JPH0634887U - Laser processing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] Laser processing that allows the workpiece to be automatically rotated and updated accurately while keeping the scan surface at a fixed position, and the workpiece can be firmly positioned and held on its support base. A device for providing a device [Configuration] A rotary table 30 on which a workpiece 4 is placed and which is rotationally driven continuously or intermittently, a laser resonator,
The workpiece mounting surface of the rotary table 30 includes a scan head for irradiating the surface of the workpiece 4 with a laser beam emitted from the resonator, and means for displacing the laser beam in the optical axis direction by the scan head. A laser processing apparatus in which a magnet 34 is fixedly attached.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus that draws various patterns on the surface of a workpiece by irradiating a laser beam, in which patterns, patterns, marks, characters, etc. are composed of lines and dots. It is also suitable for use in so-called iridescent color processing in which the shade of the reflective gloss of the pattern itself changes in a rainbow of colors depending on the angle of incident light and the viewing direction.

[0002]

[Prior art and its problems]

 As a means for drawing patterns, patterns, marks, characters, etc. on the surface of metal etc., a method of irradiating a laser beam to draw a required pattern with thin grooves or concave points formed in the irradiation trajectory is widely used. . Further, in recent years, by generating interference fringes on the laser light irradiation surface and forming fine irregularities corresponding to the interference fringes of the laser light on the metal surface, the drawing pattern itself reflects the hue of the gloss and the angle of the incident light. An iridescent color processing technique has also been proposed, which varies rainbow-coloredly depending on the viewing direction (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-263589).

By the way, in the ordinary decoration processing, it is necessary to position the focal point of the processing converging lens on the irradiation surface of the workpiece, and in the iridescent processing, it is the same in that interference fringes are generated on the irradiation surface. It is necessary to position the irradiation surface at a fixed position that is offset from the focal point of the lens in one direction, shallow and shallow. However, if the surface to be processed is a three-dimensional curved surface, such as a workpiece that has the shape of a rotating body such as a vase, pot, or vase, the distance from the scan head that irradiates the laser beam depends on the position of the surface to be processed. Since it changes, it becomes very difficult to control the optical system that adjusts the depth of focus of the laser light in drawing, and in order to perform the required drawing along the circumferential direction of the workpiece with the outer shape of the rotating body, scan It is necessary to change the direction of the work piece and set a new position each time the drawing of the range is completed, which causes a problem that the operation for this is extremely complicated.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the present invention automatically updates itself even if the workpiece has an outer shape of a rotating body to accurately update the scan surface while keeping the scan surface at a fixed position. It is an object of the present invention to provide a laser processing apparatus that can perform the positioning and hold of a work piece firmly on its support base.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, in order to achieve the above object, the first laser processing apparatus according to the present invention mounts a workpiece and continuously or intermittently drives it in a horizontal plane. A rotary table; a laser resonator; a scan head for irradiating the surface of the workpiece with a laser beam emitted from the resonator; and a means for displacing the laser beam in the optical axis direction by the scan head. A structure in which a magnet is fixed to the workpiece mounting surface of the rotary table is adopted.

A second laser processing apparatus according to the present invention employs a configuration in which the rotating table in the first processing apparatus is installed in a closed container having a vacuum suction port.

Further, a third laser processing apparatus according to the present invention employs a configuration in which the rotary table in the first or second processing apparatus is attached to a base body that tilts back and forth.

[0008]

[Action]

 When the work piece has an outer shape of a rotating body such as a vase or a vase, the scan head side that irradiates the laser beam was set to a fixed position by aligning the central axis with the rotation axis of the rotating table. In this state, it is possible to perform processing while continuously or intermittently updating the scan plane of the workpiece by rotating the rotary table. Therefore, it is necessary to position the focal point of the processing converging lens on the irradiation surface of the work piece in the ordinary decoration processing, and in the iridescent color processing, the same lens is used to cause interference fringes on the irradiation surface. It is necessary to position the irradiation surface at a fixed position that is offset from the focus in one direction, but the distance from the scan head to the scan surface is constant even when processing the three-dimensional curved surface of the rotating body due to the rotation of the workpiece itself. Since it can be maintained at, it becomes very easy to control the optical system that adjusts the depth of focus of the laser light in drawing.

