JPH0833992A - Laser beam processing method and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten the time until the end of a processing treatment of a work piece. CONSTITUTION:An NC cord is formed from design pattern data and the movement of a frame material 4 is controlled according to this NC code, by which the frame material 4 is subjected to a laser beam processing treatment. At this time, the frame material 4 is subjected to the laser beam processing treatment by controlling the movement of a processing stage 1. The movement of the processing stage 1 is controlled according to the data of the part where the frame material 4 subjected to the processing treatment is changed in design, by which the frame material 4 is subjected to the laser processing treatment and the final lead frame is produced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser processing method and apparatus for producing a lead frame by cutting a frame material by irradiating it with a laser beam.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A lead frame is manufactured by punching (pressing) or etching. Among them, the punching process is a process suitable for mass production of lead frames, and the other etching process is a process suitable for small and medium volume production.

Under the circumstances described above, at the present stage of the development and trial production of the lead frame, the lead frame is manufactured by adopting the etching process. In the production of lead frames at the development and trial production stages, reduction of the through time from pattern design to production of lead frames leads to a reduction in development period.

Particularly in the manufacture of ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), shortening the lead frame development period is the most important factor for enhancing the competitiveness of products. Under the present circumstances, in the lead frame manufacturing process by etching, as shown in FIG. 4, first, the lead frame pattern is designed based on the lead frame shape presented in the form of drawings and specifications. Create a mask pattern according to the designed pattern data,
Make an exposure mask.

After that, the frame material is exposed using an exposure mask, and then developed and etched to produce a lead frame. Therefore, in lead frame production at the development and trial production stage, several steps such as exposure mask production and exposure processing must be performed after the pattern design until the lead frame is completed. There is a limit to shortening.

[0006]

As described above, at the stage of lead frame development and trial production, lead frame production must go through a number of steps including pattern mask design, exposure mask production, and so on. There are restrictions on shortening the frame development period. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a laser processing method and apparatus capable of shortening the period until the processing of a workpiece is completed.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a first step of generating a control code from design pattern data indicating a machining pattern for a workpiece, and a control code generated in the first step. And a second step of performing laser processing on the object to be processed by controlling the relative movement of the object to be processed and the laser light according to the method.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a first processing step of irradiating a laser beam onto a workpiece according to the data of a portion of the design pattern data where there is no design change and performing a laser processing, and the first processing step. And a second processing step of performing a laser processing by irradiating a laser beam according to the data of the portion where the design pattern data is changed in design, to achieve the above object. Laser processing method.

According to the third aspect, the design pattern data indicating the processing pattern for manufacturing the lead frame is used.
According to the fourth aspect, the laser oscillation device that outputs laser light, the processing stage on which the workpiece to be laser-processed by the laser light irradiation is placed, and the processing stage and the laser light irradiation position are relative to each other. In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, there are provided a moving means for moving the moving means and a moving control means for generating a control code from design pattern data indicating a working pattern for the workpiece and controlling the moving of the moving means according to the control code. It is a laser processing device.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the movement control means includes a first processing control section which controls the movement of the movement means in accordance with the data of a portion of the design pattern that has no design change to perform laser processing on the workpiece. The second processing unit performs laser processing on the object to be processed by the first processing control unit in accordance with the data of the portion of the design pattern data whose design has been changed. A laser processing apparatus which has a processing control unit and is intended to achieve the above object.

According to the sixth aspect, the movement control means is an NC controller that receives the NC code generated from the design pattern data and controls the movement of the movement means in accordance with the NC code. According to the seventh aspect, the design pattern data indicates a processing pattern for manufacturing the lead frame.

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the control code is generated from the design pattern data, and the object to be processed is subjected to the laser processing by relatively controlling the movement of the object to be processed and the laser beam according to the control code. This shortens the period from the pattern design to the end of the processing of the workpiece.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the object to be processed is irradiated with the laser beam according to the data of the portion of the design pattern data where the design is not changed to perform the laser processing, and thereafter, the design of the design pattern data is changed. Laser processing is performed by irradiating the object to be processed previously with laser light according to the data of the part. Thus, for example, when laser processing various types of workpieces, the period from the pattern design of the various workpieces to the end of the processing is shortened.

