JP6592314B2 - Laser nozzle replacement method and laser processing machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method of attaching and detaching a laser nozzle to a laser processing head in a laser processing machine and a laser processing machine. More specifically, a nozzle holder and a laser processing head that detachably support a laser nozzle even when the distance between the laser processing head and the work table that movably supports a plate-like workpiece in a laser processing machine is small. The present invention relates to a laser nozzle exchanging method and a laser processing machine capable of easily exchanging laser nozzles and preparing a laser nozzle for the nozzle holder.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a laser processing machine that performs laser processing of a plate-shaped workpiece, a work shooter is attached to a part of a work table that supports a workpiece movably in order to discharge a product or scrap laser-processed by a laser processing head. There has been proposed a laser processing machine having a configuration that can swing up and down (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In laser processing machines, the laser nozzle provided in the laser processing head is attached and detached in accordance with the thickness and material of the workpiece (see, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3).

JP 2004-209503 A JP 2008-307550 A JP 2009-166126 A

  The laser processing machine described in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which a work shooter is swingable up and down (openable and closable) below a laser processing head that can reciprocate in the Y-axis direction. There is no description regarding the attachment / detachment / replacement of the laser nozzle to / from the head.

  In Patent Document 2, when laser processing of a plate-shaped workpiece is performed by moving the laser processing head in the X and Y axis directions, a laser is applied to the laser processing head in accordance with the plate thickness or material of the workpiece. It describes that the nozzles are attached and detached. The position at which the laser nozzle is attached to and detached from the laser processing head is within the range in which the laser processing head moves, and is provided outside the processing region where the laser processing of the workpiece is performed.

  Therefore, the invention described in Patent Document 1 and the invention described in Patent Document 2 are combined to provide a laser processing machine having a work shooter and a function of exchanging a laser nozzle with respect to the laser processing head. Is also possible. However, there is a problem that since the laser nozzle mounting / removing position is outside the laser processing region of the workpiece, the moving region of the laser processing head is large and the overall configuration of the laser processing machine tends to be large.

  In the configuration described in Patent Document 3, a nozzle exchanging device having a plurality of laser nozzles to be attached and detached below the workpiece pass line reciprocates between a lower position of the laser processing head and a standby position. The configuration is described. According to this configuration, since the nozzle replacement device is configured to move to a position below the laser processing head, it is possible to suppress an increase in the overall configuration.

  By the way, when trying to combine the invention described in Patent Document 1 and the invention described in Patent Document 3, the work shooter and the nozzle exchange device interfere with each other, and it is difficult to combine them. Therefore, it is difficult to provide a laser processing machine equipped with a shooter so that it can swing up and down. Was desired. In addition, the configuration described in Patent Document 3 has a problem that it is troublesome to prepare a laser nozzle in advance in the nozzle replacement device.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and a laser in a laser processing machine provided with a workpiece movement positioning device capable of moving and positioning the workpiece with respect to a laser processing head that performs laser processing of a plate-like workpiece. A nozzle replacement method, wherein a part of a work table that supports the work is provided with a work shooter that discharges a product or scrap laser-processed by the laser processing head, and the work shooter is opened. In this case, a nozzle holder that detachably supports an appropriate number of laser nozzles is positioned in the open space of the work shoe, and the laser processing head is moved up and down relative to the nozzle holder to move the laser nozzle. It is characterized by performing detachment and replacement.

  In the laser nozzle replacement method, the nozzle holder can reciprocate between a lower position of the laser processing head and a preparation position that is an outer region of the work table, and the nozzle holder is in the preparation position. The laser nozzle to be attached and detached next is set in the nozzle holder when positioned in the nozzle holder.

  In the laser nozzle replacement method, the laser processing head and the nozzle holder are each movable in the Y-axis direction, and the laser nozzle is attached to and detached from the laser processing head in the vicinity of one end side in the Y-axis direction. It is characterized by.

  In the laser nozzle replacement method, the laser nozzle may be replaced after passing through a notch or a hole in the laser machined workpiece.