Since the magnet is fixed to the workpiece mounting surface of the rotary table, the magnetic material of the magnet can firmly adsorb and fix the workpiece of the magnetic material to the rotary table. There is no risk of misalignment, so if you position it first, you can perform stable machining without changing the distance from the scan head to the scan surface. In addition, even if the workpiece is a non-magnetic material, if it is a container type, a magnet or magnetic metal is placed inside it as an adsorption aid, and the magnetic attraction force between this aid and the magnet of the rotary table is used. Similarly, the workpiece can be adsorbed and fixed.

Further, since the strong suction fixation as described above can be performed, the base on which the rotary table is mounted can be tilted back and forth, and in the case of a workpiece whose outer diameter changes depending on the vertical position such as a pot, the workpiece can be tilted. It is possible to set the irradiation angle of the laser beam around the scan in a preferable range with the workpiece tilted.

By the way, when the surface of the workpiece is metal such as stainless steel, the irradiated surface of the laser beam is easily oxidized by high heat, and the drawing pattern is colored by an oxide layer having a different color from that of the metal base. Since it is visible, it is required to prevent this oxidative coloring depending on the type and application of the work piece. In particular, in iridescent coloring, there is a problem that the hue of reflected light is affected by the above-mentioned oxidative coloring, resulting in a decrease in decorative value in terms of sharpness and saturation. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the above-mentioned oxidative coloring by arranging the work piece in a closed container, creating a high vacuum atmosphere in the container, and irradiating the work piece with a laser beam from the outside through the transparent portion of the container. Conceivable. Even if processing is performed in such a high-vacuum atmosphere, there is no problem with the magnetic attraction / fixing means of the present invention.However, for example, in the means for vacuum-adsorbing a workpiece by providing a vacuum suction hole on the rotary table, the atmosphere is If the vacuum is high, the suction force will not work.

[0012]

【Example】

 FIG. 1 shows a laser processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a processing apparatus main body having a drawing operation panel 1a on the right front surface and a laser operation panel 1b on the left front surface, 2 is a scan head arranged in a protruding shape on the central front side of the upper portion of the main body 1, 3 Is an airtight container which is placed on the rear side and accommodates the workpiece 4 inside, 5 is an image display device for observing the machined surface, which is installed in the upper left part of the main body 1, 5a is its imaging camera, 5b is It is a floodlight that illuminates the processing surface.

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of an optical system in the laser processing apparatus. Reference numeral 6 in the figure denotes a laser resonator such as a YAG laser. A laser beam 7 emitted from this is redirected by a reflecting mirror 8 at 90 °, and a beam expander 9 having a built-in magnifying lens serves as an optical axis. The diameter is expanded and passes through the movable lens 10a of the Z scanner (Dynamic Focus) 10 and is converged by the condensing lens (Imaging Objective) 11 to the beam direction by the rotary reflecting mirrors 12a and 13a of the X scanner 12 and the Y scanner 13. Is controlled to irradiate the surface of the workpiece 4.

Here, the Z scanner 10 is a curved surface data of the workpiece 4 in which the focal position by the condensing lens 11 and the beam angle are measured in advance within a predetermined scan range by the X and Y scanners 12 and 13. Set it to a fixed position on the machined surface according to. That is, the fixed position of this focal point is a position displaced to the upper or lower side with respect to the surface of the workpiece 4 in the ordinary decoration processing and the surface in the iridescent coloring processing.

The processing state at the irradiation position of the laser beam 7 is observed by capturing the processing surface of the workpiece 4 illuminated by the light projector 5b with the imaging camera 5a and displaying the image on the image display device 5. . An auxiliary laser 14 such as a He-Ne laser is installed coaxially behind the laser resonator 6 to visualize the laser beam 7 and observe the focal position.

FIG. 3 shows a laser processing part of the laser processing machine. Reference numeral 15 in the figure is a trolley-shaped machine frame equipped with casters 15a equipped with the whole of the processing part, and a laser resonator 6 is horizontally installed below the laser cavity 6 via mounting bolts 6a. A vertical slide base 17 is fixedly mounted on a vertical support plate 16 attached to the machine frame 15, and a Z table 18 which is moved up and down by driving a motor 18a is fitted to the slide base 17. The scan head 2 containing the X scanner 12 and the Y scanner 13 is attached to the upper part of the rectangular cylindrical head support rod 19 fixed to the Z table 18 in an upright state. Reference numeral 2a is a head cover that covers the scan head 2.

