JP2010207878A - Laser beam welding apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser beam welding apparatus without degrading the productivity of a welding process even in a workpiece where welding zones are away from esch other or the workpiece having many welding portions. <P>SOLUTION: In the laser beam welding apparatus, there are installed: a feeding means having a plurality of openings for supplying metallic powder and a discharge control means for controlling discharge of the metallic powder by the respective openings; a driving means for relatively moving a workpiece and the feeding means; and a laser beam position adjusting means by which a laser beam is emitted to the position of the discharged metallic powder. As a result, the supply of the metallic powder is performed by controlling the discharge of the metallic powder of each of the plurality of openings, and that the moving of the laser beam is facilitated by the use of the high-speed laser beam position adjusting means, thereby dispensing with time-consuming movement of a laser head and of a workpiece. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a laser welding apparatus that performs welding by melting a metal powder supplied onto an object to be welded with laser light.

As an apparatus for melting a powdered material with laser light and welding a work piece, a welding metal powder injection nozzle is provided on the outer periphery of the laser light irradiation nozzle coaxially with the laser light irradiation nozzle, and the work piece is irradiated with laser light. There is one in which welding metal powder is sprayed from the spray nozzle in the vicinity of a melting region at a point to perform welding (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-4-84684

  However, in the conventional apparatus described above, in order to perform welding of the workpiece, it is necessary to move the laser head itself to the welding site or move the workpiece to the laser irradiation position. For this reason, especially in the case where the welded part is distant or there are many welded parts, it takes time to move to the welded part, so the moving time reduces the productivity of the entire welding process. It was a cause.

  The present invention is intended to solve the above-described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a laser welding apparatus capable of performing laser welding at a higher speed.

  In order to achieve the above object, a welding apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a plurality of openings for supplying metal powder; a supply means having discharge control means for controlling discharge of the metal powder for each opening; A driving means for relatively moving the means and a laser light position adjusting means for irradiating the position of the discharged metal powder with laser light are provided.

  According to this configuration, the supply of the metal powder is performed by controlling the discharge of the metal powder for each of the plurality of openings, and a high-speed laser beam position adjusting unit can be used for moving the laser beam. Such movement of the laser head and the workpiece can be eliminated.

  Therefore, the time required for the welding process can be shortened, and the productivity of the welding process can be improved.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to significantly shorten the movement time for supplying the metal powder and the laser beam to the welding site, and the effect of improving the productivity of the laser welding process.

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  A laser welding apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes a laser oscillation device 1, an optical scanner (for Z axis) 2 and an optical scanner (for XY axis) 3 as laser beam position adjusting means for positioning a laser beam output from the laser oscillation device 1. And the movable mirror 4 provided in the optical scanner 3, the metal powder injection nozzle 5, the shield gas nozzle 6, the metal powder injection nozzle 5 and the shield gas nozzle of the feeding means provided with a plurality of openings for supplying the metal powder 10. Drive mechanism 7 for moving 6 in the X-axis and Z-axis directions, workpiece 8, weld bead 9 formed on workpiece 8, metal powder 10 injected from metal powder injection nozzle 5, and opening. Metal powder supply device 11, metal powder hopper 12, carrier gas pipe 13, seal as a discharge control means of a feeding means for controlling discharge of metal powder 10 for each metal powder injection nozzle 5 Inert gas pipe 14, metal powder supply pipe 15 connected to each opening of metal powder injection nozzle 5, shield inert gas supply pipe 16 connected to shield gas nozzle 6, laser oscillation The apparatus 1, the optical scanner 2, the optical scanner 3, the drive mechanism 7, and the metal powder supply device 11 are controlled, and the ejection control means and the laser light position adjustment means are controlled so as to irradiate the position of the ejected metal powder 10 with laser light. The control device 17 is provided.

  The welding apparatus configured as described above will be described.

  The laser light L emitted from the laser oscillation device 1 is subjected to focus adjustment by an optical scanner (for Z axis) 2 combined with an optical element such as a collimator, and the focal position in the Z axis direction is adjusted. An optical scanner (for XY axes) 3 composed of a plurality of movable mirrors 4 is configured to reflect and align the laser beam at the irradiation position on the workpiece 8.

