JP2010051986A - Laser beam machining apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser beam machining apparatus in which a machining head is prevented from impinging on a holding device or holding frame, by a simple operation without inputting a size or the like of a workpiece to be machined by laser beam. <P>SOLUTION: In the laser beam machining apparatus performing laser beam machining while moving a thin plate mounted on an XY stage, there are installed, on a machining table 14 arranged opposite to the machining head 15, a pair of X-axis side movable range detectors 44, 45 for detecting a movable range in the X axis direction of the XY stage and a pair of Y-axis side moving range detectors 46, 47 for detecting a movable range in the Y axis direction. The XY stage is moved before the start of laser beam machining and, by the X-axis side and the Y-axis side movable range detectors, the movable range is preobtained for the XY stage in laser beam machining. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus, and more particularly to a laser processing apparatus that performs laser processing on a thin plate held on an XY stage.

  A metal mask for manufacturing a mounting substrate is manufactured by performing high-precision and high-quality fine cutting by laser processing an ultrathin metal plate having a thickness of several tens to several hundreds of μm. In general, an ultra-thin metal plate is held on an XY stage (XY table) of a laser processing apparatus. The control apparatus shifts the XY stage in a plane and turns on and off laser light from the processing head. Processing of a predetermined shape is performed at a predetermined position of the metal plate.

At this time, the ultrathin metal plate is held in a tensioned state by a holding device provided on the XY stage so that the focal position of the laser beam does not fluctuate due to the movement of the XY stage, or in a tensioned state in advance on the holding frame. A so-called stretched one that is held is held by a holding device of an XY stage (for example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2004-174519 A

  Laser processing equipment that processes thin plates such as metal masks supports thin plates (workpieces) of various sizes and shapes, so the size of the workpiece and the presence or absence of a holding frame are controlled each time the workpiece is mounted on the XY stage. By inputting to the apparatus, the machining head is prevented from colliding with the holding member and the mounting frame. However, when handling a large number of workpieces, the input operation is troublesome, and if the input is made by mistake, the machining head may collide with the holding member or the mounting frame.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a laser processing apparatus that can prevent a processing head from colliding with a holding member or a mounting frame by a simple operation without inputting the size of a workpiece to be laser processed. .

  In order to achieve the above object, the laser processing apparatus of the present invention holds a thin plate in a rectangular mounting frame having four sides parallel to the X axis and the Y axis of the XY stage, and processes one side of the thin plate. The thin plate is formed by irradiating a laser beam from the processing head to the thin plate while the head is disposed on the other side with a processing table facing the processing head, and the thin plate is moved in a plane with respect to the processing head and the processing table. In the laser processing apparatus that performs laser processing, the X-axis direction can be moved by contacting the holding table or the mounting frame that protrudes on both sides of the XY stage in the X-axis direction and holds the thin plate. A pair of X-axis side movement range detectors that detect the range and abutment with the holding member or the mounting frame that protrudes on both sides of the XY stage in the Y-axis direction and holds the thin plate It is characterized in that a pair of Y-axis side movement range detector for detecting a movement range of the Y-axis direction by Rukoto.

  Furthermore, the laser processing apparatus of the present invention moves the XY stage in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, respectively, before mounting the thin plate in the mounting frame and starting laser processing on the thin plate. The movable range of the XY stage at the time of laser processing is acquired in advance by bringing the shaft side movement range detector and the Y axis side movement range detector into contact with the holding member holding the thin plate or the mounting frame, respectively. It is characterized by comprising control means.

  According to the laser processing apparatus of the present invention, when a workpiece (thin plate) is mounted on an XY stage and laser processing is performed, the X-axis side moving range before the processing table collides with a holding member or a mounting frame that holds the workpiece. Since the detector and the Y-axis side movement range detector come into contact with the holding member to detect the movable range, the work table collides strongly with the holding member etc. by stopping the movement of the XY stage simultaneously with the detection. These can be prevented from being damaged.

  In particular, before mounting the thin plate in the mounting frame and starting laser processing, the XY stage is moved in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, respectively, and the X-axis side movement range detector and the Y-axis side movement range detector are By obtaining the movable range of the XY stage in advance by contacting the holding member or the like, the processing range in the thin plate can be set reliably. Therefore, the movable range according to the size of the workpiece and the presence / absence of the holding frame can be set easily and reliably, so that troublesome input operations can be omitted and accidents due to input errors can be prevented.