The optical path of the laser beam from the laser resonator 6 to the scan head 2 is set inside the horizontal light pipe 20 and the vertical light pipe 21, and the reflection mirror 8 and the beam are provided between the two light pipes 20 and 21. The expander 9 is provided, and the condenser lens 11 and the Z scanner 10 are provided between the upper end of the vertical light pipe 20 1 and the scan head 2. The vertical light pipe 21 is connected to a large diameter upper tube 21a connected to the scan head 2 side and a thin pipe connected to the beam expander 9 side so as to cope with the distance change of the laser beam optical path as the Z table 18 moves up and down. It has an expandable structure in which a lower tube 21 b having a diameter is fitted.

On the other hand, a horizontal slide base 22 is mounted above the laser resonator 6 on the machine frame 15, and a vertical drive is performed on the base 22 by a motor 23a so as to be perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIG. The X table 23 that moves in the horizontal direction, that is, the horizontal direction is fitted, and the Y table 24 that moves in the front-back direction by the drive of the motor 24a is fitted on the X table 23. The above-mentioned closed container 3 is pivotally supported on the provided receiving frame 25 via a pivot 3a. The closed container 3 is configured to be tiltable in the front-rear direction about the pivot 3a by driving the motor 25a attached to the receiving frame 25.

As shown in FIG. 4, the hermetically sealed container 3 includes a metal container body 26 having a circular opening 26a that is directed obliquely upward and approximately 45 ° forward, and a fastener 27 (see FIG. 3) in the opening 26a. ) And a substantially hemispherical glass cover 28 fitted in a hermetically sealed manner. Reference numeral 26a is a gasket for hermetically sealing the contact surface between the container body 26 and the cover 28. Thus, the container body 26 is provided with a replacement gas introduction port 29a and a vacuum suction port 29b in the rear part of the side wall, and a rotary table 30 having a substantially T-shaped cross section through the bearings 31, 31 in the front part of the bottom wall. It is rotatably supported around the vertical axis. The rotary table 30 has a bevel gear 33a fixed to a lower end portion of the shaft portion 30a protruding downward from the container body 26 and a shaft center of the motor 32 by driving a motor 32 attached to a lower surface side of the body 26. It is rotationally driven through engagement with the provided bevel gear 33b.

A disk-shaped magnet 34 is embedded in the upper surface of the rotary table 27, and the workpiece 4 made of a magnetic material placed on the rotary table 30 is magnetically applied to the rotary table 30. It is configured to be fixed by adsorption. When the workpiece 4 is a container type made of a non-magnetic material, as shown by the phantom line in FIG. 4, a suction assisting tool 35 made of a magnet or a magnetic metal is placed in the workpiece 4, The magnetic attraction between the auxiliary tool 35 and the magnet 34 of the rotary table 27 allows the workpiece 4 to be similarly attracted and fixed to the rotary table 30. It should be noted that the suction assisting tool 35 is provided with a rod-shaped handle 35a for facilitating taking in and out of the workpiece 4.

In the laser processing apparatus having the above-described configuration, when the coloring of the drawing pattern due to the oxidation coloring of the irradiation surface of the laser beam 7 is disliked in the ordinary decoration processing or iridescent coloring processing, the vacuum from the vacuum suction port 29b is used. A high vacuum atmosphere is created in the closed container 3 by suction, or an inert gas such as nitrogen gas is introduced from the replacement gas introduction port 29a to make the closed container 3 an inert gas atmosphere. On the other hand, in the case of applying a quenching mark or performing a decorative process that positively utilizes coloring due to the oxidation of a drawing pattern, a highly oxidizing gas such as oxygen gas is introduced from the replacement gas introduction port 29a to close the container. The inside of 3 is made into a highly oxidizing atmosphere.

