JPH0255686A - Operating method for nc laser device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the working accuracy of a work by closing a shutter and bringing a laser to stand-by oscillation by the prescribed output, and subsequently, opening the shutter in accordance with a working command after the prescribed time and executing laser beam machining. CONSTITUTION:A shutter 20 is provided in the vicinity of an output mirror 6 of a discharge tube 4 for outputting a laser light, and also, a work 17 is set onto a table 16, and a position of the work 17 is controlled by a motor 13 through a position control circuit 11. Subsequently, the laser light of the discharge tube 4 is raised, and in a state that the shutter 20 is closed, a stand-by oscillation is executed for the prescribed time. Next, after the prescribed time elapses, the shutter 20 is opened, based on a working command, a laser oscillation conforming to a command value is executed and laser beam machining is executed. At the time point of starting the working, a temperature of the discharge tube 4 reaches a stationary value already, therefore, a stable laser light of a single mode is outputted. In such a way, the laser beam machining accuracy of the work 17 is improved.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides an N
Regarding the operating method of the C laser device, in particular, an NC laser device that can start processing with a stable single mode laser beam by pre-oscillating the laser at a predetermined output for a predetermined time with the shutter closed after starting the laser. Regarding how to drive.

[Conventional technology]

Gas laser oscillators such as CO□ gas lasers can provide single-mode, high-output laser light, so numerical control equipment (
It has come to be widely used in metal processing as an NC laser device combined with CNC. In such an NC laser device, the laser oscillation is controlled by a cutting program or the like, and even when the NC laser device is in operation, the laser oscillation is in a base discharge state when processing is not being performed.
Upon receiving a processing command, the laser is immediately oscillated at a predetermined output to perform processing.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in a gas laser oscillator, the temperature of the discharge tube does not rise much for a while after oscillation, and therefore the discharge for exciting the laser gas is not uniformly performed inside the discharge tube. Therefore, the laser beam output in this case becomes multi-mode, which reduces the machining accuracy and may not be able to process the workpiece at all depending on the material. As described above, conventionally, the machining performance is significantly degraded for a certain period of time after the start of machining, which always poses a problem when operating the NC laser device.

The present invention has been made in view of these points, and by pre-oscillating the laser at a predetermined output for a predetermined time with the shutter closed after starting up the laser, processing can be started with a stable single mode laser beam. N who can
The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for operating a C laser device.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a method for operating an NC laser device in which a numerical control device and a gas laser oscillator are combined. The oscillation time is measured, and after the oscillation time exceeds a predetermined time, according to the processing command,
A method of operating an NC laser device is provided, which comprises: setting the output to 0, setting the base discharge state, opening a shutter, and oscillating a laser beam with a predetermined output based on the processing command.

[Effect]

After the laser starts up, the laser is pre-oscillated at a predetermined output for a predetermined time with the shutter closed. When a machining command is output by a machine program or the like after a predetermined time has elapsed, the output is set to 0, the base discharge state is established, the shutter is opened, and the laser of a predetermined output is oscillated again to start machining.

Since the temperature of the discharge tube has increased during the preliminary operation, stable single-mode laser light is output from the start of machining, allowing for highly accurate machining.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of an NC laser device for implementing the present invention.

In the figure, ■ is a processor that controls the whole, and 2 is an output control circuit that converts the output command value to a current command value and outputs it, and has a built-in DA converter that converts the digital value to analog output. There is. Reference numeral 3 denotes a laser power source, which rectifies a commercial power source and outputs a high-frequency voltage according to a command from the output control circuit 2. 4 is a discharge tube;
Laser gas is circulated inside, and a high frequency voltage from the laser power source 3 is applied to it to discharge it, thereby exciting the laser gas and outputting laser light by stimulated emission. 5 is a total reflection mirror that reflects the laser beam, and 6 is an output mirror. By reciprocating between the total reflection mirror 5 and the output mirror 6, the laser beam receives energy from the excited laser gas and is amplified. A portion is outputted from the output mirror 6 to the outside. When a shutter 2o, which will be described later, is open, the output laser beam 9 changes its direction with a pendulum mirror 7, and is irradiated onto the surface of the workpiece with a condensing lens 8.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a memory in which the program, parameters, etc. are stored, and a non-volatile bubble memory or the like is used. Reference numeral 11 denotes a position control circuit, the output of which is amplified by a servo amplifier 12 to control the rotation of a servo motor 13, control the movement of a table 16 by means of a ball screw 14 and nuts 1-15, and control the position of a workpiece 17. . 18 is a display device, and a CRT, liquid crystal device, or the like is used. A power sensor 19 measures the output power of the laser oscillation device, and measures the monitor laser output transmitted through a part of the total reflection mirror 5 using a thermoelectric or photoelectric conversion element.

A shutter 20 is made of a copper or aluminum plate whose surface is plated with gold.

The shutter 20 opens and closes based on instructions from the processor 1,
When closed, it is in the position shown in FIG. 1, and has the function of reflecting the laser beam 9 output from the output mirror 6 and preventing it from being output to the outside. When the shutter 20 is opened, the work 17 is irradiated with laser light 9.

Next, we will discuss the second method of operating the NC laser device of the present invention.
This will be explained based on the flowchart shown in the figure.

In the figure, the number following S indicates the number of steps.

[S1] Start up the laser.

[S2] Perform preliminary oscillation with a predetermined output with the shutter 20 closed. At the same time, measurement of elapsed time starts.

[S3] Determine whether a predetermined time has elapsed.

If the time has elapsed, go to S5.

[S4] It is determined whether a machining command has been outputted using a Canadian program or the like. If it has been output, go to S5.

[S5] The laser output is set to 0 and the base discharge state is established.

[S6] Open the shutter 20.

[S7] The laser is oscillated based on the command value.

[S8] Workpiece I7 is processed. [S9] The output of the laser is set to O, and the base discharge state is established.

(SIO) Close the shutter 20 and turn off the power to the NC laser device.

In this way, in the present invention, after the laser is started up, preliminary oscillation is performed for a predetermined time at a predetermined output with the shutter closed, so the temperature of the discharge tube has risen in advance before processing. It can output single mode laser light from the beginning.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the operating method of the NC laser device of the present invention, the temperature of the discharge tube has already risen to a nearly steady value at the time of starting machining, so the single mode laser is stable from the beginning of machining. It can output light, improving the machining accuracy of workpieces.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of an NC laser device for carrying out the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method of operating the NC laser device according to an embodiment of the present invention.・−−−−−−−−～−Prosensor discharge tube−・−Laser light・−・−・−・・−11−−Work・−・・・・・・Shutter patent applicant Agent for FANUC Corporation Patent Attorney Takeshi Hattori Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) NC combining numerical control device and gas laser oscillator
In the operating method of a laser device, after the laser is started, the shutter is closed and the laser is pre-oscillated at a predetermined output, the oscillation time of the pre-oscillation is measured, and after the oscillation time exceeds the predetermined time, the processing command is ,
A method of operating an NC laser device, comprising: setting the output to 0, setting the base discharge state, opening a shutter, and oscillating a laser with a predetermined output based on the processing command.