According to the third aspect, the laser processing is performed on the object to be processed using the design pattern data indicating the processing pattern for manufacturing the lead frame. According to the fourth aspect, when the laser beam output from the laser oscillator is applied to the workpiece placed on the processing stage for laser processing, a control code is generated from the design pattern data, and the control code is generated. By performing movement control of the moving means in accordance with the above, the processing stage and the laser light irradiation position are relatively moved to perform laser processing on the workpiece.

According to the fifth aspect, when the laser beam output from the laser oscillating device is applied to the object to be processed placed on the processing stage to perform the laser processing, first, the design pattern data of the design change is changed. The processing stage and the laser beam irradiation position are moved relative to each other in accordance with the data of the non-processed portion to perform the laser processing on the workpiece, and thereafter, the design of the processed workpiece is changed. According to the data, the processing stage and the laser light irradiation position are relatively moved to perform laser processing on the workpiece.

According to the sixth aspect, the NC controller receives the NC code of the design pattern data, and the NC code is received.
The processing stage and the laser beam irradiation position are relatively controlled according to the code.

According to the seventh aspect, the design pattern data is a processing pattern for manufacturing the lead frame, and the processing stage and the laser light irradiation position are relatively controlled in accordance with the data to perform laser processing on the workpiece. Process to produce lead frame.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a laser processing apparatus for producing a lead frame. A tilt correction mechanism 2 composed of a Θ stage is provided on a machining table 1 composed of an XY stage, and the machining stage 3 is mounted on the tilt correction mechanism 2.
Is provided. Then, the frame material 4 as a workpiece is placed on the processing stage 3.

The processing table 1 and the tilt correction mechanism 2
Is controlled by an NC (numerical control) controller 6. In addition, the frame supply mechanism 7 sets the frame material 4 on the processing stage 3 each time the laser processing is completed.
It has a function of loading the frame material 4 on the processing stage 3.

The frame material 4 after the laser processing, that is, the lead frame is unloaded by a separately installed unload mechanism. On the other hand, the laser oscillation device 8 is controlled by the laser oscillation control device 9 in oscillation operation.

In the output laser optical path of the laser oscillator 8, mirrors 10a to 10c constituting a laser transmission optical system for guiding the laser light 8a onto the frame member 4 are arranged.

On the optical path of the final mirror 10c of the mirrors 10a to 10c, a condensing optical system 11 for condensing the laser light on the surface of the frame member 4 is arranged. or,
A processing nozzle 12 is arranged above the frame member 4 with the laser optical axis as the central axis. This processing nozzle 12
Has a function of receiving an assist gas for laser processing from the assist gas supply mechanism 13 and blowing the assist gas onto the frame member 4 coaxially with the laser light.

The host computer 14 includes an NC controller 6, a frame supply mechanism 7, a laser oscillation controller 9,
It also has a function of controlling the operation of the assist gas supply mechanism 13.

Specifically, the host computer 14 has the following functions. That is, it has a function of receiving design pattern data indicating a processing pattern for the frame material 4 from CAD or the like, generating an NC code from the design pattern data, and transmitting the NC code to the NC controller 6.

More specifically, of the design pattern data sent from CAD or the like, the data of the portion having no design change is received, an NC code is generated from this data and sent to the NC controller 6, and laser oscillation is performed. A function as a first processing control unit that transmits an oscillation command to the control device 9 to control the movement of the processing table 1 to perform laser processing of the frame material 4, by which processing processing is performed by the first processing control unit. The frame material 4 receives the data of the portion of the design pattern data, which has been subjected to design change, sent from CAD or the like, generates an NC code from this data, transmits the NC code to the NC controller 6, and the laser oscillation control device 9 Has a function as a second processing control section that transmits an oscillation command to the laser beam and controls the movement of the processing table 1 to perform laser processing on the frame material 4. .