When the workpiece 4 has an outer shape of a rotating body such as the pot shape shown in the drawing, the laser beam is applied to the surface of the workpiece 4 by adjusting the movement of the X, Y, and Z tables 23, 24, and 18. After the irradiation position and the focus position at the scan center of 7 are determined, the laser beam 7 from the scan head 2 is passed through the glass cover 28 of the hermetic container 3 while the rotary table 30 is continuously or intermittently driven to rotate. It is performed by irradiating the surface of the workpiece 4. At this time, the laser beam 7 controls the displacement in the optical axis direction in cooperation with the rotation of the rotary table 30, if necessary, in accordance with a target drawing pattern such as a design, a pattern, a mark, or a character.

The vertical movement of the scan range on the surface of the workpiece 4 tilts the closed container 3 back and forth or raises and lowers the Z table 18 in accordance with the outer shape of the workpiece 4. When the distance between the surface of the workpiece 4 and the scan head 2 changes, the Y table 24 is moved back and forth. For example, when the workpiece 4 is in the shape of a pot as shown in the drawing, the closed container 3 is tilted forward to draw on the upper peripheral surface, and the closed container 3 is moved backward to draw on the lower peripheral surface. By tilting the optical axis of the laser beam 7 to be substantially perpendicular to the irradiation surface, the workpiece 4 is firmly attracted and fixed to the rotating table 30 by the magnet 34. The scan table can be updated by driving the rotary table 30 in the tilted state.

Although the rotary table 30 is installed in the closed container 3 in the above embodiment, the rotary table 3 may be exposed to the atmosphere without the closed container 3 in the present invention. Further, the structure in which the replacement gas can be introduced has been exemplified as the closed container 3, but a closed container whose inside can be set only in a high vacuum atmosphere can also be adopted. On the other hand, the illustrated laser processing apparatus is provided with the raising / lowering means of the scan head 2 and the front / rear and left / right moving means of 3 on the side of the workpiece 4, but in the present invention, the concrete mechanism of these means has various designs. These means are not essential as they can be changed.

[0025]

[Effect of device]

 According to the laser beam processing apparatus of the present invention, when the work piece has an outer shape of a rotating body such as a vase or a flower vase, the scan head side for irradiating laser light is set to a fixed position, The distance to the scan surface can be kept constant, and the rotary table can be operated to continuously or intermittently update the scan surface of the workpiece while performing processing, and the depth of focus of the laser light for drawing is adjusted. The control of the optical system is extremely easy, and the work piece can be firmly attracted and fixed on the rotary table by magnetic attraction, and stable machining can be performed without the risk of misalignment during rotation.

Further, since the above-mentioned magnetic attractive force is exerted without any trouble even in a high vacuum atmosphere, the coloring of the drawing pattern by the oxidative coloring of the irradiation surface of the laser beam can be performed by the usual decoration processing or rainbow coloring processing. For the purpose of avoiding it, even when the workpiece is housed in a closed container and laser processing is performed in a high vacuum atmosphere, the workpiece can be firmly fixed on the rotary table arranged in the container.

Furthermore, since the strong suction fixation as described above can be performed, the base body to which the rotary table is attached can be tilted back and forth, and in the case of a workpiece such as a pot whose outer diameter changes depending on the vertical position, It is possible to set the irradiation angle of the laser beam at the center of the scan in a preferable range with the workpiece tilted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an entire laser processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration of an optical system in the laser processing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a laser processing section of the laser processing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional side view of a rotary table portion of the laser processing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Laser processing apparatus main body 2 ... Scan head 3 ... Airtight container (base body which tilts back and forth) 4 ... Workpiece 6 ... Laser resonator 7 ... Laser beam 12 ... X scanner (optical axis direction displacement means) 13 ... Y scanner ( Optical axis direction displacement means) 30 ... rotary table 34 ... magnet

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yoshikazu Okano 1-9-1, Jokoji Temple, Amakozaki City, Hyogo Prefecture Osaka Fuji Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A rotary table on which a workpiece is placed and driven to rotate continuously or intermittently in a horizontal plane, a laser resonator, and a laser beam emitted from the resonator on a surface of the workpiece. A laser processing apparatus comprising: a scan head for irradiating; and a means for displacing a laser beam in the optical axis direction by the scan head, wherein a magnet is fixed to the workpiece mounting surface of the rotary table. 2. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotary table is installed in a closed container having a vacuum suction port. 3. The laser beam processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotary table is attached to a base body that tilts back and forth.