JP2019089117A - Cutting machine and cutting method - Google Patents

Abstract

To rapidly cut a metal thin plate over a wide range.SOLUTION: A cutting machine 20 cuts a metal thin plate 5. The cutting machine 20 includes a head part 30 and an articulated arm 40. The head part 30 is capable of emitting a laser beam for cutting the metal thin plate 5. The articulated arm 40 supports the head part 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a cutting machine for cutting sheet metal and a method for cutting sheet metal.

  Generally, when manufacturing a thin metal plate member represented by a lead frame or the like, the outer shape processing is performed by etching, punching or the like. In order to improve productivity, transportability, etc., sheet metal or sheet metal in sheet shape or hoop shape is continuously processed, and the size is about several centimeters to one hundred and several tens centimeters just before shipping or transporting to the next process. The sheet is cut into a shipping shape to produce a sheet metal member. Cutting of a thin metal plate is generally performed by punching using a die or by fatigue-breaking by bending the cut portion a plurality of times.

  However, although the method of punching using a mold and the method of fatigue fracture by bending a plurality of times are good in productivity, it is necessary to always touch the metal thin plate when positioning or cutting. As a result, the product sheet metal becomes dirty or deformed, and fine dust is generated on the sheet metal, which causes the deterioration of the yield. Then, the method of providing a recessed part in a cutting part which is described in patent document 1, and irradiating a laser beam to a recessed part with a laser cutting machine, and cut | disconnecting was considered.

JP, 2013-180319, A

  However, in the method of Patent Document 1, the range which can be cut by the laser cutting machine is narrow, and in order to cut the thin metal plate in a wide range, it is necessary to move the thin metal plate. Therefore, it took a long time to cut the sheet metal in a wide range.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and it is an object of the present invention to rapidly cut a sheet metal over a wide range.

The cutting machine of the present invention is a cutting machine for cutting a metal sheet, and
A head portion capable of emitting a laser beam for cutting the thin metal plate;
And a multiaxial arm for supporting the head portion.

  The cutting machine of the present invention may further include an imaging device used to specify the cutting position of the thin metal sheet.

  In the cutting machine of the present invention, the imaging device may be supported by the multiaxial arm together with the head unit.

The method of cutting a sheet metal of the present invention is
Moving the head by a multi-axis arm such that a head emitting laser light approaches a cutting position of the thin metal plate;
And E. emitting laser light from the head portion to cut the thin metal plate.

  In the cutting method according to the present invention, in the step of cutting the thin metal plate, the direction of emission of laser light from the head portion is changed in a state in which the movement of the head portion by the multiaxial arm is stopped. The irradiation position of the laser beam on the upper side may be changed.

  In the cutting method of the present invention, the step of moving the head portion and the step of cutting the thin metal plate may be repeated.

In the cutting method of the present invention,
The sheet metal is provided with position specifying means for specifying the cutting position of the sheet metal,
A step of imaging the position specifying means by an imaging device;
Processing the captured image to identify the cutting position of the thin sheet metal.

  According to the present invention, sheet metal can be cut rapidly over a wide range.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example of the cutting device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a top view of the cutting device of FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the head portion of the cutting apparatus. FIG. 4 is a top view showing the sheet metal being cut by the cutting device. FIG. 5 is a top view showing the sheet metal being cut by the cutting device.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings attached to the present specification, for the sake of easy illustration and understanding, the scale, the dimensional ratio in the vertical and horizontal directions, etc. are appropriately changed from those of the actual one and exaggerated.

  The term "plate surface (sheet surface)" refers to the plane direction of the plate-like member (sheet-like member) to be targeted when the plate-like (sheet-like) member to be targeted is viewed from the whole and on a large scale. Refers to the matching face.

  In addition, as used herein, the terms such as “parallel”, “orthogonal”, “identical”, values of length and angle, etc., which specify the shape and geometrical conditions and their degree, etc. Without being bound by the meaning, it shall be interpreted including the extent to which the same function can be expected.

  FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing a cutting device 10 provided with a cutting machine 20 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a top view of the cutting device 10. The cutting device 10 is a device for cutting the thin metal plate 5. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cutting device 10 includes a base 11 on which the thin metal plate 5 is placed, and a cutting machine 20 that cuts the thin metal plate 5.

  The sheet metal 5 is cut by the cutting device 10. The thin metal plate 5 is provided with, for example, a plurality of lead frames. By cutting the thin metal plate 5 at a predetermined position, a thin metal plate member such as a lead frame can be manufactured. As well shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the metal thin plate 5 has a rectangular shape. The dimensions of the thin metal plate 5 are, for example, a width of 30 cm or more and 60 cm or less and a length of 60 cm or more and 140 cm or less. The thickness of the thin metal plate 5 is 100 μm or less, preferably 20 μm or less, more preferably 15 μm or less.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, on the surface of the thin metal plate 5, position specifying means 5a for specifying the position to be cut is provided. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the position specifying means 5a is provided at the position to be cut. In this case, the metal thin plate 5 can be cut at a predetermined position by cutting along the position specifying means 5a. However, as long as the cutting position of the thin metal plate 5 can be specified, the position specifying means 5 a may be provided at a position deviated from the cutting position of the thin metal plate 5. Further, in the illustrated example, the position specifying means 5a is a straight line. That is, the thin metal plate 5 is cut along a straight line. However, the position specifying means 5a may be a curve, and the sheet metal 5 may be cut along the curve.

  The cutting machine 20 pierces the thin metal plate 5 by emitting laser light and irradiating the thin metal plate 5. By changing the irradiation position of the laser beam to the metal thin plate 5, the metal thin plate 5 can be cut along the movement path, for example, along a linear path to the irradiation position. The cutting machine 20 includes a head unit 30 capable of emitting a laser beam, a multiaxial arm 40 supporting the head unit 30, an imaging device 50 used to specify the cutting position of the thin metal plate 5 to be cut, and the imaging device 50. And an image processing device 60 for processing the captured image.

  Next, the components of the cutting machine 20 will be described.

  The head unit 30 includes a galvano mirror 31 for reflecting laser light and a lens 32 for condensing the laser light. As shown in FIG. 3, the head unit 30 takes in a laser beam oscillated from a laser light source (not shown), reflects it by the galvano mirror 31, condenses it by the lens 32, and sends the laser beam to the outside of the head unit 30. . The laser beam emitted from the head unit 30 is irradiated to the metal thin plate 5. By operating the galvano mirror 31, the reflection direction of the laser light is changed. As a result, the emission direction of the laser beam from the head unit 30 changes, and the irradiation position of the laser beam on the metal thin plate 5 can be changed within a certain range without changing the position of the head unit 30. it can.

For example, a YVO ₄ crystal is used as a laser light source for oscillating laser light. A laser light source using a YVO ₄ crystal is suitable for performing fine processing with laser light because it is easy to obtain stable output even at high output.

  The multiaxial arm 40 is a device including two or more arm portions that can be moved relative to each other. The multiaxial arm 40 preferably includes three or more arm portions. The multiaxial arm 40 can support the head 30 at a predetermined position. In addition, the multiaxial arm 40 can move the head unit 30 or change the direction of the head unit 30 by relatively moving two or more arm units.

  The multiaxial arm 40 includes a base 41, a plurality of arm portions 42, and a plurality of shaft members 43. The base 41 supports the arm portion 42. The plurality of arm units 42 are connected in series with one another. One end of the connected arm portion 42 is connected to the base portion 41, and the other end is connected to the head portion 30. That is, the multiaxial arm 40 supports the head unit 30 by the arm unit 42. Further, a shaft member 43 is provided at a portion connecting the respective arm portions 42 and at a portion connecting the arm portion 42 and the base portion 41 and the head portion 30. Each arm 42 and head 30 can rotate independently about each shaft 43. By rotating the multiaxial arm 40 around each shaft member 43, the multiaxial arm 40 can be driven in multiple degrees of freedom. That is, the head unit 30 can be moved in multiple degrees of freedom by the multiaxial arm 40.