Further, the host computer 14 has a function of transmitting the NC code to the NC controller 6 and the oscillation command to the laser oscillation controller 9 and the gas supply command to the assist gas supply mechanism 13. Have

The host computer 14 receives the tilt / position correction amount of the frame member 4 from the positioning recognition mechanism 15, and controls the operation of the machining table 1 and the tilt correction mechanism 2 in accordance with this correction amount to control the movement of the frame member 4. It has the function of positioning.

Next, production of a lead frame using the apparatus constructed as described above will be described with reference to the lead frame production process chart shown in FIG. In CAD or the like, design pattern data of the lead frame is created based on the shape of the lead frame presented in the form of drawings or specifications.

This CAD sends the created design pattern data to the host computer 14. Here, the lead frame has, for example, the shape shown in FIG. 3 (a). This lead frame has the same lead frame portion as shown in FIG. There is a lead frame whose design may be changed at the development and prototype stages shown in (c).

Therefore, first of all, data of the lead frame portion of the entire shape of the lead frame which is not changed in design at the development and trial production stage shown in FIG. 3B is sent to the host computer 14.

The host computer 14 receives the data of the lead frame portion which has no design change, generates an NC code from this data, and transmits it to the NC controller 6. Further, the host computer 14 sends an oscillation command to the laser oscillation control device 9 as well as the NC code, and sends a gas supply command to the assist gas supply mechanism 13.

Laser processing is performed on the frame member 4 by transmitting these commands. That is, the laser oscillator 8 outputs a laser beam, and the laser beam is guided to the condensing optical system 11 by the mirrors 10a to 10c,
It is condensed by the condensing optical system 11 and is applied to the frame member 4.

At the same time, the assist gas supply mechanism 13
Since the assist gas is supplied to the processing nozzle 12, the assist gas is sprayed from the processing nozzle 12 onto the frame member 4 coaxially with the laser light.

Further, at this time, the NC controller 6 controls the movement of the machining table 1 in the XY axis directions in accordance with the NC code of the data of the lead frame portion whose design is not changed. Therefore, the frame member 4 is cut by laser light irradiation to form only the lead frame portion having no design change shown in FIG. 3B.

After that, each time the laser processing of only the lead frame portion without design change is completed, this frame material 4 is unloaded, the next frame material 4 is loaded by the frame supply mechanism 7, and the above-mentioned design change is performed. The laser processing of the unleaded frame portion is repeated.

As a result, the lead frame portion having no design change is manufactured in advance. Next, the host computer 1
Data of the lead frame portion of which the design is likely to be changed in the development and trial production stage shown in FIG. 3 (c) of the entire shape of the lead frame, most of which is the design changed data is sent to 4.

The host computer 14 receives the data of the redesigned lead frame portion, generates an NC code from this data, and transmits it to the NC controller 6. Further, the host computer 14 transmits the NC code as well as the oscillation command to the laser oscillation control device 9 and transmits the gas supply command to the assist gas supply mechanism 13 in the same manner as described above.

On the other hand, the frame supply mechanism 7 places the frame material 4 on which the lead frame portion having no design change is formed, on the processing stage 3. However, laser processing is performed on the frame member 4 on which the lead frame portion having no design change is formed in this state.

That is, the laser oscillating device 8 outputs a laser beam, and this laser beam is guided to the condensing optical system 11 by each of the mirrors 10a to 10c and is condensed by the condensing optical system 11 to be made into the frame member 4. Is irradiated.

At the same time, the assist gas supply mechanism 13
Since the assist gas is supplied to the processing nozzle 12, the assist gas is sprayed from the processing nozzle 12 onto the frame member 4 coaxially with the laser light.

At this time, the NC controller 6 controls the movement of the machining table 1 in the XY axis directions according to the NC code of the data of the lead frame portion whose design has been changed. Therefore, the redesigned leadframe portion shown in FIG. 3C is formed by the laser processing on the frame material 4 on which the leadframe portion having no design modification shown in FIG. 3B is already formed.

As a result, the production of the final lead frame is completed. Thereafter, each time the final production of the lead frame is completed, this lead frame is unloaded, the next frame material 4 is loaded by the frame supply mechanism 7, and the laser processing of the lead frame portion whose design has been changed is performed. Is repeated to complete the production of the final lead frame.

