JP7291527B2 - Laser processing machine and laser processing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a laser processing machine and a laser processing method for cutting a sheet metal having a predetermined coating on its surface with a laser beam.

An example of a sheet metal having a predetermined coating on its surface is a sheet metal having vinyl attached to its surface. As described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a laser processing machine sometimes cuts a sheet metal with a vinyl attached to the surface with a laser beam. A laser processing machine irradiates a low-power laser beam onto the surface of the sheet metal with vinyl attached to the surface to strongly weld the vinyl to the sheet metal or remove the vinyl before cutting the sheet metal. After that, the laser processing machine cuts the sheet metal.

JP-A-60-174289 JP-A-2-217187

If the laser processing machine cuts the sheet metal after processing the surface coating of the sheet metal with a laser beam, the processing time becomes long. There is a demand for shortening the processing time for cutting the sheet metal after coating the surface of the sheet metal with a laser beam.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a laser processing machine and a laser processing method capable of shortening the processing time for cutting the sheet metal after coating the surface of the sheet metal.

The present invention comprises a laser oscillator for emitting a laser beam, a processing head having a nozzle attached to the tip for emitting the laser beam emitted by the laser oscillator through an opening, and a laser beam emitted from the opening on a predetermined surface. A movement mechanism for moving the processing head relative to the surface of the sheet metal to irradiate the sheet metal having the coating and cutting the sheet metal, and a laser beam emitted from the opening to move within the opening. and a beam moving mechanism for cutting the sheet metal with a high-power laser beam capable of cutting the sheet metal emitted from the laser oscillator. The beam moving mechanism controls the laser oscillator to have a low output that does not cut the sheet metal, and coats the surface of the sheet metal on the front side in the cutting direction of the sheet metal with the low-output laser beam. a control device for controlling the beam moving mechanism so as to move the laser beam emitted from the opening by moving forward within the opening ;
To provide a laser processing machine comprising:

The present invention comprises a laser oscillator for emitting a laser beam, a processing head having a nozzle attached to the tip for emitting the laser beam emitted by the laser oscillator through an opening, and a laser beam emitted from the opening on a predetermined surface. A movement mechanism for moving the processing head relative to the surface of the sheet metal to irradiate the sheet metal having the coating to cut the sheet metal; a beam vibration mechanism that vibrates the sheet metal in a predetermined vibration pattern including a component in a direction parallel to the direction in which the sheet metal is cut; The front side component in the cutting direction is treated as a low-power laser beam that does not cut the sheet metal, and the coating of the surface of the sheet metal is processed, and the rear side component in the cutting direction in the vibration pattern is used to cut the sheet metal. A laser processing machine is provided that includes a control device that controls the laser oscillator and the beam vibration mechanism so as to cut the sheet metal with a laser beam of a high output that is possible.

In the present invention, a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator is emitted from an opening of a nozzle attached to the tip of a processing head to irradiate a sheet metal having a predetermined coating on the surface, and the surface of the sheet metal is irradiated with the processing head. is relatively moved to cut the sheet metal with a high-power laser beam capable of cutting the sheet metal emitted from the laser oscillator , and the laser output of the laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator is changed to controlling the laser oscillator to have a low output that does not cut the sheet metal, and moving the low-output laser beam emitted from the opening forward in the cutting progress direction of the sheet metal within the opening , A laser processing method is provided for treating the surface coating of the sheet metal in the front region with the low-power laser beam .

According to the laser processing machine and the laser processing method of the present invention, the processing time for cutting the sheet metal after coating the surface of the sheet metal can be shortened.

1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration example of a laser processing machine according to one embodiment; FIG. It is a perspective view showing a detailed configuration example of a collimator unit and a processing head in the laser processing machine of one embodiment. 1 is a conceptual plan view showing Example 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a T-shaped trajectory of a laser beam in Example 1. FIG. FIG. 5 is a characteristic diagram showing a laser output when a laser beam is scanned along the T-shaped trajectory shown in FIG. 4; FIG. 11 is a conceptual plan view showing Example 2; FIG. 11 is a conceptual plan view showing Example 3; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a vibration pattern in a state where the processing head is not moved in the sheet metal cutting progress direction, which is used in Example 4; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a vibration pattern in a state where the processing head is moved in the sheet metal cutting progress direction, which is used in Example 4; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a vibration pattern in a state where the processing head is not moved in the sheet metal cutting progress direction, which is used in Example 5; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a vibration pattern in a state where the machining head is not moved in the sheet metal cutting progress direction, which is used in Example 6; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a vibration pattern in a state where the machining head is not moved in the sheet metal cutting progress direction, which is used in Example 7;

Hereinafter, a laser processing machine and a laser processing method according to one embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In FIG. 1, a laser processing machine 100 includes a laser oscillator 10 that generates and emits a laser beam, a laser processing unit 20, and a process fiber 12 that transmits the laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator 10 to the laser processing unit 20. and The process fiber 12 may be single-core or multi-clad, and an optical coupler may be provided on the transmission line to the laser processing unit 20 .