  1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the laser processing apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view, FIG. 3 is a right side view, FIG. 4 is a left side view, and FIG. The front view of the principal part which shows the state to perform, FIG. 7 is the front view of the principal part which shows the state which hold | maintains the stretched workpiece | work, and performs laser processing, FIG. 7 is the right view of the principal part.

  In this laser processing apparatus, a pair of horizontal frames 11a and a pair of vertical frames 11b facing each other are assembled in four directions and a rectangular mounting frame 11 supported by a lower underframe 11c is moved in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. A suction support frame 13 disposed in the front-rear direction between the XY stage 12, the horizontal frame 11a and the lower frame 11c, and a cylindrical processing table disposed in the center in the front-rear direction of the suction support frame 13 14 and a processing head 15 disposed opposite to the upper portion of the processing table 14.

  Although not shown, like the general laser processing apparatus, the XY stage 12 has a known drive means for moving the XY stage 12 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Are provided with a known transmission optical system for guiding laser light from a laser transmitter, and further with control means for controlling the operation of the entire laser processing apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the pair of vertical frames 11b has a thin plate gripping member 16 that is a holding member for directly gripping a rectangular thin plate (work W) to be processed, or as shown in FIG. A holding frame gripping member 18 for gripping the holding frame 17 in the tensioned workpiece W in which the thin plate is held in a tension state by the holding frame 17 which is a holding member is provided so as to be detachable and replaceable. The frame 11b is provided so as to be movable in the direction of the other vertical frame 11b along the horizontal frame 11a, and is formed so that the interval between the vertical frames 11b can be adjusted to an interval corresponding to the dimension of the workpiece W.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the thin plate gripping member 16 that directly holds the workpiece W includes a base member 21 provided along the vertical frame 11b, a receiving member 22 fixed to the upper surface of the base member 21, A pedestal 23 provided outside the receiving member 22 is provided with a tightening lever 25 rotatably provided via a link mechanism 24, and a pressing member 26 connected to the tip of the tightening lever 25. When the tightening lever 25 is rotated upward, the pressing member 26 at the tip is rotated upward via the link mechanism 24, and the side edge of the workpiece W can be detached between the receiving member 22 and the pressing member 26. When the clamping lever 25 is rotated downward as shown in FIG. 5, the receiving member 22 and the pressing member 26 come into close contact with each other, and the side edge of the workpiece W is between the members 22 and 26. It is formed so as to hold the part.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the holding frame gripping member 18 that holds the holding frame 17 in the stretched workpiece W is disposed on the base member 31 provided along the vertical frame 11 b and above the base member 31. The pressing member 32 is formed by a clamping handle 33 for tightening the base member 31 and the pressing member 32, a screw rod 34, and a nut 35. By opening the space between the members 32, the holding frame 17 becomes detachable. By operating the tightening handle 33, the base member 31 and the pressing member 32 sandwiching the holding frame 17 are tightened. It is formed so that the holding frame 17 of the workpiece W is gripped between 32.

  The processing table 14 is arranged to be movable up and down directly below the processing head 15, and a suction block 42 is fixed to a pedestal 41 provided on the upper surface of the suction support frame 13, and above the suction block 42, A ring-shaped support plate 43 that supports the lower surface of the workpiece W is provided. The internal space of the suction block 42 communicates with the internal space of the suction support frame 13 and is generated during laser processing by sucking and exhausting the internal space of the suction block 42 via the suction support frame 13 by a suction device (not shown). The dross to be removed is excluded from the lower surface of the workpiece W.

  On the pedestal 41, a movement range detecting means for detecting a relative movement range of the processing table 14, the processing head 15, and the XY stage 12 is provided. The moving range detecting means includes a pair of left and right X axis side moving range detectors 44 and 45 facing the plus side and the minus side in the X axis direction on the XY stage 12, and the plus side in the Y axis direction on the XY stage 12. It has a pair of front and rear Y-axis side movement range detectors 46, 47 facing the minus side. Each of the detectors 44 to 47 urges the switch portion 51, a contact plate 53 provided at the tip of the sliding shaft 52 protruding from the switch portion 51, and the contact plate 53 to a preset protruding position. The contact plate 53 is formed of a plate material that is long in the vertical direction in order to cope with the difference in height position of the thin plate gripping member 16, the holding frame 17, and the mounting frame 11. A switch operating piece 55 is provided on one side.