  Further, the laser processing machine performs laser processing on a plate-shaped workpiece, the workpiece movement positioning device capable of moving and positioning the workpiece on the work table with respect to the laser processing head, and the laser processing for performing laser processing on the workpiece. A head and a work shooter provided on a part of the work table and capable of being opened and closed to discharge a laser-processed product or scrap, and an appropriate number of laser nozzles to be attached to and detached from the laser processing head. The nozzle holder provided so as to be detachable is provided in an open space of the work shooter in an open state so as to be freely positioned at a position below the laser processing head.

  Further, in the laser processing machine, the nozzle holder is provided so as to freely reciprocate between a position below the laser processing head and a preparation position which is an outer region of the work table. is there.

  Further, in the laser processing machine, the laser processing head is provided so as to be able to reciprocate in one direction, and a pivot supporting the work shooter so as to be opened and closed is parallel to the reciprocating direction of the laser processing head, In addition, the laser processing head is provided at a position below a moving path along which the laser processing head reciprocates, and at a position displaced in the horizontal direction from a position directly below the moving path.

  In the laser processing machine, the laser processing head and the nozzle holder are each provided to be movable in the Y-axis direction, and when the carriage base in the workpiece movement positioning device is located at a reference position in the Y-axis direction. The nozzle holder is provided so as to protrude outward from the carriage base in the Y-axis direction.

  In the laser processing machine, a nozzle detection sensor for detecting a laser nozzle provided in the nozzle holder is provided at the preparation position.

  In the laser processing machine, the nozzle holder is provided to be movable up and down.

  According to the present invention, when the work shooter that can be freely opened and closed is opened, the nozzle holder is positioned in the open space of the work shooter, and the laser nozzle is positioned between the nozzle holder and the laser processing head. It is a detachable exchange.

  Therefore, the nozzle holder can be positioned at the position of the open space of the laser processing head without interfering with the work shooter, and the laser nozzle can be easily attached to and detached from the laser processing head.

1 is a perspective explanatory view conceptually and schematically showing a configuration of a laser beam machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective explanatory view of the main part in the laser beam machine shown in FIG. It is side sectional explanatory drawing which showed the positional relationship of the work shooter in a laser beam machine, a workpiece movement positioning device, and a laser nozzle exchange device. It is effect | action explanatory drawing which shows that a work shooter exists in a horizontal state. It is effect | action explanatory drawing which shows that a work shooter inclines and exists in the state of opening operation | movement. It is perspective explanatory drawing which shows the structure of a laser nozzle exchange apparatus. It is perspective explanatory drawing which shows the structure of a laser nozzle exchange apparatus. It is perspective explanatory drawing which shows the structure of a laser nozzle exchange apparatus. It is plane explanatory drawing which shows the positional relationship of a work shooter, a workpiece movement positioning device, and a nozzle exchange device. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing which shows the state which positions the nozzle replacement apparatus in the upper position which is the open space of the work shooter which inclines and is in an open operation state, and replace | exchanges a laser processing head and a laser nozzle.

  Hereinafter, the laser processing machine according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The overall configuration of the laser processing machine is substantially the same as the overall configuration of the laser processing machine described in Patent Document 1. is there. Therefore, in order to facilitate understanding, first, the overall configuration of the laser processing machine will be schematically described.

  As schematically and conceptually shown in FIG. 1, a laser beam machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body frame 3, and the main body frame 3 includes an upper frame 3U and a lower frame 3L. It is provided as a unit. The upper and lower frames 3U and 3L are provided with upper and lower turrets 5U and 5L that face the upper and lower sides and are horizontally rotatable. The upper and lower turrets 5U and 5L are provided with punches and dies (not shown) for pressing a plate-like workpiece (not shown). The upper frame 3U is provided with a striker (not shown) that can be pressed with the punch so as to move up and down.

  Further, in the laser beam machine 1, left and right work tables 7 for supporting plate-like workpieces are provided on both sides of the frame 3 in the left and right direction (X-axis direction). A work movement positioning device 9 is provided to move and position the work on the work table 7 in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction) and the left-right direction. More specifically, the left and right sides of the main body frame 3 are provided with guide rails 11 (see FIG. 2) in the front-rear direction. A carriage base 13 that is long in the left-right direction is provided on the guide rail 11 in the front-rear direction. It is supported to move freely. The carriage base 13 is provided with a carriage 17 provided with a plurality of workpiece clamps 15 (see FIG. 3) that can clamp the edge in the Y-axis direction of the workpiece so as to be movable in the left-right direction.

