JPH08118059A - Laser beam machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a laser beam machine that is capable of reducing working time. CONSTITUTION: A work W is positioned by moving a work table 5 in one direction, and machining heads 21, 23 are moved in the direction orthogonal to this work table 5 so as to perform laser machining on the work W. The machining heads 21, 23 are provided in two rows along a frame 7. A laser beam LB is emitted from one laser generator 13, dispersed in two directions by a block 15 and supplied to the two machining heads. This block 15 is constituted of an upper part (first part) 59 for reflecting the whole laser beam LB and a lower part (second part) 61 for dispersing it by having into two directions; and these parts can be used selectively by moving the block vertically. Consequently, the use of the upper part 59 enables a powerful laser machining with the whole laser beam, and the use of the lower part 61 enables laser machining at two places simultaneously although the output is halved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser processing machine,
More specifically, the present invention relates to a laser processing machine capable of increasing the processing speed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 4, a work table 101 is moved and positioned in the X-axis direction, and
A laser processing machine 105 that performs laser processing by moving and positioning the processing head 103 in the Y-axis direction is often used.

In such a laser processing machine 105, a pair of guide rails 109 and a Y-axis servomotor 111 are provided on a side surface of a frame 107 straddling the work table 101, and the Y-axis ball screw 1 is attached to the Y-axis servomotor 111.
13 are connected. Then, the Y-axis ball screw 113
Y-axis carriage 1 with Y-axis ball nut
15 is provided movably in the Y-axis direction along the guide rail 109, and the Y-axis carriage 115 is provided with the above-described processing head 103 so as to be vertically movable.

Therefore, the Y-axis servomotor 111 rotationally drives the Y-axis ball screw 113 to move the Y-axis carriage 115 in the Y-axis direction, whereby the machining head 1 is moved.
03 is also moved and positioned in the Y-axis direction.

The work table 101 is a base 1
A pair of guide rails 119, 119 provided on the 17
Is movable in the X-axis direction. In addition, an X-axis ball screw nut 125 that is screwed into an X-axis ball screw 123 that is rotationally driven by an X-axis servo motor 121 is attached to the center of the lower end portion of the work table 101, and guide rails 119 are provided at the four corners of the lower face. A slider 127 traveling above is provided.

Therefore, when the X-axis servo motor 121 rotates the X-axis ball screw 123, the work table 101 is moved and positioned in the X-axis direction.

On the other hand, the laser beam LB emitted from the laser oscillator 129 is guided to the processing head 103 by changing its direction by the reflecting mirrors 131 and 133, and is directed from the nozzle 135 provided in the processing head 103 toward the work W. Irradiate LB.

With the above structure, the machining head 103 is positioned in the Y-axis direction by moving the Y-axis carriage 115.
By positioning the work table 101 in the X-axis direction by positioning the work table 101 in the X-axis direction, positioning the processing head 103 in the Z-axis direction, and irradiating the work W with the laser beam LB from the nozzle 135. The desired laser processing is performed.

In such a laser processing machine 105, the laser output has been increased to increase the processing speed. Moreover, in order to implement a high operation rate of the laser processing machine, the setup time has been shortened.

[0010]

However, in such a conventional technique, the laser oscillator 129 is actually used.
Even if the output of the laser beam LB oscillated from is increased, there is a limit to the moving means using a servomotor, ball screw, nut, etc., and there is a limit to the cutting speed. There is also a limit to the reduction of setup time.

In particular, when the thin plate is laser-processed, the output is too high and therefore the maximum output is not processed.
The performance is not fully utilized.

An object of the present invention was made in view of the above conventional techniques, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a laser processing machine capable of shortening the processing time.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a laser beam machine according to a first aspect of the present invention mounts a workpiece to be laser-machined and is capable of reciprocating in one direction. A laser processing machine having a frame provided above the work table in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the work table, and a processing head reciprocally movable along the frame in the orthogonal direction,
The processing heads are provided in at least two rows along the frame.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a laser beam machine according to a second aspect of the present invention provides a laser beam for supplying a laser beam to two processing heads provided before and after the frame according to the first aspect. An oscillator, a first portion that reflects a laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator in one direction to guide it to one of the two processing heads, and two halves to guide it to the two processing heads. A block which is composed of a second part which is spectrally dispersed in the direction and in which the first part or the second part is selectively used,
It is characterized by comprising.

[0015]

In the laser beam machine according to the first aspect, the work table is moved and positioned in one direction to position the work placed on the work table, and the machining head is moved in the other direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the work table. Is moved and positioned to perform laser processing on the work. This time,
Since the processing heads are provided in two rows along the frame, for example, two or more processing heads can perform laser processing on a workpiece at one time.