  The metal powder injection nozzle 5 can be moved in the X-axis and Z-axis directions by the drive mechanism 7 and is connected to the metal powder supply device 11 by a metal powder supply pipe 15 corresponding to the numerical aperture. The metal powder supply device 11 is configured to supply the metal powder 10 falling from the metal powder hopper 12 from the metal powder supply pipe 15 to the metal powder injection nozzle 5 by the gas pressure supplied from the carrier gas pipe 13.

  The metal powder supply device 11 controls the metal powder 10 injected independently from each opening of the metal powder injection nozzle 5 by controlling the supply of the metal powder 10 to each metal powder supply pipe 15. At the same time, by controlling the shielding inert gas sent from the shielding inert gas pipe 14, the shielding gas nozzle 6 passes through the shielding inert gas supply pipe 16 to the welding portion on the workpiece 8. Control of the shield inert gas supplied is performed.

  These focus adjustment, irradiation position adjustment, and metal powder injection position adjustment are controlled by a command from the control device 17, and the welding of the metal powder 10 and the irradiation of the laser beam L to the welded part is performed. A weld bead 9 is formed on the object 8, and the workpiece 8 is welded.

  Thus, by providing a plurality of openings of the metal powder injection nozzle 5 parallel to the Y-axis direction, it is not necessary to move the metal powder injection nozzle 5 in the Y-axis direction, and the laser irradiation position is instantaneously adjusted by the optical scanners 2 and 3. Therefore, the productivity of the welding process can be improved.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, in this Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the location similar to Embodiment 1, and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The laser welding apparatus of Embodiment 2 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 includes a detection device 20 for detecting the arrangement of the metal powder 10 injected from the metal powder injection nozzle 5 on the workpiece 8 and the detection device 20. A control device 21 is provided for controlling the laser oscillation device 1, the optical scanner 2, the optical scanner 3, the drive mechanism 7, and the metal powder supply device 11 by signals.

  The welding apparatus configured as described above will be described.

  The drive mechanism 7 and the metal powder supply device 11 controlled by the command of the control device 21 are controlled so as to supply the metal powder 10 to the welding site via the metal powder injection nozzle 5. After the metal powder 10 injected to the welded part is detected by the detecting device 20, the optical scanners 2 and 3 are controlled corresponding to the positions detected by the control device 21, thereby irradiating the welded part with the laser beam L. Done.

  In the case of the configuration shown in the first embodiment, when the position of the metal powder injection nozzle 5 is changed with respect to the work piece 8 as shown by the solid line and the broken line as shown in FIG. Since the shape of the supply pipe 15 changes, the pipe resistance changes, an error occurs in the timing of metal powder injection injected from the metal powder injection nozzle 5, or due to differences in the arrangement of devices such as the drive mechanism 7 and the metal powder supply device The timing of metal powder injection may be different, and the welding state may become unstable.

  In the present embodiment, after the metal powder detection is confirmed by the detection device 20, the laser beam is irradiated, so that the laser beam irradiation with respect to the metal jet can be performed at a certain timing, so that a uniform welding state can be maintained. In addition, since the metal powder injection position can be confirmed, even if an error occurs between the welded part and the metal powder injection position, the correction can be made.

(Embodiment 3)
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the same parts as those in the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The laser welding apparatus of the third embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 includes a metal powder injection nozzle 30 provided with a shielding inert gas injection port, a metal powder injection port 31 provided in the metal powder injection nozzle 30, and a metal powder. Shielding inert gas injection port 32 provided in injection nozzle 30, metal powder supply device 33, and shielding inert gas supply pipe connected to each shielding inert gas injection port 32 of metal powder injection nozzle 30 34, a control device 35 for controlling the laser oscillation device 1, the optical scanner 2, the optical scanner 3, the drive mechanism 7 and the metal powder supply device 33 is provided.

  The difference from the first and second embodiments is that the metal powder injection nozzle 30 is provided with a shield inert gas injection port 32 corresponding to each metal powder injection port 31 instead of the shield gas nozzle 6.

  The welding apparatus configured as described above will be described.

