JPH0852587A - Laser beam machining device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make an optical path length constant with a simple structure by the use of one optical reverser in both X-axis and Y-axis directions, to enable the minimum length layout for the space of the device itself and also to enable laser machining always under stable cutting conditions. CONSTITUTION:An X-axis carriage 17 is provided which is freely movable in the X-axis direction, and on this X-axis carriage 17, a Y-axis carriage 21 is provided which is freely movable in the Y-axis direction; a laser machining head 25 is provided on the Y-axis carriage 21 through a Z-axis carriage 23 ; and a laser beam machining device 1 is structured by which laser machining is performed by guiding a laser beam outputted from a laser generator 5 into the laser machining head 25 through plural bend mirrors and one optical reverser 31. In order for the optical path length of the laser beam to be always constant from the laser generator 5 to the laser machining head 25, the optical reverser 31 is provided freely movably by a half of the moving quantity in the opposite moving direction in the X-axis direction, against each moving quantity in the moving direction of the X-axis and Y-axis carriages 17, 21.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus for performing laser processing with a constant optical path length of a laser beam from a laser oscillator to a laser processing head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a light-moving type laser processing apparatus in which a laser processing head moves in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, a means for always keeping the optical path length of a laser beam from a laser oscillator to a laser processing head is as follows. For example 1-5
No. 5076 is known.

[0003]

By the way, the above-mentioned conventional means for keeping the optical path length constant is to make the optical path length constant when the laser processing head moves in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. Two optical inverters that move in two directions, the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, are set to 1
The structure is such that it is provided so as to move in the same direction by / 2. Therefore, the structure is complicated, and it is a demerit for downsizing the laser processing apparatus, not to mention the large-scale laser processing apparatus.

Further, when the number of reflecting mirrors provided in the moving optical reversal device is large, there is a problem that the laser output is largely deteriorated by the reflecting mirrors and stable laser processing cannot be performed.

Further, since the total optical path length is always constant even when the stable cutting conditions change, the cutting conditions are not always stable, and there is a problem that accurate laser processing cannot be obtained.

An object of the present invention is to use a single optical inverter for both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction to keep the optical path length constant with a simple structure and to minimize the space for the device itself. And to provide a laser processing apparatus so that laser processing can always be performed under stable cutting conditions.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the laser processing apparatus of the invention according to claim 1 is provided with an X-axis carriage movable in the X-axis direction, and the X-axis carriage is provided in the Y-axis direction. A movable Y-axis carriage is provided, a laser processing head is provided on the Y-axis carriage via the Z-axis carriage, and the laser beam output from the laser oscillator is passed through a plurality of bend mirrors and one optical reversing device to produce the laser beam. Guide to the processing head, a laser processing apparatus for performing arbitrary laser processing by arbitrary movement of this laser processing head, in order to always keep the optical path length of the laser beam from the laser oscillator to the laser processing head constant,
The optical inverter is movably provided in a direction opposite to the moving direction in the X-axis direction by a moving amount of 1/2 with respect to each moving amount in the moving direction of the X-axis and Y-axis carriages. To do.

A laser processing apparatus of the invention according to claim 2 is
2. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the X-axis carriage moves in the X-axis direction with one end side on the base as the origin position, and the optical reversing device has the other end side on the base as the origin position in the X-axis direction. Is configured to move in the opposite direction.

The laser processing apparatus of the invention according to claim 3 is
In the laser processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 and 2, when the stable cutting condition changes with time, the position of the optical reversing device is changeable so as to maintain the stable cutting condition. It is a thing.

[0010]

With the above laser processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the optical path length of the laser beam from the laser oscillator to the laser processing head is always kept constant.
X for each amount of movement in the X-axis and Y-axis carriage movement directions
Since the optical reversing device is movably provided in the axial direction in the opposite direction to the moving direction by a moving amount of 1/2, the optical path length of the laser beam from the laser oscillator to the laser processing head can always be made constant during laser processing. it can.

According to the laser processing apparatus of the invention as defined in claim 2, the X-axis carriage moves in the X-axis direction with one end side of the base as the origin position and the optical reversing device with the other end side of the base as the origin position. Since it is configured to move in the opposite direction in the axial direction, a space for the laser processing apparatus itself can be provided with a layout having a minimum length.

