JP5154145B2 - Laser processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus.

  As a laser processing apparatus, an apparatus that performs processing such as marking by irradiating a processing laser on a processing target is known. In general, a laser with an invisible wavelength is used as a processing laser. In such a laser processing apparatus, a guide laser with a visible wavelength is used in order for an operator to confirm the irradiation position of the processing laser before the processing operation. Some have the function of indicating the irradiation position of the processing laser.

Such a laser processing apparatus, for example, irradiates a processing target with a guide laser coaxially with the processing laser via a converging lens, and the beam spot of the guide laser is a beam spot of the processing laser at the time of processing. It is configured to trace the movement trajectory. Here, as shown in FIG. 11, when the processing laser L enters the converging lens 100 with a larger beam diameter than the guide laser G and is converged, the beam diameter of the processing laser L is guided at the focal position. It becomes smaller than the beam diameter of the laser G. That is, when the processing object is arranged at the focal position, the spot diameter of the processing laser L is smaller than the spot diameter of the guide laser G as shown in FIG. Accordingly, when the beam spot of the guide laser G is moved along the movement locus of the beam spot of the processing laser L, the irradiation region (processing pattern) of the processing laser L is included in the irradiation region of the guide laser G. Will be.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-15676

  By the way, in a laser processing apparatus, a processing target object may be arrange | positioned in a position different from a focus position by the kind of processing target object, processing conditions, etc. For example, when performing color printing, welding, etc. on a processing object made of a resin material, if the processing object is placed at the focal position, the energy density at the beam spot of the processing laser becomes too high. In some cases, the energy density in the beam spot is lowered to shift the position of the beam to the side closer to or farther from the focusing lens 100 than the focal position.

  Here, in the example shown in FIG. 11, when the processing object is arranged at the defocus position A or B, as shown in FIG. 13, the spot diameter of the guide laser G irradiated on the processing object is the processing diameter. Larger than the spot diameter of the laser L for use. In this state, when the beam spot of the guide laser G is moved along the movement locus of the beam spot of the processing laser L, the irradiation region (processing pattern) of the processing laser L is the irradiation region of the guide laser G. Bigger than.

  As described above, the ratio of the size of the irradiation area of the guide laser and the irradiation area of the processing laser varies depending on the position of the object to be processed. For example, if the difference in size between the two areas is large, the operator It becomes impossible to accurately grasp the laser irradiation area. In particular, when the irradiation region of the processing laser is larger than the irradiation region of the guide laser, there is a possibility that the processing may be performed even to a place not intended by the operator.

  The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a laser processing apparatus capable of appropriately indicating a range in which a processing laser is irradiated by a guide laser.

A laser processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is a processing laser light source that emits a processing laser with an invisible wavelength, a guide laser light source that emits a guide laser with a visible wavelength, an optical path of the processing laser, and a guide laser Optical converging means for converging optical paths on the same axis, converging lens for converging the processing laser and the guide laser from the optical converging means, and the processing laser from the converging lens are irradiated onto the object to be processed Control means for performing a guide display operation for irradiating a position corresponding to an irradiation region of the processing laser on the workpiece prior to the processing operation, and the convergent lens Change means capable of changing the beam diameter of the emitted guide laser, and setting means for setting the distance from the convergent lens to the object to be processed When, a variable means capable of changing the beam diameter of the processing laser emitted from the converging lens, the control means, in response to the spot size before Symbol distance and the processing laser on the workpiece, The spot diameter of the guide laser is changed by the changing means.

According to the first invention, since the beam diameter of the guide laser emitted from the converging lens can be changed, an appropriate guide display operation can be performed by adjusting the spot diameter of the guide laser to be close to the spot diameter of the processing laser. It can be carried out. As a result, it is possible to prevent a portion from being processed by the operator from being intended. Further, according to the first invention, the spot diameter of the guide laser is changed according to the distance set by the setting means, so that the spot diameter of the guide laser can be set to an optimum size. Furthermore, according to the first invention, an accurate guide display operation can be performed by changing the spot diameter of the guide laser in accordance with the distance to the workpiece and the spot diameter of the processing laser.