  The metal powder supply device 33 controls the metal powder 10 injected independently from each metal powder injection port 31 of the metal powder injection nozzle 30 by controlling the supply of the metal powder 10 to each metal powder supply pipe 15. In addition, by controlling the supply of the shielding inert gas to the shielding inert gas supply pipes 34, the shields are independently injected from the shielding inert gas injection ports 32 corresponding to the metal powder injection ports 31, respectively. Inert gas is controlled.

  The metal powder 10 is supplied to the welding site and the laser beam L is irradiated by the laser oscillation device 1, the optical scanners 2 and 3, the drive mechanism 7, and the metal powder supply device 33 controlled by the command of the control device 35. As a result, a weld bead 9 is formed on the workpiece 8 and the workpiece 8 is welded.

  In the present embodiment, for example, when the metal powder 10 is ejected from the metal powder ejection port 31 shown as a black circle in FIG. 5, the shield gas can be shielded only from the shield inert gas ejection port 32 shown as a corresponding hatched circle. Inert gas is injected. In this way, the shield inert gas is jetted only to the part necessary for welding, and the shield inert gas flow rate ejected from each shield inert gas injection port 32 is controlled to be constant, thereby shielding the shield. Inert gas consumption can be reduced.

(Embodiment 4)
Next, Embodiment 4 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, in this Embodiment, about the location similar to Embodiment 1-3, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The laser welding apparatus of the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 6 includes an optical scanner (for Y axis) 40, a movable mirror 41 provided in the optical scanner 40, and a drive mechanism 42 for moving the workpiece 8 in the X axis direction. Drive mechanism 43 for moving metal powder injection nozzle 5 and shield gas nozzle 6 in the Z-axis direction, laser oscillation device 1, optical scanner 2, optical scanner 40, drive mechanism 42, drive mechanism 43, and metal powder supply device 11 is provided.

  The laser welding apparatus configured as described above will be described.

  The laser light L emitted from the laser oscillation device 1 is focus-adjusted by an optical scanner (for Z-axis) 2 combined with optical elements such as a collimator, the focal position in the Z-axis direction is adjusted, and a movable mirror The irradiation position on the workpiece 8 is adjusted by an optical scanner (for Y axis) 40 composed of 41.

  The position of the welded part in the X-axis direction is adjusted by moving the workpiece 8 by the drive mechanism 42, and the position of the welded part in the Z-axis direction is adjusted by moving the metal powder injection nozzle 5 by the drive mechanism 43.

  The metal powder 10 is supplied to the welding site by the laser oscillation device 1, the optical scanner 2, the optical scanner 40, the drive mechanism 42, the drive mechanism 43, and the metal powder supply device 11 controlled by the command of the control device 44. By irradiating the laser beam L, a weld bead 9 is formed on the workpiece 8 and the workpiece 8 is welded.

  In the present embodiment, by providing the drive mechanism 42 that moves the workpiece 8 in the X-axis direction, there is no need to move the laser light L in the X-axis direction, so that the X-axis optical scanner is omitted. And the optical system can be simplified.

(Embodiment 5)
Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, in this Embodiment, about the location similar to Embodiment 1-4, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The laser welding apparatus of the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 7 includes a polygon scanner (for Y axis) 50 constituted by a polygon mirror, a laser oscillation device 1, an optical scanner 2, a polygon scanner 50, a drive mechanism 42, a drive mechanism 43, and A control device 51 for controlling the metal powder supply device 11 is provided.

  The laser welding apparatus configured as described above will be described.

  The laser beam L emitted from the laser oscillation device 1 is focus-adjusted by an optical scanner (for Z-axis) 2 combined with optical elements such as a collimator, the focal position in the Z-axis direction is adjusted, and is constituted by a polygon mirror. The irradiation position on the workpiece 8 is adjusted by the polygon scanner (for Y axis) 50.

  The metal powder 10 is supplied to the welding site by the laser oscillation device 1, the optical scanner 2, the polygon scanner 50, the drive mechanism 42, the drive mechanism 43, and the metal powder supply device 11 controlled by the command of the control device 51. By irradiating the laser beam L, a weld bead 9 is formed on the workpiece 8 and the workpiece 8 is welded.

  In the present embodiment, the polygon scanner 50 is used for laser beam irradiation position adjustment in the Y-axis direction. By using a polygon scanner 50 that is generally widely used as an optical scanner, the cost of the optical system can be reduced.