  With the configuration described above, the carriage base 13 is moved and positioned in the Y-axis direction (front-rear direction), and the carriage 17 is moved and positioned in the X-axis direction, so that the workpiece held by the workpiece clamp 15 can be moved relative to the machining position. It can be moved and positioned in the X and Y directions. In addition, since the structure of the said workpiece | work movement positioning device 9 is already well-known structure, for example as described also in the said patent document 1, the detailed description about the workpiece | work movement positioning device 9 is abbreviate | omitted. .

  As shown in FIG. 1, a front-rear guide member 19 is provided on one side of the upper frame 3U in the left-right direction. The guide member 19 performs laser processing on a plate-shaped workpiece. The head 21 is supported so as to be movable and positionable. The product or scrap laser-processed by the laser processing head 21 is discharged downward to a part of the work table 7 at a position below the moving range in which the laser processing head 21 moves in the front-rear direction. A work shooter 23 is provided to swing up and down (open and close).

  That is, the work shooter 23 has a horizontal position (a position shown in FIG. 4) that supports the work movably and a position in which the tip end side in the X-axis direction is lowered and inclined (opened state). It can be swung up and down between two positions (positions in the state shown in FIG. 5). More specifically, the work shooter 23 is provided on a bracket 25 (see FIG. 4) provided on one side in the X-axis direction of the frame body 3 so as to be swingable up and down via a pivot 27. The pivot 27 is parallel to the reciprocating direction (Y-axis direction) of the laser processing head 21 and is positioned below the path along which the laser processing head 21 moves, and in the horizontal direction from the position directly below the movement path. The position is shifted in the (X-axis direction).

  A fluid pressure cylinder 29 (see FIG. 3) is provided in a part of the main body frame 3 in order to swing the work shoe 23 up and down and open and close it. The tip of the piston rod 29R provided in the fluid pressure cylinder 29 so as to be extendable and retracted is pivotally connected to the tip of the work shoe 23. An elastic member 31 such as a coil spring (tensile spring) for swinging the work shooter 23 downward is stretched between a part of the main body frame 3 and the tip side of the work shooter 23. is there.

  Therefore, by supplying and discharging the working fluid to and from the fluid pressure cylinder 29, the work shoe 23 can be swung up and down to open and close. In addition, since the structure which rocks | works the work shooter 23 up and down is a structure known already, for example as described in the said patent document 1, more detailed about the structure which moves the work shooter 23 up and down is mentioned. Description is omitted.

  The upper space (open space) of the work shooter 23 in a state where the work shooter 23 swingable up and down (openable and closable) is swung downward (opened) is used with respect to the laser processing head 21. In order to replace the laser nozzle, the present embodiment is configured as follows.

  In addition, the structure which attaches and detaches a laser nozzle with respect to the laser processing head 21 may be a well-known structure as described, for example in Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2003-260582. Therefore, the detailed description about the structure to attach or detach is abbreviate | omitted.

  That is, a position below the carriage base 13 on one side of the workpiece shooter 23 in the Y-axis direction and when the workpiece movement positioning device 9 is located at the origin position in the Y-axis direction is shown in FIG. As described above, a laser nozzle exchanging device 33 is provided. More specifically, a base frame 35 integrated with the main body frame 3 is provided at a position below the workpiece movement positioning device 9 located at the origin position in the Y-axis direction. The base frame 35 is provided with the laser nozzle changing device 33.

  That is, an actuator 37 for vertical movement such as a fluid pressure cylinder is provided on the base frame 35. An elevating base 39 that is moved up and down by the up and down actuator 37 is provided with a guide member 41 in the Y-axis direction. A Y-axis slider 43 (see FIG. 6) is movably supported on the guide member 41. In order to move the Y-axis slider 43 in the Y-axis direction, a slider actuator 45 such as a fluid pressure cylinder is provided. As shown in FIG. 8, the slider actuator 45 is supported by a support bracket 47 provided on one end side in the Y-axis direction of the elevating base 39. A tip end portion of a reciprocating member 49 such as a piston rod provided in the slider actuator 45 so as to freely reciprocate is integrally connected to the Y-axis slider 43.