  In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the multiaxial arm 40 includes three arm portions 42a to 42c and five shaft members 43a to 43e. The shaft member 43 a is parallel to the normal direction of the support surface of the base 11 supporting the thin metal plate 5, and therefore parallel to the normal direction of the plate surface of the thin metal plate 5. The shaft member 43 a is an axis that rotates the base 41 with respect to a plane parallel to the plate surface of the thin metal plate 5. The shaft members 43 b to 43 d are parallel to the support surface of the base 11 that supports the thin metal plate 5 and thus parallel to the plate surface of the thin metal plate 5. The shaft members 43b to 43d are shaft members parallel to each other. The shaft member 43 b is a shaft that rotates the arm portion 42 a with respect to the base 41. The shaft member 43c is a shaft member that rotates the arm portion 42b with respect to the arm portion 42a. The shaft member 43d is a shaft member that rotates the arm portion 42c with respect to the arm portion 42b. The shaft member 43e is a shaft member which is parallel to the extending direction of the arm portion 42c and rotates the head portion 30 with respect to the arm portion 42c.

  By rotating the shaft members 43 a to 43 c of the multiaxial arm 40, the head 30 can be moved to any position on the metal sheet 5. When the sheet metal 5 is cut by the cutting machine 20, the head portion 30 moves onto the cutting position of the sheet metal 5. Moreover, the side which inject | emits the laser beam of the head part 30 can be made to face the metal thin plate 5 by rotation around the shaft member 43d. Furthermore, the head portion 30 can be rotated relative to the thin metal plate 5 by rotation around the shaft member 43e. That is, the head portion 30 can have an angle at which the metal thin plate 5 can be easily irradiated with the laser beam.

  In the illustrated example, the multiaxial arm 40 has three arm portions 42 and five shaft members 43, but the head portion 30 is moved to the cutting position of the thin metal plate 5, and The number of arm portions 42 and shaft members 43 of the multiaxial arm 40 may be any number as long as the side from which the laser light is emitted faces the thin metal plate 5 and can be at an appropriate angle with respect to the thin metal plate 5.

  The imaging device 50 is used to specify the cutting position of the thin metal plate 5. Specifically, the imaging device 50 images the position specifying means 5 a of the thin metal plate 5. The captured image is sent to the image processing device 60. As shown in FIG. 3, the imaging device 50 is fixed to the head unit 30 by the holding unit 51. Therefore, the imaging device 50 is supported by the multiaxial arm 40 together with the head unit 30 and moves together with the head unit 30. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the imaging device 50 images the thin metal plate 5 via the mirror 55 provided in the holding unit 51. That is, the imaging device 50 images the thin metal plate 5 reflected on the mirror 55. The mirror 55 can operate. By operating the mirror 55, the position of the thin metal plate 5 to be imaged by the imaging device 50 can be changed without operating the imaging device 50.

  The image processing device 60 processes the image captured by the imaging device 50, and identifies the position of the position specifying means 5a in the image. The cutting position of the metal sheet 5 can be specified from the position of the specified position specifying means 5a.

  Next, an example of the process which cut | disconnects the thin metal plate 5 with the cutting device 10, and manufactures a thin metal plate member is demonstrated.

  First, position specifying means 5 a for specifying a cutting position is provided on the metal thin plate 5 to be cut by the cutting device 10. In this example, the position specifying means 5 a is provided at the cutting position of the metal thin plate 5. That is, the thin metal plate 5 is cut at the position specifying means 5a.