(Embodiment 6)
Next, Embodiment 6 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, in this Embodiment, about the location similar to Embodiment 1-5, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The laser welding apparatus of the sixth embodiment shown in FIG. 8 includes a metal powder injection nozzle 5, a shield gas nozzle 6, a metal powder supply apparatus 11 and a metal powder hopper 12, a metal powder injection apparatus 60. Includes a drive mechanism 61 for moving the laser beam in the X-axis and Z-axis directions, a laser oscillation device 1, the optical scanner 2, the optical scanner 3, the drive mechanism 61, and a control device 62 that controls the metal powder injection device 60.

  The welding apparatus configured as described above will be described.

  The laser oscillator 1, the optical scanner 2, the optical scanner 3, the drive mechanism 61, and the metal powder injection device 60 controlled by the command of the control device 62 supply the metal powder 10 to the welding site and the laser beam L By being irradiated, a weld bead 9 is formed on the workpiece 8 and the workpiece 8 is welded.

  In the present embodiment, the metal powder injection nozzle 5, the shield gas nozzle 6, the metal powder supply device 11 and the metal powder hopper 12 are integrated, and the metal powder supply pipe 15 is eliminated, so that the metal as shown in FIG. The instability of the welding state caused by the shape change of the powder supply pipe 15 can be eliminated, and stable welding is possible.

(Embodiment 7)
Next, Embodiment 7 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, in this Embodiment, about the location similar to Embodiment 1-6, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The laser welding apparatus of the seventh embodiment shown in FIG. 9 includes an fΘ lens 70, a metal powder injection nozzle 5 and a shield gas nozzle 6 installed between an optical scanner (for XY axes) 3 and an object to be welded X. A drive mechanism 71 for moving in the axial direction, a drive mechanism 72 for moving the workpiece 8 in the Z-axis direction, the laser oscillation device 1, the optical scanner 3, the drive mechanism 71, the drive mechanism 72, and the metal powder injection device 11 The control apparatus 73 which controls is provided.

  The welding apparatus configured as described above will be described.

  The irradiation position of the laser beam L emitted from the laser oscillation device 1 on the workpiece 8 is adjusted by an optical scanner (for XY axes) 3 composed of a plurality of movable mirrors 4, and is welded by an fΘ lens 70. It is condensed on the object 8.

  By the laser oscillation device 1, the optical scanner 3, the drive mechanism 71, the drive mechanism 72, and the metal powder injection device 11 controlled by the command of the control device 73, the metal powder 10 is supplied to the welding site and the laser beam L is emitted. By being irradiated, a weld bead 9 is formed on the workpiece 8 and the workpiece 8 is welded.

  In the present embodiment, the laser irradiation angle A of the laser beam L with respect to the workpiece 8 is set regardless of the laser beam irradiation position on the workpiece 8 by using the fΘ lens 70 as the laser beam L focusing means. Since it can be made constant, more uniform welding performance can be obtained.

  In the first to seventh embodiments, if a shielding inert gas is used as a carrier gas for feeding metal powder, oxidation of the welded portion can be further prevented, and the welding quality is improved.

  In the first to seventh embodiments, the focal position of the laser beam L coincides with the welding site. However, the energy density necessary for welding varies depending on the welding conditions, and therefore the laser beam L of the laser beam L is not necessarily on the welding site. There is no need to focus.

  In the first to seventh embodiments, even when the length of the workpiece 8 in the Y-axis direction is longer than the length of the metal powder injection nozzle in the Y-axis direction, the workpiece 8 or the metal powder injection nozzle is moved in the Y-axis direction. Can be welded by providing a movable drive mechanism, and in that case as well, movement in the Y-axis direction can be done several times (the length of the work piece / the length of the metal powder injection nozzle), reducing the welding process time. Is possible.

  In the first, second, third, and sixth embodiments, the drive mechanism for moving the metal powder injection nozzle in the X-axis and Z-axis directions is shown. However, if the metal powder injection nozzle and the workpiece 8 are moved relative to each other. The structure may be provided with a drive mechanism that moves the workpiece 8 in the X-axis and Z-axis directions instead of the metal powder injection nozzle.