In the laser processing machine according to the second aspect, the laser beam is emitted from one laser oscillator, and if the first portion of the block is used, the laser beam is processed by one processing head using all the laser beams. be able to. Also,
By using the second part of the block, the laser beam can be split into two and laser processing can be performed using two processing heads at the same time.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 3 show a laser beam machine 1 according to the present invention. 1 and 2, the laser processing machine includes a base 3 stretched in the X-axis direction.
A work table 5 which can be moved and positioned in the X-axis direction is provided on the base 3, and a work W to be laser-processed is placed on the work table 5. Also,
A gate-shaped frame 7 is erected in a state of straddling the work table 5, and the gate-shaped frame 7 is composed of a pillar member 9 and a beam member 11.

Referring to FIG. 1, inside the beam member 11 of the gate frame 7, for example, a laser oscillator 13 for emitting a laser beam LB is provided in the center in the left direction (left side in FIG. 1) in the Y-axis direction. There is.

On the left side of FIG. 1 of this laser oscillator 13,
A block 15 having a triangular prism shape is provided so as to be vertically movable. Further, a first Y-axis carriage 17 and a second Y-axis carriage 19 are provided on the front and rear sides (upper and lower sides in FIG. 1) of the lower surface of the beam member 11 so as to be movable and positioned in the Y-axis direction. One Y-axis carriage 17 and second Y-axis
A first machining head 21 and a second machining head 23 are provided on the shaft carriage 19 so as to be movable and positioned in the Z-axis direction. Further, the nozzle 21A is provided in the first processing head 21 to irradiate the work W with the laser beam LB.
Further, each second processing head 23 is provided with a nozzle (not shown).

A bend mirror 25 is provided on the front side of the block 15 in FIG. 1 so as to reflect the laser beam LB1 whose direction is changed at a right angle by the block 15 to the right side in the Y-axis direction (the right side in FIG. 1). A bend mirror 27 that guides the laser beam LB1 whose direction is changed by the bend mirror 25 downward is provided above the first processing head 21.

Therefore, referring also to FIG. 2, the laser beam LB guided downward by the bend mirror 27 is applied to the work W from the nozzle 21A of the first processing head 21 to perform laser processing.

On the other hand, a bend mirror 29 is provided on the left side of the block 15 in FIG. 1 so as to change the direction of the laser beam LB2 transmitted through the block 15 to the rear of the X axis.
Further, behind the bend mirror 29 in the X-axis direction, the bend mirror 31 is provided to reflect the reflected light to the right side in the Y-axis direction.
Is provided, and a bend mirror 33 that guides the laser beam LB2 whose direction is changed by the bend mirror 31 downward is provided above the second processing head 23.

Therefore, the laser beam LB2 guided downward by the bend mirror 33 provided on the upper part of the second processing head 23 is applied to the work W from the nozzle (not shown) of the second processing head 23. Then, laser processing is performed.

The interval (offset amount) between the laser beams LB1 and LB2 incident on the above-mentioned processing heads 21 and 23 is set to be half or less of the stroke by which the work table 5 can move in the X-axis direction. As a result, the machining range of the first machining head 21 is the entire range of the work table 5, and the second machining head 23 is at least the region on the X axis rear side half of the work table 5.

A drive motor 35 for moving both processing heads 21 and 23 is provided on the right side of the beam member 11, and the front and rear sides inside the beam member 11 extend over substantially the entire span of the beam member 11. A first ball screw 37 and a second ball screw 39 are rotatably supported, respectively.

The first ball screw 37 is directly connected to the rotary shaft 41 of the drive motor 35, and the second ball screw 39 is connected to the drive motor 35 via a gear device 45 having a clutch 43.
It is connected to. The clutch 43 is disengageable when each of the processing heads 21 and 23 is at a predetermined origin.

In the gear device 45, a bevel gear 47 is mounted on the rotary shaft 41 of the drive motor 35, and a bevel gear 51 meshing with the bevel gear 47 is mounted on the rotary shaft 49 in a direction orthogonal to the rotary shaft 41. Rotates the first ball screw 37 and simultaneously rotates the rotating shaft 49. A rotating shaft 53 is connected to the rotating shaft 49 with the clutch 43 interposed therebetween, and a bevel gear 55 is attached to the rotating shaft 53. Further, a bevel gear 57 that meshes with the bevel gear 55 at a right angle is mounted coaxially with the second ball screw 39.