  In the detectors 44 to 47, the contact plate 53 comes into contact with the gripping member 16, the holding frame 17, or the mounting frame 11 that is a holding member for the workpiece W, and the switch operating piece 55 moves in the direction of the switch unit 51. Then, the detectors 44 to 47 are activated, and a signal is sent to the control means that the detectors 44 to 47 have contacted the holding member in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, that is, the processing table 14 has reached the movement limit. To do.

  At this time, even if the relative movement range of the processing table 14 and the processing head 15 and the XY stage 12 is not set in advance or the movement range manually input in advance is incorrect, the detectors 44 to 47 are used. When the control means receives the signal reaching the movement limit and urgently stops the XY stage 12, it is possible to prevent the processing table 14 or the processing head 15 from colliding with the holding member or the like and being damaged.

  Before the workpiece W is mounted in the mounting frame 11 and laser processing is started, the XY stage 12 is moved in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, respectively, and the X-axis side movement range detectors 44 and 45 and the Y-axis are moved. The side movement range detectors 46 and 47 are lightly brought into contact with a holding member or the like, and the movable range of the XY stage 12 is acquired in advance and stored in the control means, so that not only the size of the workpiece W but also the tension state Even if the shape and size of the holding frame 17 of the workpiece W are different, the processing range corresponding to the dimension of the workpiece W, that is, the movable range of the XY stage 12 can be easily and reliably performed without performing complicated input operations. It can be set, and is most suitable for a laser processing apparatus for processing a metal mask that has to correspond to many kinds of sizes and structures as compared with other general processing objects.

It is a top view which shows one example of a laser processing apparatus of this invention. It is also a front view. Similarly, it is a right side view. Similarly, it is a left side view. It is a front view of the principal part which shows the state which hold | maintains a workpiece | work directly and performs laser processing. It is a front view of the principal part which shows the state which hold | maintains the stretched workpiece | work and performs laser processing. It is a right view of the principal part which shows the state which performs laser processing.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Mounting frame, 11a ... Horizontal frame, 11b ... Vertical frame, 11c ... Lower frame, 12 ... XY stage, 13 ... Suction support frame, 14 ... Processing table, 15 ... Processing head, 16 ... Thin plate holding member, 17 ... Holding frame, 18 ... holding frame gripping member, 21 ... base member, 22 ... receiving member, 23 ... pedestal, 24 ... link mechanism, 25 ... clamping lever, 26 ... pressing member, 31 ... base member, 32 ... pressing member, 33 ... Tightening handle, 34 ... Screw rod, 35 ... Nut, 41 ... Pedestal, 42 ... Suction block, 43 ... Support plate, 44, 45 ... X-axis side movement range detector, 46, 47 ... Y-axis side movement range Detector 51 ... Switch part 52 ... Sliding shaft 53 ... Contact plate 54 ... Spring 55 ... Switch operating piece W ... Work (thin plate)

Claims (2)

  A thin plate is held in a rectangular mounting frame having four sides parallel to the X-axis and Y-axis of the XY stage, a processing head on one side of the thin plate, and a processing table facing the processing head on the other side. In the laser processing apparatus that performs laser processing on the thin plate by irradiating the thin plate from the processing head while moving the thin plate in a plane with respect to the processing head and the processing table, A pair of X-axis side movement range detectors that detect a movement range in the X-axis direction by abutting against a holding member that holds the thin plate by projecting on both sides in the X-axis direction of the XY stage or the mounting frame; A pair of Y-axis sides that detect the range of movement in the Y-axis direction by contacting the holding member or the mounting frame that protrudes on both sides of the stage in the Y-axis direction and holds the thin plate Laser processing apparatus is characterized by providing a dynamic range detector.   Before mounting the thin plate in the mounting frame and starting laser processing on the thin plate, the XY stage is moved in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, respectively, and the X-axis side moving range detector and the Y-axis side are moved. It comprises control means for acquiring in advance the movable range of the XY stage during laser processing by bringing the moving range detector into contact with the holding member holding the thin plate or the mounting frame. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1.

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