  Therefore, by reciprocating the slider actuator 45, the Y-axis slider 43 reciprocates in the Y-axis direction along the guide member 41.

  A slider 51 such as a slide bar that can move horizontally in the Y-axis direction is movably supported on the Y-axis slider 43. In order to reciprocate the slider 51 in the Y-axis direction, a reciprocating actuator 53 having the same configuration as the slider actuator 45 is mounted on the Y-axis slider 43. A reciprocating member 55 such as a piston rod provided in the reciprocating actuator 53 so as to freely reciprocate is appropriately connected to the slider 51. Therefore, by reciprocating the reciprocating actuator 53, the slider 51 is reciprocated in the Y-axis direction with respect to the Y-axis slider 43.

  The slider 51 is integrally provided with a holder base 57, and a plurality of nozzle holders on which a laser nozzle 59 to be attached to and detached from the laser processing head 21 is detachably supported. 61 is provided. The nozzle holder 61 is provided with a nozzle support hole 63 for detachably supporting the laser nozzle 59. The nozzle holders 61 are arranged at appropriate intervals in the Y-axis direction.

  The holder base 57 is provided with a brush 65 and a calibration plate 67 aligned. The brush 65 is for cleaning the lower end (tip) of the laser nozzle 59 attached to the laser processing head 21. The calibration plate 67 is used when calibration is performed by bringing the tip of the laser nozzle 59 attached to the laser processing head 21 into contact.

  As can be understood from the configuration as described above, a holder base 57 including a plurality of nozzle holders 61 that support the laser nozzle 59 by appropriately controlling the operation of the slider actuator 45 and the reciprocating actuator 53, As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, it can be positioned at three positions in the Y-axis direction.

  The position of the holder base 57 shown in FIG. 6 is a position that protrudes outward (right side in FIG. 6) in the Y-axis direction from the elevating base 39, and a part of the work table 7 as shown in FIG. This is a region ST1 outside the workpiece shooter 23 in the Y-axis direction. This outer region ST1 is a position that protrudes outward through the lower side of the carriage 17 in the workpiece movement positioning device 9 located at the origin position in the Y-axis direction. This outer region ST1 corresponds to a preparation position when the laser nozzle 59 is attached to and detached from the laser processing head 21. That is, the laser nozzle 59 is set with respect to the nozzle holder 61 at this preparation position. Therefore, the preparation work of the laser nozzle 59 with respect to the nozzle holder 61 can be easily performed manually.

  A nozzle detection sensor 69 for optically detecting the laser nozzle 59 provided in the nozzle holder 61 is provided at the preparation position (outer region in the Y-axis direction) ST1. That is, as shown in a plan view in FIG. 9, when the holder base 57 is positioned at the preparation position ST1, the nozzle holder 61 provided in the holder base 57 is opposed to each nozzle holder 61 in the X-axis direction, The nozzle detection sensor 69 is provided in a part of the main body frame 3.

  Each of the nozzle detection sensors 69 irradiates the laser nozzle 59 held by the opposed nozzle holder 61 with detection light such as laser light, and detects the reflected light from the laser nozzle 59 to thereby detect the laser nozzle 59. The presence or absence is detected. Therefore, it is possible to detect whether or not the laser nozzle 59 is supported by each nozzle holder 61. The preparation position ST1 is provided with a cover member 70 (see FIG. 2) that can cover the nozzle detection sensor 69 so as to be openable and closable. Therefore, the nozzle detection sensor 69 and the like can be protected from dust.

  As already understood, the preparation position ST1 is the outer position in the Y-axis direction when the work movement positioning device 9 is located at the origin position in the Y-axis direction, that is, outside the operation region in the work movement positioning device 9. Therefore, when the holder base 57 is located at the preparation position ST1, the operator can set the laser nozzle 59 on each nozzle holder 61 provided on the holder base 57. That is, the laser nozzle 59 can be easily attached / detached and replaced with each nozzle holder 61 in the holder base 57 manually.