As a result, when the drive motor 35 is driven with the clutch 43 engaged, the first ball screw 37
Since both and the second ball screw 39 are synchronously driven to rotate, the first Y-axis carriage 17 and the second Y-axis carriage 19 simultaneously reciprocate in the Y-axis direction.
When the drive motor 35 is driven with the clutch 43 disengaged, only the first ball screw 37 rotates, so that only the first Y-axis carriage 17 reciprocates in the Y-axis direction.

Referring to FIG. 3, the block 15 is in the shape of a triangular prism and has two parts, an upper part 59 as a first part and a lower part 61 as a second part. The upper portion 59 totally reflects the incident laser beam LB (LB
1) to change the angle, and the lower portion 61 uses a so-called beam splitter to transmit only half the incident laser beam LB (LB2) and reflect the other half (LB1) to change the angle. Although not shown, the block 15 can be moved up and down, for example, by a combination of a motor and a gear and an elevating device such as a hydraulic cylinder.

Therefore, referring to FIG. 1, when performing normal laser processing using only the first processing head 21, the block 15 is lowered, for example, and the upper portion 59 of the block 15 is used, and the entire laser is used. The light beam LB is reflected and guided to the first processing head 21 side (LB1), and the workpiece W is irradiated from the nozzle 21A for laser processing, which is suitable for a thick plate.

When laser processing is performed at two locations at a time by using both the first processing head 21 and the second processing head 23, the block 15 is raised, for example, by the lifting device to lower the block 15. Using the portion 61, the laser beam LB is divided (LB1, LB2), and the workpiece W is irradiated from the nozzles 21A of both processing heads 21 and 23 to perform laser processing, which is suitable for a thin plate.

With the above construction, when processing a thick plate, it is possible to process it with a large power using only the first processing head 21. Further, when a thin plate is processed, the laser beam LB is halved by using the first processing head 21 and the second processing head 23, so that the laser beam LB is suitable for the processing of the thin plate with the full output, and the processing speed is high. Is doubled. That is, it becomes possible to process one sheet in half sheet processing time.

Further, it is possible to improve the laser processing machine 1 as described above without complicating the processing machine itself so much.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be implemented in other modes by making appropriate changes. For example, in the block 15 used in the above-described embodiment, the laser beam LB is half-transmitted and half-reflected in the lower portion 61, and is totally reflected in the upper portion 59, but the reverse is also the same.

Further, the block 15 is divided into an upper portion 59 and a lower portion 61 and is selected by moving up and down as the first portion and the second portion. It is also possible to select by moving.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, one drive motor 35 and one gear device 45 are used to move both the first machining head 21 and the second machining head 23, but a gear is used. It goes without saying that they may be synchronized without using the timing belt or the like, or may be synchronized with each other by using a drive motor for each of the processing heads 21 and 23.

Furthermore, although the two rows of processing heads 21 and 23 are used in the above embodiment, the processing speed can be further increased by increasing the number of processing heads such as three rows and four rows.

[0039]

The laser beam machine according to the first aspect of the present invention is as described above, and the work table is moved and positioned in one direction to position the work piece, and at least two work heads are arranged along the frame. By moving and positioning, the laser processing can be performed on the work with two or more processing heads at a time, so that the processing speed is significantly improved.

In the laser beam machine according to the second aspect of the present invention, the block is composed of the first portion that reflects the entire laser beam in one direction and the second portion that splits the laser beam in two directions in half. The part and the second part can be selectively used. As a result, when the first portion is selected and used, all the laser beams are guided to one of the processing heads and a high output is obtained, which is suitable for processing thick plates. Also, when the second part is selected and used, the laser beams are guided half by half to two processing heads, which is suitable for processing thin plates that are not suitable for high-power processing, and doubles the processing speed. Efficiency is improved. Further, since there is only one laser oscillator, it is possible to avoid making the entire processing machine large and complicated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a laser processing machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view seen from the direction II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing details of a block.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a conventional laser processing machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Laser Processing Machine 5 Work Table 7 Gate Frame 13 Laser Oscillator 15 Blocks 21 and 23 Processing Head 59 Upper Part (First Part) 61 Lower Part (Second Part) W Work

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A work table on which a work to be laser-processed is placed and which can reciprocate in one direction, and a frame provided above the work table in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the work table. A laser beam machine having a machining head reciprocally movable along the frame in the orthogonal direction, wherein the machining heads are provided in at least two rows along the frame. 2. A laser oscillator for supplying a laser beam to two processing heads provided before and after the frame,
A laser beam emitted from this laser oscillator is reflected in one direction to guide one of the two processing heads, and a first part that reflects in half in two directions to guide the two processing heads. 2. A laser beam machine according to claim 1, further comprising a block that is configured to include a second part that selectively uses the first part or the second part.