With the laser processing apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, the position of the optical reversing device is freely changeable in order to maintain the stable cutting conditions when the stable cutting conditions change with time. When the stable cutting conditions change with time, the stable cutting conditions are maintained by changing the position of the optical inverter, and laser processing with good processing accuracy is performed.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, the laser processing apparatus 1 is provided with an upright, for example, box-shaped base 3, and a laser oscillator 5 is provided above the base 3 via an oscillator base (not shown). Has been.

A plurality of parallel X-axis guide rails 7 extending in the X-axis direction (horizontal direction in FIG. 1) are laid on the base 3 and an X-axis ball screw 9 extending in the X-axis direction is provided. Has been.

The right end of the X-axis ball screw 9 is rotatably supported by a bearing 11 attached to the right part of the base 3, and the left end of the X-axis ball screw 9 is the left part of the base 3. Is connected to an X-axis drive motor 13 attached to the. A guide member 15 is provided on the X-axis guide rail 7.
The X-axis carriage 17 is provided so as to extend in the Y-axis direction (the front-back direction in FIG. 1) via the. Moreover, the nut member 19 screwed into the X-axis ball screw 9 is integrated with the lower portion of the X-axis carriage 17.

With the above structure, when the X-axis drive motor 13 is driven, the X-axis ball screw 9 is rotated, whereby the X-axis carriage 17 is guided by the X-axis guide rail 7 and moved in the X-axis direction. become.

A Y-axis guide rail (not shown) extending in the Y-axis direction is laid on the lower surface of the X-axis carriage 17, and the front end of the Y-axis ball screw extending in the Y-axis direction is the X-axis carriage 17. For example, it is rotatably supported by a bearing mounted on the front part. The rear end of the Y-axis ball screw is connected to a Y-axis drive motor attached to, for example, the rear portion of the X-axis carriage 17.

A Y-axis carriage 21 is provided on the Y-axis guide rail via a guide member, and a nut member screwed into the Y-axis ball screw is integrated with the Y-axis carriage 21.

With the above structure, when the Y-axis drive motor is driven, the Y-axis ball screw is rotated, so that Y
The shaft carriage 21 is guided by the Y-axis guide rail and moved in the Y-axis direction.

A Z-axis carriage 23 is provided on the right side of the Y-axis carriage 21. This Z axis carriage 2
3, a laser processing head 25 is provided so as to hang down.

Therefore, by moving the X-axis carriage 17 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis carriage 21 in the Y-axis direction, the laser processing head 25 is moved in the X-axis and Y-axis directions.

A first bend mirror BM1 is provided on the right side wall of the laser oscillator 5, and a second bend mirror BM2 is attached to the right end of the base 3 so as to face the first bend mirror BM1. ing. The second bend mirror BM2 and the first bend mirror BM1 are connected by an optical protection tube 27.

A guide rail 29 for an optical reversing device extending in the X-axis direction is laid on the base 3, and the guide rail 29 for an optical reversing device is provided with third and fourth bend mirrors BM3, BM4. The optical reversing device 31 is provided so as to be movable in the X-axis direction. A fifth bend mirror BM5 is attached to the rear side of the second bend mirror BM2 provided on the base 3. A sixth bend mirror BM6 is provided above the fifth bend mirror BM5 via a light protection tube 33.

A seventh bend mirror BM7 is attached to the rear portion of the right side wall of the X-axis carriage 17 so as to face the sixth bend mirror BM6, and the bend mirror BM7 is placed above the Z-axis carriage 23. The eighth bend mirror BM8 is provided corresponding to the.

With the above construction, the X-axis carriage 17, Y
By moving the axis carriage 21 in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, respectively, the laser processing head 25 is moved and positioned to an arbitrary position in the XY plane. When the laser processing head 25 is moved and positioned, the laser beam output from the laser oscillator 5 receives the first bend mirror BM1 and the second bend mirror BM2.
It reaches the third bend mirror BM3 and the fourth bend mirror BM4 of the optical inverter 31 via the bend mirror BM2. Furthermore, the fifth bend mirror BM5, the sixth bend mirror BM6,
7th bend mirror BM7 and 8th bend mirror BM8
After that, the light is focused on a condenser lens provided in the laser processing head 25. The laser beam condensed by the condenser lens is irradiated toward the work to be processed, and the work is arbitrarily laser-processed.