The laser processing machine 100 also includes an operation unit 40 , an NC device 50 , a processing program database 60 , a processing condition database 70 and an assist gas supply device 80 . The NC device 50 is an example of a control device that controls each part of the laser processing machine 100 .

As the laser oscillator 10, a laser oscillator that amplifies excitation light emitted from a laser diode and emits a laser beam of a predetermined wavelength, or a laser oscillator that directly uses the laser beam emitted from the laser diode is suitable. The laser oscillator 10 is, for example, a solid-state laser oscillator, a fiber laser oscillator, a disk laser oscillator, or a direct diode laser oscillator (DDL oscillator).

A laser oscillator 10 emits a 1 μm band laser beam with a wavelength of 900 nm to 1100 nm. Taking a fiber laser oscillator and a DDL oscillator as examples, the fiber laser oscillator emits a laser beam with a wavelength of 1060 nm to 1080 nm, and the DDL oscillator emits a laser beam with a wavelength of 910 nm to 950 nm.

The laser processing unit 20 includes a processing table 21 on which a sheet metal W to be processed is placed, a gate-shaped X-axis carriage 22, a Y-axis carriage 23, a collimator unit 30 fixed to the Y-axis carriage 23, and a processing head 35. have The X-axis carriage 22 is configured to be movable on the processing table 21 in the X-axis direction. The Y-axis carriage 23 is configured to be movable on the X-axis carriage 22 in the Y-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis. The X-axis carriage 22 and the Y-axis carriage 23 serve as moving mechanisms for moving the machining head 35 along the surface of the sheet metal W in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, or any combined direction of the X-axis and the Y-axis. Function.

Instead of moving the working head 35 along the surface of the sheet metal W, the working head 35 may be fixed in position and configured so that the sheet metal W moves. The laser processing machine 100 only needs to include a moving mechanism that moves the processing head 35 relative to the surface of the sheet metal W. As shown in FIG.

The sheet metal W has a predetermined coating on its surface. The sheet metal W may be a sheet metal with vinyl attached to its surface. The sheet metal W may be a sheet metal having an oxide film formed on its surface, which is called mill scale or black scale. The sheet metal W may be a sheet metal having a rusted surface. The sheet metal W may be a plated sheet metal. The sheet metal W may be a sheet metal with oil adhered to its surface.

The processing head 35 has a circular opening 36a at its tip, and a nozzle 36 for emitting a laser beam from the opening 36a is attached. A sheet metal W is irradiated with a laser beam emitted from an opening 36 a of the nozzle 36 . The assist gas supply device 80 supplies nitrogen, oxygen, a mixed gas of nitrogen and oxygen, or air to the processing head 35 as an assist gas. During processing of the sheet metal W, the assist gas is blown onto the sheet metal W through the openings 36a. The assist gas discharges the molten metal within the kerf width where the sheet metal W is melted.

As shown in FIG. 2, the collimator unit 30 includes a collimation lens 31 that converts a divergent laser beam emitted from the process fiber 12 into parallel light (collimated light). The collimator unit 30 also includes a galvanometer scanner unit 32 and a bend mirror 33 that reflects the laser beam emitted from the galvanometer scanner unit 32 downward in the Z-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis and the Y-axis. The processing head 35 includes a focusing lens 34 that focuses the laser beam reflected by the bend mirror 33 and irradiates the sheet metal W with the laser beam. The divergent laser beam emitted from the process fiber 12 travels so that the center of its optical axis is positioned at the center of the collimation lens 31 .

The laser processing machine 100 is centered so that the laser beam emitted from the opening 36a of the nozzle 36 is positioned at the center of the opening 36a. In the reference state, the laser beam is emitted from the center of the opening 36a. The galvanometer scanner unit 32 functions as a beam moving mechanism that moves within the opening 36a the laser beam that advances through the processing head 35 and is emitted from the opening 36a. Further, the galvanometer scanner unit 32 functions as a beam vibrating mechanism that vibrates the laser beam within the opening 36a.