Distance second invention, in the laser processing apparatus according to the first invention, the setting means, which has a measuring means for measuring a distance to the object from the converging lens, measured by the measuring means Set.

According to the second invention, the distance from the converging lens to the object to be processed is measured, and the spot diameter of the guide laser is changed according to the distance. Therefore, it is easier than when the operator inputs the distance. The spot diameter of the guide laser can be changed to an appropriate size.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the laser processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect of the invention , the control unit is configured to change the beam spot of the guide laser within a range that can be changed by the changing unit. Control is performed so that the minimum spot diameter includes the beam spot.

According to the third invention, since the beam spot of the guide laser has the minimum spot diameter including the beam spot of the processing laser, it is possible to prevent the processing from being performed on an unintended location and The irradiation area of the laser can be grasped more accurately.

  An appropriate guide display operation can be performed by setting the size of the beam spot of the guide laser irradiated on the workpiece to a size corresponding to the size of the beam spot of the processing laser. Thereby, for example, when an operator performs processing based on the guide display operation, it is possible to prevent processing from being performed on an unintended location.

<Embodiment 1>
Next, Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a laser processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating optical paths of a processing laser L and a guide laser G.

  The laser processing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment includes a processing laser light source 11 that emits a processing laser L having an invisible wavelength, such as a carbon dioxide gas laser having a wavelength of 10.6 μm, and a visible laser that emits a guide laser G having a visible wavelength. And a light source 12 (visible light LED chip or the like). Further, the laser processing apparatus 10 includes a half mirror 13 (an example of an optical merging unit) that reflects the processing laser L having an invisible wavelength and transmits the guide laser G having a visible wavelength. The processing laser L emitted from the processing laser light source 11 is reflected by the half mirror 13 and irradiated onto the processing object via the converging lens 14. The guide laser G emitted from the visible light source 12 passes through the half mirror 13, passes through the converging lens 14 coaxially with the processing laser L, and is irradiated onto the object to be processed.

  The laser processing apparatus 10 further includes a control unit 15 including a CPU that controls operations of the processing laser light source 11 and the visible light source 12. The control means 15 is connected to setting means 16 such as a console that can be operated by an operator. From the setting means 16, the user can input the distance from the converging lens 14 to the object to be processed and other various printing conditions as the processing information. From the setting unit 16, an operation mode of either a guide display operation mode for irradiating the workpiece with the guide laser G or a processing operation mode for irradiating the workpiece with the processing laser L is selected and input. be able to.

  Further, the laser processing apparatus 10 is provided with beam diameter setting means 17 capable of adjusting the positions and orientations of the half mirror 13 and the converging lens 14. Adjustment by the beam diameter setting means 17 changes the optical paths and beam diameters of the guide laser G and the processing laser L. The beam diameter setting means 17 is disposed in the casing of the laser processing apparatus 10 and is not normally operated by an operator.

  FIG. 2 shows optical paths of the processing laser L and the guide laser G that are converged by the converging lens 14. The converging lens 14 is an aberration lens (achromatic lens), and the focal lengths of the processing laser L and the guide laser G are substantially the same. The processing laser L enters the converging lens 14 as substantially parallel light, and the beam diameter at this time is larger than the beam diameter of the guide laser G that enters the converging lens 14 as substantially parallel light. When the processing laser L passes through the converging lens 14, the processing laser L converges with a larger convergence angle than the guide laser G, and the beam diameter becomes smaller than the beam diameter of the guide laser G at the focal position.

  In this embodiment, the position where the beam diameters of both lasers L and G are closer to the converging lens 14 than the focal position and the beam diameters of both lasers L and G substantially coincide with each other is defocused position A. Are substantially defocused positions B. Then, when the object to be processed is arranged between the defocus positions A and B, the beam diameter setting means 17 is set in advance so that the beam spot of the guide laser G always has a size substantially including the beam spot of the processing laser L. It is adjusted by. Therefore, when the guide display operation is performed prior to the processing operation, the beam spot of the guide laser G irradiated on the processing target can be obtained by placing the processing target between the focal positions A and B. Is a size that almost includes the beam of the processing laser L.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the beam spot of the guide laser G always has a size that substantially includes the beam spot of the processing laser L. Therefore, when the operator performs processing based on the guide display operation. In addition, it is possible to prevent the unintended part from being processed.