In the production of the lead frame, if there is no possibility of design change, the design pattern data of the entire lead frame is sent to the host computer 14. Then, the host computer 14 generates an NC code from the design pattern data of the entire lead frame, and transmits this NC code to the NC controller 6 to perform the laser processing process on the frame material 4.

As described above, in the above-described embodiment, since the NC code is generated from the design pattern data and the frame material 4 is controlled to move according to the NC code to perform the laser processing on the frame material 4, the etching processing is performed. Thus, compared with the case of manufacturing a lead frame, the period from the frame material 4 to manufacturing of the lead frame can be much shortened.

Further, the machining stage 1 is controlled to move in accordance with the data of the portion of the design pattern where the design is not changed, and the frame material 4 is subjected to the laser processing. Thereafter, the frame material 4 subjected to the processing is designed. Since the processing stage 1 is controlled to move according to the data of the changed portion and the frame material 4 is subjected to the laser processing to produce the final lead frame, various lead frames in the development and trial production stages are produced. In this case, it is only necessary to perform laser processing only on the data of the part whose design has been changed, and this makes it possible to reduce the through time from the pattern design to the production of various lead frames. By shortening the product competitiveness can be strengthened.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned one embodiment but may be modified as follows. For example, when performing the laser processing on the frame material 4, the processing table 1 is moved by NC control, but the processing table 1 may be fixed and the irradiation position of the laser light may be moved by NC control. . Further, not only the NC control but also a kind of control code may be generated from the design pattern data and the movement of the machining stage 1 may be controlled according to this control code.

[0047]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a laser processing method and apparatus capable of shortening the period until the end of the processing of the workpiece.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment in which a laser processing apparatus according to the present invention is applied to manufacturing a lead frame.

FIG. 2 is a process diagram of manufacturing a lead frame by the same apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a shape view of a lead frame showing a portion where there is no design change and a portion which may possibly change.

FIG. 4 is a process drawing showing the production of a conventional lead frame.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Machining table, 2 ... Tilt correction mechanism, 3 ... Machining stage, 4 ... Frame material, 6 ... NC controller, 7 ... Frame supply mechanism, 8 ... Laser oscillation device, 9 ... Laser oscillation control device, 10a-10c ... Mirror , 11 ... Focusing optical system,
12 ... Machining nozzle, 13 ... Assist gas supply mechanism, 14
... host computer, 15 ... positioning recognition mechanism.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A first step of generating a control code from design pattern data indicating a processing pattern for a workpiece, and the workpiece and the laser beam relative to each other according to the control code generated in the first step. Second step of controlling the movement of the object to be laser-processed by subjecting the object to laser-processing, the laser-processing method. 2. A first processing step of irradiating the laser beam onto the object to be processed and performing a laser processing according to data of a portion of the design pattern data where there is no design change, and a processing processing in the first processing step. A second processing step of performing laser processing by irradiating the laser beam on the processed object subjected to design change of the design pattern data. Method. 3. The laser processing method according to claim 1, wherein design pattern data indicating a processing pattern for manufacturing the lead frame is used. 4. A laser oscillating device for outputting a laser beam, a processing stage on which a workpiece to be laser-processed by the irradiation of the laser beam is placed, and the processing stage and the irradiation position of the laser beam are relative to each other. And a movement control unit that generates a control code from design pattern data indicating a processing pattern for the workpiece and that controls the movement of the movement unit according to the control code. Laser processing equipment. 5. The movement control means includes a first processing control section that controls the movement of the movement means according to the data of a portion of the design pattern data where there is no design change to perform laser processing on the workpiece, and the first processing control section. Second processing for performing laser processing on the object to be processed by the processing control unit according to data of a portion of the design pattern data whose design has been changed to perform laser processing on the object to be processed. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a control unit. 6. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the movement control means is an NC controller that receives an NC code generated from the design pattern data, and controls the movement of the movement means according to the NC code. . 7. The design pattern data indicates a processing pattern for manufacturing a lead frame.
The laser processing apparatus according to 5 or 6.