing apparatus includes a printing speed variable setting unit that changes a printing speed of the marking unit by changing a driving speed of the galvanometer mirror, and the weight time setting unit is configured to convey the workpiece at a conveyance speed set by the conveyance speed input unit. Set by the printing speed variable setting means and the movement time calculating means for calculating the time (movement time) required for the printing area of the next marking unit to pass from the beginning to the end of the printing area at a predetermined position in the printing area. A printing time calculating means for calculating a time (printing time) required for printing in the next marking unit according to the printed printing speed, and when the printing time is shorter than the moving time, the printing time is changed from the moving time to the printing time. 6. The time difference obtained by subtracting is set as the non-printing time. Over The marking device. The weight time setting means is configured such that when the workpiece is conveyed at the conveyance speed set by the conveyance speed input means for all the marking units before the start of printing, the printing area from the start to the end of the printing area of one marking unit is printed. Calculate the time required to pass a predetermined position in the area (moving time) and the time required for printing in the marking unit (printing time), and the maximum value of the time difference obtained by subtracting the printing time from the moving time The laser marking device according to claim 1, wherein the non-printing time is set. The weight time setting means includes a time (moving time) required from the start end to the end of the print area of the next marking unit after passing through a predetermined position in the print area after printing one marking unit, and the marking unit. The time required for printing (printing time) is calculated, and when the printing time is shorter than the moving time, a time difference obtained by subtracting the printing time from the moving time is set as the non-printing time. The laser marking device according to claim 1. A printing control method of a laser marking device that prints a marking pattern such as characters, symbols, figures, etc. by irradiating a printing target object being conveyed by a conveying means with a laser beam,
A printing control method for a laser marking device, wherein the non-printing time from the end of printing of a predetermined marking unit of the marking pattern to be printed to the start of printing of the next marking unit can be changed . The non-printing time is determined with reference to the time required for printing in the next marking unit and the time until the end of the printing area in the next marking unit enters a predetermined position in the printing area. A printing control method for a laser marking device according to claim 8.

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