  In the fourth and fifth embodiments, the drive mechanism for moving the metal powder injection nozzle in the Z-axis direction is shown. However, the metal powder injection nozzle and the workpiece 8 need only move relative to each other. Instead, it may be configured to include a drive mechanism that moves the workpiece 8 in the Z-axis direction.

  In the seventh embodiment, the drive mechanism for moving the metal powder injection nozzle in the X-axis direction is shown. However, the metal powder injection nozzle and the workpiece 8 need only move relative to each other, instead of the metal powder injection nozzle. A configuration including a drive mechanism for moving the workpiece 8 in the X-axis direction may be used.

  In the first to seventh embodiments, when the workpiece 8 is planar, the metal powder injection nozzle and the moving mechanism in the Z-axis direction of the workpiece 8 are not necessary.

  The laser processing apparatus of the present invention is useful as a laser welding apparatus that can shorten the time required for the welding process and can improve the productivity of the welding process.

The block diagram in Embodiment 1 of the laser welding apparatus of this invention The block diagram in Embodiment 2 of the laser welding apparatus of this invention Explanatory drawing explaining the metal-powder supply pipe path | route in Embodiment 2 of the laser welding apparatus of this invention. The block diagram in Embodiment 3 of the laser welding apparatus of this invention Explanatory drawing of the metal powder injection nozzle in Embodiment 3 of the laser welding apparatus of this invention The block diagram in Embodiment 4 of the laser welding apparatus of this invention The block diagram in Embodiment 5 of the laser welding apparatus of this invention The block diagram in Embodiment 6 of the laser welding apparatus of this invention The block diagram in Embodiment 7 of the laser welding apparatus of this invention

1 Laser oscillator 2 Optical scanner (for Z-axis)
3 Optical scanner (for XY axes)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 4 Movable mirror 5 Metal powder injection nozzle 6 Shield gas nozzle 7 Drive mechanism 8 Work piece 9 Weld bead 10 Metal powder 11 Metal powder supply device 12 Metal powder hopper 13 Carrier gas piping 14 Shield inert gas piping 15 Metal powder supply Tube 16 Shielding inert gas supply pipe 17 Control device 20 Detection device 21 Control device 30 Metal powder injection nozzle 31 Metal powder injection port 32 Shielding inert gas injection port 33 Metal powder supply device 34 Shielding inert gas supply tube 35 Control device 40 Optical scanner (for Y-axis)
41 movable mirror 42 drive mechanism 43 drive mechanism 44 control device 50 polygon scanner 51 control device 60 metal powder injection device 61 drive mechanism 62 control device 70 fθ lens 71 drive mechanism 72 drive mechanism 73 control device

Claims (11)

A laser oscillation device; and a laser beam position adjusting unit that positions a laser beam output from the laser oscillation device, and having a plurality of openings for supplying metal powder and an ejection control unit for controlling ejection of the metal powder for each of the openings. A feeding means; a driving means for moving the workpiece and the feeding means relative to each other; and a control means for controlling the ejection control means and the laser beam position adjusting means to irradiate the position of the ejected metal powder with laser light. Laser welding equipment provided with The laser welding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of openings of the feeding means are arranged in parallel to the workpiece. 3. The laser welding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit positions the laser beam by a laser beam position adjusting unit substantially simultaneously with the feeding unit discharging the metal powder. The laser welding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a detection means for detecting the arrangement of the metal powder discharged on the workpiece by the feeding means is provided, and a signal from the detection means is input to the control device. . The laser welding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a supply pipe for supplying the metal powder and the shielding inert gas is connected to each of a plurality of openings of the feeding means. 6. The laser welding apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the discharge control means is provided with a shield inert gas flow rate control means for controlling a flow rate of the shield inert gas. The laser welding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a galvano scanner unit is used as the laser beam position adjusting unit. The laser welding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a moving means for moving the work piece in at least one axial direction is provided, and a galvano scanner means is used as the laser light position adjusting means. The laser welding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a moving means for moving the work piece in at least one axial direction is provided, and a polygon scanner means is used as the laser light position adjusting means. The laser welding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a plurality of openings for supplying the metal powder and a feeding means having the discharge control means for controlling discharge of the metal powder for each opening are integrated. The laser welding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein fΘ lens means is used as the laser beam position adjusting means.

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