  As described above, when the slider base 45 is operated to move the holder base 57 in the Y-axis direction when the holder base 57 is located at the preparation position ST1, the holder base 57 is moved by the workpiece movement positioning device 9. It is located at the position of the lower position ST2 when it is located at the origin position in the Y-axis direction (position in the state shown in FIG. 7). The lower position ST2 is a position where the laser nozzle 59 to be attached / detached / replaced is provided in the nozzle holder 61 in advance, and corresponds to a standby position where the laser processing head 21 is on standby for attaching / detaching / replacement of the laser nozzle 59. To do.

  As described above, when the holder base 57 is located at the standby position ST2, the work shooter 23 in the horizontal state is opened downwardly as shown in FIG. Is operated, the holder base 57 is moved in the Y-axis direction, and is moved to an upper position of the work shooter 23 in an inclined and opened state, that is, an open space opened by the opening operation of the work shooter 23. (See FIG. 10). The upper position (open space) of the work shooter 23 is a position between the laser processing head 21 and the work shooter 23, and is a nozzle replacement position ST3 where the laser nozzle 59 is attached to and detached from the laser processing head 21. is there. That is, the laser nozzle 59 is attached to and detached from the laser processing head 21 at a position close to the workpiece movement positioning device 9 located at the origin position as the laser processing head 21 moves in the Y-axis direction, as shown in FIG. Thus, it is performed near one end side in the Y-axis direction.

  After the holder base 57 is positioned at the nozzle replacement position ST3, the laser processing head 21 can be attached to or removed from the laser processing head 21 at a position corresponding to the empty nozzle holder 61 in the holder base 57. 21 is positioned. Then, the vertical movement actuator 37 is operated to raise the elevating base 39 and the holder base 57 supported by the elevating base 39, and the laser nozzle 59 attached to the laser processing head 21 is moved to the empty nozzle holder. Deliver to 61.

  The holder base 57 is lowered by the operation of the vertical movement actuator 37. Thereafter, the laser processing head 21 is positioned above the laser nozzle 59 to be replaced. Then, by raising the holder base 57 again, the laser nozzle 59 to be replaced supported by the holder base 57 can be attached to the laser processing head 21.

  Note that when the laser nozzle 59 is attached to or detached from the laser processing head 21, whether the holder base 57 is moved up and down or the laser processing head 21 is moved up and down is relative. Therefore, the laser nozzle 59 can be attached and detached by moving the laser processing head 21 up and down relative to the holder base 57 and the nozzle holder 61.

  As can be understood from the above description of the embodiment, in this embodiment, it is an open space that is an upper space of the work shoe 23 in a state of being opened while being inclined downward, and below the laser processing head 21. The holder base 57 is moved and positioned at a position, and the laser nozzle 59 provided in the holder base 57 is exchanged with the laser nozzle provided in the laser processing head 21. Therefore, even when the distance between the laser processing head 21 and the work table 7 that supports the work is small, the laser nozzle 59 can be easily attached and detached with a simple configuration.

  Further, in the above configuration, the holder base 57 can be positioned to the preparation position ST1 outside the operation region of the workpiece movement positioning device 9 in the laser processing machine 1, so that the holder base 57 can be used even during the operation of the laser processing machine 1. A laser nozzle 59 to be used next can be attached to the nozzle holder 61 provided in 57. Therefore, the efficiency of laser processing can be improved.

  By the way, since the holder base 57 is movable to the lower position of the laser processing head 21 and can be moved up and down, the nozzle holder 61 provided in the holder base 57 is laser processed, for example, on a workpiece W as shown in FIG. A large hole WH or a notch can be penetrated upward. That is, the laser nozzle 59 can be replaced by passing through a hole WH or a notch laser-processed on the workpiece W.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in other forms by making appropriate modifications. For example, as a configuration for positioning the holder base 57 to the preparation position ST1, the standby position ST2, and the nozzle replacement position ST3, the slider 51 is positioned to two positions by a link mechanism or the like. And it is also possible to make it the structure which provided the holder base 57 on this slider 51 movably by the link mechanism, for example.