  Next, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the thin metal plate 5 is placed on the table 11 of the cutting device 10 by a conveying device (not shown). The thin metal plate 5 has the side provided with the position specifying means 5a opposite to the side in contact with the base 11 so that the position specifying means 5a can be confirmed, that is, the side provided with the position specifying means 5a is an upper surface , Placed on the platform 11.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4, the multi-axial arm 40 of the cutting machine 20 is driven to move the head 30 for emitting the laser light onto the thin metal plate 5 in proximity to the thin metal plate 5. The head portion 30 moves by rotating the base portion 41 and the arm portions 42a and 42b of the multiaxial arm 40 around the shaft members 43a to 43c. Further, the arm portion 42 c is rotated around the shaft member 43 d so that the side of the head portion 30 from which the laser beam is emitted faces the thin metal plate 5. Furthermore, by rotating the head unit 30 around the shaft member 43 e, the head unit 30 is rotationally moved to an angle at which the laser light can be easily irradiated to the thin metal plate 5.

  Next, the position specifying means 5 a provided on the thin metal plate 5 is imaged by the imaging device 50. When imaging the position specifying means 5a, the mirror 55 may be operated appropriately to change the position of the thin metal plate 5 imaged by the imaging device 50. Since the imaging device 50 is fixed to the head unit 30 by the holding unit 51, the imaging device 50 moves on the thin metal plate 5 together with the head unit 30 and approaches the thin metal plate 5. Therefore, the imaging device 50 magnifies and images the vicinity of the position where the laser light is irradiated. Therefore, the imaging device 50 can clearly image the position specifying means 5a in the vicinity of the position where the laser light is irradiated. The captured image is sent to the image processing device 60. The image processing apparatus 60 specifies the cutting position of the metal thin plate 5 from the position specifying means 5a of the captured image.

  When the laser light can not be irradiated to the cutting position because the position of the head 30 is deviated from the specified cutting position of the thin metal plate 5, the multi-axis arm 40 is driven to irradiate the laser light to the cutting position. To adjust the position of the head unit 30. Thereafter, laser light is emitted from the head unit 30 to cut the specified cutting position of the thin metal plate 5. The emitting direction of the laser beam from the head unit 30 can be changed by operating the galvano mirror 31. By changing the emission direction of the laser light, the irradiation position of the laser light on the metal thin plate 5 changes. The range which can be cut in the state where the head unit 30 stops moving is the range of the irradiation position of the laser beam which can be changed by the operation of the galvano mirror 31.

  When there is a cutting position of the thin metal plate 5 at a position beyond the irradiation range of the laser beam by the operation of the galvano mirror 31, as shown in FIG. 5, the cutting machine 20 is driven to move the head unit 30. By moving the head portion 30, the emission range of the laser light can be shifted to the cutting position of the thin metal plate 5. Thereafter, the position specifying means 5a is again imaged by the imaging device 50, and the cutting position is specified to cut the thin metal plate 5. The moving step of the head portion 30 and the emitting step of the laser beam from the head portion 30 are repeated to cut all the cutting positions of the metal thin plate 5.

  After cutting the thin metal plate 5, the arm portion 42 is driven to move the head portion 30 from above the thin metal plate 5. Further, a thin metal plate member manufactured by cutting the thin metal plate 5 is conveyed by a conveying device (not shown).

  According to the above process, even when the cutting position of the thin metal plate 5 is in a wide range, the thin metal plate 5 can be rapidly cut by driving the multiaxial arm 40 to move the head portion 30. That is, the cutting of the thin metal plate 5 can be rapidly performed over a wide range.

  Further, using the imaging device 50, specifically, the position specifying means 5a provided on the thin metal plate 5 can be imaged by the imaging device 50, and the cutting position of the thin metal plate 5 can be identified. Therefore, when placing the thin metal plate 5 on the base 11, it is not necessary to position the thin metal plate 5 with high accuracy. For this reason, the metal thin plate 5 can be cut quickly without performing the step of accurately positioning the metal thin plate 5.