<Embodiment 2>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the laser processing apparatus 20 of the present embodiment. In the following description, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those in the above-described embodiment, and the description is omitted.

  This laser processing apparatus 20 includes a concave lens 22 that radially expands the beam diameter of the guide laser G on the optical path from the visible light source 12 to the half mirror 13, and the enlarged guide laser G that is substantially parallel light (diffused light and converged light). Spot diameter changing means 21 (an example of changing means and beam diameter setting means) having a convex lens 23 that includes light). The spot diameter changing means 21 is provided with a mechanism for changing the distance D between the concave lens 22 and the convex lens 23 in accordance with the set value given from the control means 15, and the operator can set the distance D from the setting means 16 as a predetermined range. Any set value can be entered.

  The beam diameter (diffusion angle or convergence angle) of the guide laser G emitted from the concave lens 22 changes according to the distance D between the concave lens 22 and the convex lens 23, and the focal length of the guide laser G changes accordingly. That is, when the value of the distance D is increased, the focal length is decreased, and when the value of the distance D is decreased, the focal length is increased. As the focal length of the guide laser G changes, the spot diameter of the guide laser G irradiated on the workpiece also changes.

  With the above configuration, the operator can change the spot diameter of the guide laser G irradiated onto the workpiece to an arbitrary size within a predetermined range. The distance D between the concave lens 22 and the convex lens 23 in the spot diameter changing means 21 may be adjusted manually by an operator via a gear mechanism or the like.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the beam diameter of the guide laser G emitted from the converging lens can be changed, the spot diameter of the guide laser G is adjusted to be close to the spot diameter of the processing laser L. Appropriate guide display operation is performed. Thereby, it is prevented that a process is given to the location which is not intended.

<Embodiment 3>
Next, Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the laser processing apparatus 30 of the present embodiment, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are diagrams showing optical paths of the processing laser L and the guide laser G. FIG.

  The laser processing device 30 is a laser marking device, and includes a pair of galvanometer mirrors 31A and 31B (an example of scanning means) on an optical path from the half mirror 13 toward the converging lens 14. These galvanometer mirrors 31A and 31B can be displaced in angle around axes orthogonal to each other by a driving means (not shown), whereby the irradiation points of the lasers L and G are scanned in a two-dimensional direction. At the time of the machining operation, the control means 15 controls both the galvanometer mirrors 31A and 31B according to the machining data input from the setting means 16 and causes the machining object L to scan the machining object W.

  In addition, the laser processing apparatus 10 includes a distance measuring unit 32 (an example of a setting unit and a measuring unit) that measures the distance from the converging lens 14 to the workpiece W. For example, the distance measuring means 32 irradiates the workpiece W with laser light, receives the reflected light by a PSD (Position Sensitive Detector), measures the distance between the PSD and the reflecting surface by the triangulation principle, and measures the distance. Is configured to output a signal according to the control means 15.

  The control means 15 is connected to a spot diameter storage means 33 that stores the spot diameter of the guide laser G corresponding to the distance from the convergent lens 14 to the workpiece W. Then, the control means 15 refers to the spot diameter storage means 33 to obtain the spot diameter of the guide laser G corresponding to the distance measured by the distance measurement means 32, and the actual spot diameter of the guide laser G becomes that value. Thus, an instruction is given to the spot diameter changing means 21. The spot diameter storage means 33 not only stores the spot diameter value itself corresponding to the distance to the workpiece W, but also includes, for example, a calculation formula for obtaining the spot diameter from the distance, and a spot diameter changing means. The set value given to 21 may be stored.

  The spot diameter of the guide laser G is set to a minimum spot diameter including the beam spot of the processing laser L within a range that can be changed by the spot diameter changing means 21. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the workpiece W is disposed at the focal position of the machining laser L, the control means 15 adjusts the guide laser G so that the focal position is the same. Therefore, the spot diameter of the guide laser G irradiated onto the workpiece W is minimized. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, when the workpiece W is shifted from the focal position of the machining laser L to the side closer to or far from the converging lens 14, the focal position of the guide laser G is also changed accordingly. It is shifted and adjusted so that it always becomes the minimum spot diameter including the beam spot of the processing laser L within a range that can be changed by the spot diameter changing means 21.