The galvanometer scanner unit 32 has a scan mirror 321 that reflects the laser beam emitted from the collimation lens 31, and a drive section 322 that rotates the scan mirror 321 to a predetermined angle. The galvanometer scanner unit 32 also has a scan mirror 323 that reflects the laser beam emitted from the scan mirror 321, and a drive unit 324 that rotates the scan mirror 323 to a predetermined angle.

The drive units 322 and 324 can set the scan mirrors 321 and 323 at predetermined angles, respectively, based on the control by the NC device 50 . Further, the drive units 322 and 324 can reciprocate the scan mirrors 321 and 323 within a predetermined angle range. The galvanometer scanner unit 32 can move the laser beam with which the sheet metal W is irradiated by changing the angle of one or both of the scan mirror 321 and the scan mirror 323 . The galvanometer scanner unit 32 can oscillate the laser beam by reciprocally oscillating either or both of the scan mirror 321 and the scan mirror 323 .

The galvano scanner unit 32 is an example of a beam moving mechanism or beam vibrating mechanism, and the beam moving mechanism or beam vibrating mechanism is not limited to the galvano scanner unit 32 having a pair of scan mirrors.

A specific example of cutting a sheet metal W having a predetermined coating on its surface by the laser processing machine 100 configured as described above will be described.

It is assumed that the sheet metal W in the first embodiment is a sheet metal with vinyl attached to its surface. As shown in FIG. 3, the NC device 50 controls the galvanometer scanner unit 32 so that the laser beam (beam spot) irradiated to the sheet metal W draws a T-shaped trajectory 81 within the opening 36a of the nozzle 36. do. The NC device 50 causes the galvanometer scanner unit 32 to function as a beam moving mechanism. A T-shaped trajectory 81 shown in FIG. 3 indicates a trajectory in a state in which the processing head 35 is not moved in the direction in which the sheet metal W is cut, so as to indicate the trajectory of the movement of the laser beam only by the galvano scanner unit 32 .

As shown in FIG. 4, a trajectory 81 traces the laser beam from position a to position b, from position b to position c, from position c to position d, from position d to position e, from position e to position f, to position g, and from position g to position g. It is drawn by scanning from g to position a. Position a and position f are the same position, and position b and position e are the same position. The position where the laser beam is turned on first may be the position b. Moreover, the distance between the positions e and f and the distance between the positions a and b may be extremely short distances.

FIG. 5 shows the laser output at each position when the laser beam is scanned like locus 81 . From position a to position e, the laser output is a low output L2 that melts the vinyl without melting the base material, which is the metal portion of the sheet metal W. FIG. The laser output rises linearly from position e to position f, and becomes high output L1 capable of sufficiently melting the base material from position f to position g. Laser power decreases linearly from position g to position a. The NC device 50 controls the laser oscillator 10 so that the laser output changes with the characteristics shown in FIG. The laser outputs L1 and L2 are set in the processing condition database 70. FIG. The diverging laser beam emitted from the process fiber 12 travels so that the center of its optical axis is positioned at the center of the collimation lens 31. Therefore, the optical axis of the laser beam for surface treatment and the laser beam for cutting are not set separately from the optical axis of , but are common.

In FIG. 3, as the processing head 35 moves in the cutting progress direction indicated by the arrow, the laser beam moves in the cutting progress direction while drawing a T-shaped trajectory 81 within the opening 36a. Since the laser beam in the portion from the position f to the position g on the locus 81 has a high power L1, the cut kerf 91 is formed in the sheet metal W by cutting the base material.

Prior to cutting the sheet metal W, the NC unit 50 moves the laser beam to a portion from position a to position f, which is on the front side in the direction of progress of cutting from the portion from position f to position g. Since the laser beam in the portion from the position a to the position e has a low output L2, the surface of the cutting kerf 91 of the sheet metal W is covered in the region in front of the leading end in the cutting advancing direction. Specifically, the vinyl in the front region is welded to the base material by the low power L2 laser beam.

As a result, a hatched vinyl welded portion 92 is formed in an area forward of the cut kerf 91, where the vinyl is welded to the base material. As the processing head 35 moves in the cutting advancing direction, the vinyl welded portion 92 advances in the cutting advancing direction, and the vinyl welded portion 92 is cut by cutting the sheet metal W to form the cut kerf 91 . be.

In FIG. 3, instead of firmly adhering to the base material after the vinyl has melted to form the welded vinyl portion 92, the vinyl may be removed by melting. In this case, a vinyl removed portion is formed instead of the vinyl welded portion 92 .