  Further, the movement of the holder base 57 is not limited to linear movement, and may be configured to move so as to draw a curved line such as an arc, or may be configured to move in combination with linear movement and arc movement. .

  In the above description, it has been described that the work shooter 23 pivots downward and opens. However, the operation of opening and closing the work shooter 23 may be configured such that the work shooter 23 moves horizontally and opens and closes. Further, the work shooter 23 may be configured to be movable up and down while maintaining the horizontal, and may be configured to be inclined in an appropriate direction at the lowered position. That is, various configurations can be adopted to configure the work shooter 23 so as to be freely opened and closed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Laser processing machine 9 Work movement positioning device 15 Work clamp 17 Carriage 21 Laser processing head 23 Work shooter 27 Axis 33 Laser nozzle exchange device 39 Lifting base 51 Slider (slide bar)
57 Holder base 59 Laser nozzle 61 Nozzle holder 63 Nozzle support hole 65 Brush 69 Nozzle detection sensor ST1 Outside area (preparation position)
ST2 Standby position ST3 Nozzle replacement position

Claims (10)

  A laser nozzle exchanging method in a laser processing machine provided with a workpiece movement positioning device capable of moving and positioning a workpiece with respect to a laser processing head for performing laser processing of a plate-like workpiece, comprising: a work table for supporting the workpiece; A work shooter for discharging a product or scrap laser-processed by the laser processing head is freely opened and closed, and an appropriate number of laser nozzles are detachably supported when the work shooter is in an opened state. A laser nozzle replacement method, wherein a nozzle holder is positioned in an open space of the work shooter, and the laser processing head is moved up and down relative to the nozzle holder to attach and detach the laser nozzle.   2. The laser nozzle replacement method according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle holder is capable of reciprocating between a lower position of the laser processing head and a preparation position that is an outer region of the work table, and the nozzle holder is A laser nozzle replacement method comprising: setting a laser nozzle to be attached / detached / replaced next in a nozzle holder when positioned at the preparation position. In the laser nozzle changing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the laser machining head and said nozzle holder is freely, respectively it moves, in the direction of movement of the one end near the laser machining head, relative to the laser processing head A laser nozzle replacement method comprising attaching and detaching a laser nozzle.   4. The laser nozzle replacement method according to claim 1, wherein the laser nozzle is replaced after passing through a notch or a hole of a laser machined workpiece.   A laser processing machine that performs laser processing on a plate-shaped workpiece, the workpiece movement positioning device capable of moving and positioning the workpiece on the work table with respect to the laser processing head, and the laser processing head that performs laser processing on the workpiece. And a work shooter provided on a part of the work table that can be opened and closed to discharge laser-processed products or scraps, and an appropriate number of laser nozzles to be attached to and detached from the laser processing head can be attached and detached. The laser processing machine is provided with a nozzle holder provided in the open position of the work shooter in an open state so as to be freely positioned at a position below the laser processing head.   6. The laser processing machine according to claim 5, wherein the nozzle holder is provided so as to freely reciprocate between a lower position of the laser processing head and a preparation position which is an outer region of the work table. Laser processing machine.   7. The laser processing machine according to claim 6, wherein the laser processing head is provided so as to freely reciprocate in one direction, and a pivot that supports the work shooter so as to open and close is parallel to a reciprocating direction of the laser processing head. And a position below the moving path along which the laser processing head reciprocates, the position being shifted in the horizontal direction from a position directly below the moving path. The laser processing machine according to claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the laser machining head and the nozzle holder is provided freely their respective moving, carriage base in the work movement positioning apparatus, the laser processing head The laser beam machine is characterized in that when the nozzle holder is located at a reference position in the movement direction, the nozzle holder is provided so as to be able to project outward from the carriage base in the movement direction.   7. The laser beam machine according to claim 6, wherein a nozzle detection sensor for detecting a laser nozzle provided in the nozzle holder is provided at the preparation position.   9. The laser beam machine according to claim 5, wherein the nozzle holder is provided so as to be movable up and down.