  Furthermore, in the cutting machine 20, the head unit 30 can be moved by driving the multi-axis arm 40. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a moving mechanism for moving the cutting machine 20 horizontally. Therefore, the space which installs cutting device 10 can be made small.

  Moreover, as the multi-axis arm 40, a general multi-axis robot arm can be used. That is, a general-purpose product can be used as the multi-axis arm 40, and it is not necessary to prepare a dedicated product. Therefore, the cost of installation and management of the cutting device 10 can be reduced.

  As described above, the cutting machine 20 according to the present embodiment is a cutting machine for cutting the thin metal plate 5 and includes the head portion 30 capable of emitting a laser beam for cutting the thin metal plate 5, and the head portion 30. And a multi-axial arm 40 for supporting. According to such a cutting machine 20, the multiaxial arm 40 can be driven to move the head unit 30. Therefore, even if the cutting position of the thin metal plate 5 is beyond the range where the laser light can be emitted, the laser light emitting range is moved to the cutting position of the thin metal plate 5 by moving the head portion 30. Can. That is, according to the cutting machine 20 of the present embodiment, the metal thin plate 5 can be cut rapidly over a wide range.

  Moreover, in the cutting machine 20 of this Embodiment, the imaging device 50 used for specification of the cutting position of the thin metal plate 5 is further provided. According to such a cutting machine 20, the cutting position of the thin metal plate 5 can be specified without positioning the thin metal plate 5 with high accuracy. Therefore, the metal thin plate 5 can be rapidly cut without performing the step of positioning the metal thin plate 5.

  Furthermore, in the cutting machine 20 of the present embodiment, the imaging device 50 is supported by the multiaxial arm 40 together with the head unit 30. According to such a cutting machine 20, the imaging device 50 moves together with the head unit 30. Therefore, the vicinity of the position irradiated with the laser beam can be enlarged and imaged. For this reason, the position specifying means 5a in the vicinity of the position where the laser light is irradiated can be clearly imaged, and the cutting position of the metal thin plate 5 can be specified.

  Note that various modifications can be made to the embodiment described above.

  For example, in the embodiment described above, the imaging device 50 is supported by the multiaxial arm 40 together with the head unit 30. Therefore, the imaging device 50 images the thin metal plate 5 in the vicinity of the head unit 30. However, the imaging device 50 may not be supported by the multiaxial arm 40, and the entire thin metal plate 5 may be imaged. Even in such a case, the cut position of the thin metal plate 5 can be identified by processing the image captured by the imaging device 50 by the image processing device 60.

Reference Signs List 5 thin metal plate 10 cutting device 11 base 20 cutting machine 30 head portion 31 galvano mirror 32 lens 40 multi-axial arm 41 base portion 42 arm portion 43 shaft member 50 imaging device 51 holding portion 55 mirror 60 image processing device

Claims (7)

A cutting machine for cutting sheet metal,
A head portion capable of emitting a laser beam for cutting the thin metal plate;
And a multiaxial arm for supporting the head portion.   The cutting machine according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging device used to specify a cutting position of the thin metal sheet.   The said imaging device is a cutting machine of Claim 2 supported by the said multi-axis arm with the said head part. A method of cutting a sheet metal,
Moving the head by a multi-axis arm such that a head emitting laser light approaches a cutting position of the thin metal plate;
And c. Emitting a laser beam from the head portion to cut the thin metal plate.   In the step of cutting the thin metal plate, the laser beam emission direction from the head portion is changed in a state where the movement of the head portion by the multiaxial arm is stopped, and the irradiation position of the laser beam on the thin metal plate The cutting method according to claim 4, wherein   The cutting method according to claim 5, wherein the step of moving the head portion and the step of cutting the thin metal plate are repeated. The sheet metal is provided with position specifying means for specifying the cutting position of the sheet metal,
A step of imaging the position specifying means by an imaging device;
Processing the captured image to identify the cutting position of the thin metal sheet. The cutting method according to any one of claims 4 to 6, further comprising:

Images