The sheet metal W in Example 1 may be a sheet metal having any one of an oxide film, rust, plating, and oil as a coating on the surface. If the sheet metal W has any one of an oxide film, rust, plating, and oil on the surface, the coating is removed by irradiating a laser beam with a low output L2 on the forward side in the cutting direction. In the first embodiment, instead of the T-shaped trajectory 81, an isosceles triangular trajectory or a Y-shaped trajectory may be used with the tip side of the cutting kerf 91 as the apex angle.

It is assumed that the sheet metal W in the second embodiment is a sheet metal with vinyl attached to its surface. As shown in FIG. 6, the NC device 50 positions the beam spot 82 at the center of the opening 36a of the nozzle 36, and rotates the galvano scanner unit 32 so as to draw a circular trajectory 83 near the radial end of the opening 36a. to control. The NC device 50 causes the galvanometer scanner unit 32 to function as a beam moving mechanism. A beam spot 82 is formed by a laser beam of high power L1 and a circular locus 83 is drawn by a laser beam of low power L2. A circular trajectory 83 indicates a trajectory when the machining head 35 is not moved in the direction in which the sheet metal W is cut. Note that the beam spot 82 may be vibrated in the cutting progress direction.

In FIG. 6, as the processing head 35 moves in the direction of cutting progress, the beam spot 82 and the circular trajectory 83 move in the direction of cutting progress. As in FIG. 3, before the beam spot 82 cuts the sheet metal W, a vinyl welded portion 92 is formed on the front side in the cutting direction. A vinyl removal portion may be formed instead of the vinyl welding portion 92 .

The sheet metal W in Example 2 may be a sheet metal having any one of an oxide film, rust, plating, and oil as a coating on the surface.

It is assumed that the sheet metal W in the third embodiment is a sheet metal with vinyl attached to its surface. As shown in FIG. 7, the NC device 50 positions the beam spot 82 at the center of the opening 36a, and forms a linear locus parallel to the cutting direction near both ends of the opening 36a in the direction perpendicular to the cutting direction. Control the galvanometer scanner unit 32 to draw 84 . The NC device 50 causes the galvanometer scanner unit 32 to function as a beam moving mechanism. A beam spot 82 is formed by a laser beam of high power L1, and a linear locus 84 is drawn by a laser beam of low power L2. A linear trajectory 84 indicates a trajectory when the machining head 35 is not moved in the direction in which the sheet metal W is cut. Note that the beam spot 82 may be vibrated in the cutting progress direction.

In FIG. 7, as the processing head 35 moves in the cutting progress direction, the beam spot 82 and the linear locus 84 move in the cutting progress direction. A cut kerf 91 is formed in the sheet metal W. As shown in FIG. Two vinyl welding portions 92 are formed away from the cutting kerf 91 in a direction orthogonal to the direction of cutting progress. By doing so, the vinyl around the cut kerf 91 can be easily peeled off.

The sheet metal W in Example 4 is assumed to be a sheet metal having any one of an oxide film, rust, plating, and oil as a coating on the surface. The NC device 50 causes the galvanometer scanner unit 32 to function as a beam vibration mechanism. As shown in FIG. 8A, the NC device 50 circularly oscillates the laser beam with which the sheet metal W is irradiated. The vibration pattern shown in FIG. 8A shows a pattern in a state in which the processing head 35 is not moved in the direction in which the sheet metal W is cut. The vibration pattern shown in FIG. 8A and the vibration pattern described later show the trajectory along which the center of the beam spot moves.

A circular vibration pattern is an example of a vibration pattern including a component parallel to the direction in which the sheet metal W is cut. The circular vibration pattern includes both parallel and perpendicular components to the cutting direction.

When the NC unit 50 vibrates the laser beam in a circular vibration pattern, a semicircular portion 93a indicated by a dashed line, which is the component on the front side in the direction of cutting progress, has a low output L2, and the component on the rear side in the direction of cutting progress has a low output L2. The laser oscillator 10 is controlled so as to produce a high output L1 in a semicircular portion 93b indicated by a solid line. For example, the high power L1 is 6 kW and the low power L2 is 800W.

As shown in FIG. 8B, the NC unit 50 moves the processing head 35 in the cutting progress direction while vibrating the laser beam in the circular vibration pattern shown in FIG. 8A. Then, after the surface of the sheet metal W is coated with the laser beam of low output L2 from the semicircular portion 93a, the sheet metal W is cut by the laser beam of high output L1 from the semicircular portion 93b.