  At the time of the guide display operation, the control unit 15 moves the workpiece W along the beam spot movement locus (specifically, the locus of the center of the beam spot) when the workpiece laser W is irradiated with the machining laser L. The beam spot of the guide laser G is repeatedly moved. Thereby, the operator can grasp the irradiation region of the processing laser L based on the irradiation region of the guide laser G.

According to the present embodiment, since the beam spot of the guide laser G irradiated on the workpiece always has a size that substantially includes the beam spot of the processing laser L, the operator performs processing based on the guide display operation. When performing, it can prevent that a process is given to the location which is not intended.
Further, since the beam spot of the guide laser G is set to the minimum spot diameter including the beam spot of the processing laser L, it is possible to prevent the processing from being performed on an unintended location and to irradiate the processing laser L. The area can be grasped more accurately.

<Embodiment 4>
Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the laser processing apparatus 40 of the present embodiment.

  This laser processing device 40 is a laser marking device, and in addition to the configuration of the third embodiment, for changing the spot diameter of the processing laser L on the optical path from the processing laser light source 11 to the half mirror 13. Spot diameter varying means 41 is provided. The spot diameter varying means 41 includes a concave lens 42 that radially expands the beam diameter of the processing laser L, and a convex lens 43 that makes the expanded processing laser L substantially parallel light (including diffused light and convergent light). It has. Further, the spot diameter varying means 41 changes the distance between the concave lens 42 and the convex lens 43 according to the set value given from the control means 15.

  The operator can arbitrarily specify the spot diameter of the processing laser L to be irradiated onto the workpiece W from the setting means 16 within a predetermined range. The spot diameter storage means 33 stores information in which the distance from the converging lens 14 to the workpiece W, the distance between the concave lens 42 and the convex lens 43, and the spot diameter of the processing laser L are associated with each other. The control unit 15 refers to the information in the spot diameter storage unit 33 based on the distance measured by the distance measurement unit 32 and the spot diameter of the processing laser L input from the setting unit 16 during the machining operation. The distance between the concave lens 42 and the convex lens 43 is adjusted so that the spot diameter of the processing laser L becomes a value designated by the setting means 16.

  Further, the control means 15 obtains the spot diameter of the guide laser G corresponding to the distance measured by the distance measuring means 32 with reference to the spot diameter storage means 33 during the guide display operation, and the actual spot diameter of the guide laser G An instruction is given to the spot diameter changing means 21 so that. Here, the spot diameter of the guide laser G is set to a minimum spot diameter including the beam spot of the processing laser L within a range that can be changed by the spot diameter changing means 21.

According to the present embodiment, by changing the spot diameter of the guide laser G according to the spot diameter of the processing laser L, an accurate guide display operation can be performed.
Further, since the beam spot of the guide laser G is set to the minimum spot diameter including the beam spot of the processing laser L, it is possible to prevent the processing from being performed on an unintended location and to irradiate the processing laser L. The area can be grasped more accurately.

< Reference example >
Next, a reference example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the laser processing apparatus 50 of the present reference example , and FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the movement locus of the beam spot of the processing laser L and the guide laser G.

  This laser processing device 50 is a laser marking device, and the spot diameter storage means 33 has a spot diameter of the processing laser L corresponding to the distance from the converging lens 14 set in the setting means 16 to the workpiece W. Information on the spot diameter of the guide laser G is stored. When the spot diameter of the guide laser G is smaller than the spot diameter of the processing laser L during the guide display operation, for example, as shown in FIG. 9, the control means 15 uses the galvanometer mirrors 31A and 31B to guide the guide laser. The beam spot of G is displaced in a direction along the moving direction of the beam spot of the processing laser L, and the beam spot is rotated so as to draw a circle within the range of the irradiation region of the processing laser L. Thereby, the beam spot of the guide laser G is moved so as to draw a spiral along the moving direction of the beam spot of the processing laser L, and the width dimension of the irradiation region of the guide laser G (movement of the beam spot of the processing laser L) (Dimension in the direction orthogonal to the direction) is approximately the same as the width dimension of the irradiation region of the processing laser L. By repeating this guide display operation at a high speed, the operator can accurately grasp the irradiation region of the processing laser L.