In the fourth embodiment, as in the first to third embodiments, the NC device 50 moves forward in the laser beam cutting progress direction before cutting the sheet metal W with the laser beam of the high power L1. The coating of the surface of the sheet metal W in the region of the side is treated with a laser beam of low power L2.

When the sheet metal W has an oxide film as a coating, the sheet metal W is cut while removing the oxide film. In this case, oxygen-free processing is preferably performed using nitrogen as an assist gas. The sheet metal W in the fourth embodiment may be a sheet metal with vinyl attached to its surface.

By the way, when removing the coating, the instantaneous value may be a laser beam with a higher power than the low power L2. If the base material does not melt, the output may be set to the same level as the high output L1 momentarily. A laser output that is lower than the high output L1 capable of cutting the sheet metal W and that does not melt the base material may be used as the average value of the laser output for a predetermined time.

As Example 5, instead of the circular vibration pattern, a figure 8-shaped vibration pattern shown in FIG. 9 may be used. The figure 8-shaped vibration pattern is an example of a vibration pattern including a component parallel to the direction in which the sheet metal W is cut. The figure 8-shaped vibration pattern includes components in both directions parallel to and perpendicular to the cutting direction.

When the NC unit 50 vibrates the laser beam in a figure-eight vibration pattern, the elliptical portion 94a indicated by the dashed-dotted line, which is the component on the front side in the cutting direction, has a low output L2, and the output on the rear side in the cutting direction. The laser oscillator 10 is controlled so that the elliptical portion 94b indicated by the solid line, which is the component, has a high output L1.

When the NC device 50 moves the processing head 35 while vibrating the laser beam in a figure 8-shaped vibration pattern shown in FIG. is processed, the sheet metal W is cut by the laser beam of the high power L1 of the elliptical portion 94b.

The sheet metal W in Example 5 may be a sheet metal with a vinyl attached to the surface.

As a sixth embodiment, a vibration pattern may be formed by combining a circular vibration pattern 95a shown in FIG. 10 and an orthogonal vibration pattern 95b for vibrating in a direction perpendicular to the cutting direction. The vibration pattern shown in FIG. 10 is an example of a vibration pattern including a component parallel to the direction in which the sheet metal W is cut. The vibration pattern shown in FIG. 10 includes components in both directions parallel to and perpendicular to the cutting direction.

The NC unit 50 vibrates the laser beam in a circular vibration pattern 95a indicated by a dashed line, which is a component on the front side of the cutting direction, with a low output L2 and an orthogonal vibration pattern indicated by a solid line, which is a component on the rear side of the cutting direction. The laser oscillator 10 is controlled so as to have a high output L1 when vibrating in the vibration pattern 95b.

When the NC device 50 moves the processing head 35 while vibrating the laser beam in the vibration pattern shown in FIG. 10, the coating of the surface of the sheet metal W is processed by the low output L2 laser beam of the circular vibration pattern 95a. After that, the sheet metal W is cut by the laser beam of the high power L1 of the orthogonal vibration pattern 95b.

Cutting the sheet metal W with the vibration patterns shown in FIGS. 8A, 9 and 10 widens the cutting kerf 91 . In order to narrow the cutting kerf 91, instead of the orthogonal vibration pattern 95b in the vibration pattern shown in FIG. 10, a parallel vibration pattern in which the laser beam is vibrated in a direction parallel to the cutting progress direction may be used.

The sheet metal W in Example 6 may be a sheet metal with vinyl attached to the surface.

As a seventh embodiment, the vibration pattern may be a combination of a figure 8 vibration pattern including elliptical portions 94a and 94b shown in FIG. 11 and an orthogonal vibration pattern 95b. The vibration pattern shown in FIG. 11 is an example of a vibration pattern including a component parallel to the direction in which the sheet metal W is cut. The vibration pattern shown in FIG. 11 includes components in both directions parallel to and perpendicular to the cutting direction.

The NC unit 50 vibrates the laser beam in a figure-eight vibration pattern (elliptical portions 94a and 94b) indicated by the dashed-dotted line, which is the component on the front side of the cutting direction. The laser oscillator 10 is controlled so as to generate a high output L1 when vibrating in an orthogonal vibration pattern 95b indicated by a solid line, which is the side component.

When the NC unit 50 moves the processing head 35 while vibrating the laser beam in the vibration pattern shown in FIG. 11, the surface of the sheet metal W is coated with the low power L2 laser beam in the figure 8 vibration pattern. After being processed, the sheet metal W is cut by a laser beam of high power L1 in the orthogonal vibration pattern 95b.

Also in the vibration pattern shown in FIG. 11, a parallel vibration pattern may be used instead of the orthogonal vibration pattern 95b. The sheet metal W in Example 7 may be a sheet metal with vinyl attached to the surface.

According to the laser processing machine 100 and the laser processing method of the present embodiment described above, the step of treating the coating of the surface of the sheet metal W with a laser beam and the step of cutting the sheet metal W with a laser beam are provided separately. However, since the step of treating the coating and the step of cutting the sheet metal W are performed as a continuous series of steps, the processing time can be shortened.

The present invention is not limited to the one or more embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 laser oscillator 12 process fiber 20 laser processing unit 30 collimator unit 31 collimation lens 32 galvano scanner unit (beam movement mechanism, beam vibration mechanism)
33 bend mirror 34 converging lens 35 processing head 36 nozzle 36a opening 40 operation unit 50 NC device (control device)
60 Machining program database 70 Machining condition database 80 Assist gas supply device 100 Laser processing machine 321, 323 Scan mirror 322, 324 Actuator W Sheet metal

Claims (7)

a laser oscillator that emits a laser beam;
a processing head having a nozzle attached to its tip for emitting a laser beam emitted by the laser oscillator from an opening;
a movement mechanism for moving the processing head relative to the surface of the sheet metal in order to irradiate the sheet metal having a predetermined coating on the surface with the laser beam emitted from the opening to cut the sheet metal;
a beam moving mechanism for moving the laser beam emitted from the opening within the opening;
Prior to cutting the sheet metal with a high-power laser beam capable of cutting the sheet metal emitted from the laser oscillator , the laser output of the laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator is set to a low level that does not cut the sheet metal. In order to control the laser oscillator to output and coat the surface of the sheet metal on the front side of the cutting progress direction of the sheet metal with the low-power laser beam, the laser beam is emitted from the opening by the beam moving mechanism. a control device for controlling the beam moving mechanism so as to move the laser beam to the front side within the opening ;
laser processing machine. a laser oscillator that emits a laser beam;
a processing head having a nozzle attached to its tip for emitting a laser beam emitted by the laser oscillator from an opening;
a movement mechanism for moving the processing head relative to the surface of the sheet metal in order to irradiate the sheet metal having a predetermined coating on the surface with the laser beam emitted from the opening to cut the sheet metal;
a beam vibration mechanism that vibrates the laser beam emitted from the opening in a predetermined vibration pattern including a component parallel to the direction in which the sheet metal is cut in the opening;
When the sheet metal is cut while the laser beam is vibrated by the beam vibration mechanism, the front component of the vibration pattern in the cutting progress direction is used as a low-output laser beam that does not cut the sheet metal, and the surface of the sheet metal. and controlling the laser oscillator and the beam vibration mechanism so that the rear component of the vibration pattern in the cutting direction is converted into a high-output laser beam capable of cutting the sheet metal, and the sheet metal is cut. a controller for
laser processing machine. The sheet metal is a sheet metal in which vinyl is pasted as the coating on the surface of a metal base material,
3. The laser processing machine according to claim 1, wherein the low-power laser beam welds the vinyl to the base material or removes the vinyl. The sheet metal is a sheet metal having any one of an oxide film, rust, plating, and oil on the surface as the coating,
3. The laser processing machine according to claim 1, wherein the coating is removed by the low-power laser beam. A laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator is emitted from an opening of a nozzle attached to the tip of a processing head to irradiate a sheet metal having a predetermined coating on the surface,
relatively moving the processing head with respect to the surface of the sheet metal;
Prior to cutting the sheet metal with a high-power laser beam capable of cutting the sheet metal emitted from the laser oscillator , the laser output of the laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator is set to a low level that does not cut the sheet metal. controlling the laser oscillator to output;
The low-power laser beam emitted from the opening is moved to the front side in the cutting progress direction of the sheet metal within the opening , and the low-power laser beam cuts the surface of the sheet metal in the front region. A laser processing method for treating the coating. The sheet metal is a sheet metal in which vinyl is pasted as the coating on the surface of a metal base material,
6. The laser processing method according to claim 5, wherein the low-power laser beam welds the vinyl to the base material or removes the vinyl. The sheet metal is a sheet metal having any one of an oxide film, rust, plating, and oil on the surface as the coating,
6. The laser processing method of claim 5, wherein the coating is removed by the low power laser beam.

Images