As described above, according to this reference example, when the spot diameter of the guide laser G is smaller than the spot diameter of the processing laser L, the beam spot of the guide laser G follows the moving direction of the beam spot of the processing laser L. And in a predetermined range in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction. Thereby, since the width dimension of the irradiation area | region of the guide laser G becomes larger than the spot diameter of the guide laser G, the irradiation area | region of the process laser L can be displayed more correctly.
The beam spot of the guide laser G is not limited to a spiral shape, and may be moved in a wave shape, for example.

<Other embodiments>
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.
(1) In the above embodiment, the optical path of the processing laser from the processing laser light source and the optical path of the guide laser from the visible light source are coaxial with the half mirror, but as in the laser processing apparatus 60 shown in FIG. The galvanometer mirrors 31A and 31B are used as the optical merging means, and the angles of the galvanometer mirrors 31A and 31B may be adjusted as appropriate so that the optical paths of both the lasers L and G may be coaxial. According to this configuration, since the galvanometer mirrors 31A and 31B also serve as scanning means, the configuration can be simplified.
(2) In the above embodiment, an aberration lens is used as the converging lens, but another lens that is not aberration-free may be used.
(3) In order to adjust the distance from the convergent lens to the object to be processed, a mechanism for relatively moving the object to be processed or the laser processing apparatus may be provided.

The block diagram which shows schematic structure of the laser processing apparatus of Embodiment 1 of this invention. The figure explaining the optical path of a processing laser and a guide laser FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a laser processing apparatus according to a second embodiment. FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a laser processing apparatus according to a third embodiment. The figure explaining the optical path of a processing laser and a guide laser The figure explaining the optical path of a processing laser and a guide laser FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a laser processing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. Block diagram showing schematic configuration of laser processing apparatus of reference example The figure which shows the movement locus of the beam spot of a processing laser and a guide laser The block diagram which shows schematic structure of the laser processing apparatus of other embodiment. The figure explaining the optical path of the processing laser and guide laser in a prior art example Diagram showing beam spot of processing laser and guide laser Diagram showing beam spot of processing laser and guide laser

Explanation of symbols

10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 ... Laser processing apparatus 11 ... Laser light source for processing 12 ... Visible light source (guide laser light source)
13. Half mirror (light merging means)
14 ... Converging lens 15 ... Control means 16 ... Setting means 17 ... Beam diameter setting means 21 ... Spot diameter changing means (changing means, beam diameter setting means)
31A, 31B ... Galvano mirror (scanning means)
32 ... Distance measuring means (measuring means)
33 ... Spot diameter storage means (storage means)
41... Spot diameter variable means (variable means)
G: Guide laser L ... Processing laser W ... Object to be processed

Claims (3)

A processing laser light source that emits a processing laser of an invisible wavelength;
A guide laser light source for emitting a visible wavelength guide laser;
Optical merging means for coaxially merging the optical path of the processing laser and the optical path of the guide laser;
A converging lens for converging the processing laser and the guide laser from the optical merging means;
A processing operation for irradiating the processing object from the convergent lens onto the processing object, and a position corresponding to the irradiation region of the processing laser on the processing object prior to the processing operation Control means for performing a guide display operation to irradiate
Change means capable of changing the beam diameter of the guide laser emitted from the convergent lens;
Setting means for setting a distance from the convergent lens to the object to be processed;
Comprising variable means capable of changing a beam diameter of the processing laser emitted from the convergent lens;
Wherein, prior Symbol distance and in response to said spot size of the processing laser on the workpiece, the laser processing apparatus characterized by changing the spot diameter of the guide laser by said changing means. In the laser processing apparatus of Claim 1,
The laser processing apparatus, wherein the setting unit includes a measurement unit that measures a distance from the convergent lens to a workpiece, and sets the distance measured by the measurement unit. In the laser processing apparatus of Claim 1 or Claim 2,
The control means controls the beam spot of the guide laser so as to have a minimum spot diameter including the beam spot of the processing laser within a range changeable by the changing means. Processing equipment.

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