An optical path length adjusting means 35 is provided for keeping the optical path length of the laser beam from the laser oscillator 5 to the laser processing head 25 constant. As the optical path length adjusting means 35, a rotatable pulley 37 is provided on the base 3. The rear lower surface of the X-axis carriage 17 is provided with a rotatable pulley 39, and the front lower surface of the X-axis carriage 17 is provided with rotatable pulleys 41, 43. A rotatable pulley 45 is provided on the right side of the base 3, and a pulley 47 is provided on the lower surface of the rear portion of the X-axis carriage 17. This pulley 37, 39, 41, 43, 4
A belt 49 is wound around 5 and 47, and both ends of the timing belt 49 are fixed to the front and rear portions of the Y-axis carriage 21.

A small pulley 51 having a radius half that of the pulley 45 is provided on the rotary shaft of the pulley 45, and a pulley 53 having the same diameter as the small pulley 51 is provided on the left side of the base 3. It is rotatably installed. A belt 55 is wound around the small pulleys 51 and 53, and both ends of the timing belt 55 are fixed to the left and right portions of the reversing device 31.

[0029] With this configuration, the distance in the Y-axis carriage 21 to the position of two-dot chain line from the solid line position in FIG. 1 L _Y
When the timing belt 49 is moved to the − direction side in the Y-axis direction, the timing belt 49 is driven to rotate as indicated by the arrow, and the timing belt 55 is also driven to rotate in the same direction.
Moreover, since the speed of the timing belt 55 is set to half the speed of the timing belt 49, the optical reversing device 31 moves from the position indicated by the solid line to the position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line L _Y /
Only 2 is moved to the + direction side of the X-axis direction.

[0030] Further, X-axis carriage 17 a distance L _X to the position of two-dot chain line from the solid line position in FIG. 1 X-axis direction - when allowed to move to the direction, the timing belt 49
Is rotated and rotated as indicated by an arrow, and the timing belt 55 is also rotated and rotated in the same direction. Moreover, since the speed of the timing belt 55 is set to be half the speed of the timing belt 49, the optical inverter 31
Is moved from the position of the one-dot chain line to the two-dot chain line toward the + direction side of the X-axis direction by L _X / 2.

Therefore, the X-axis carriage 17 and the Y-axis carriage 21 are moved to the negative direction side in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, respectively.
_X, L when _Y only allowed to move, an optical inverter 31, which is the movement direction of the X axis carriage 17 X-axis direction - L _X / 2 from the direction to the X-axis direction of the + direction opposite, L _Y / 2 Therefore, the optical path length from the laser oscillator 5 to the laser processing head 25 can always be accurately and reliably maintained automatically and constantly.

Similarly, the X-axis carriage 17 and the Y-axis carriage 21 are moved to the + direction side in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, respectively.
_X, L when _Y only allowed to move, an optical inverter 31, which is the movement direction of the X axis carriage X axis direction + direction and X-axis direction of the opposite - the direction by _{L X / 2, L Y /} 2 When moved, the optical path length from the laser oscillator 5 to the laser processing head 25 can always be maintained accurately, reliably, and automatically and constantly.

When the X-axis carriage 17 is moved to the right side with the left side on the base 3 as the origin position, the optical inverter 31 is moved to the left side with the right side on the base 3 as the origin position, that is, the X-axis carriage 17 is moved. By moving the base 3 in the direction opposite to the moving direction, the length of the base 3 can be eliminated as shown in FIG. 2, and the layout of the apparatus itself can be minimized. .

The optical reversing device 31 is described as an example in which it is guided by the optical reversing guide rail 29 parallel to the X-axis guide rail 7 on the base 3 and moved in the X-axis direction.
Even if the light reversing guide rail 29 as shown in FIG. 3 is not parallel to the X-axis guide rail 7 and tilts slightly, there is no problem as long as the light reversing device 31 moves on a straight line. There is no need to put it out.

Generally, in the laser processing apparatus 1, for example, a laser that performs good cutting processing under the same stable cutting conditions such as a laser beam diameter, a laser beam mode, a lens focal length, a lens focal position, and an assist gas, which are determined by the laser oscillator 5. There is a stable cutting position from the oscillator 5 to the condenser lens of the laser processing head 25.

The stable cutting position is characterized by the characteristics of the mirrors forming the laser oscillator 5, such as the output mirror and the curvature R.
Variation, the variation of the resonator, the state of alignment of the internal mirror, etc., but also the variation over time. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, when considering the total optical path length L from the position of the output mirror of the laser oscillator 5 to the position of the condenser lens of the laser processing head 25, the optimum stability is obtained by the laser beam diameter D. There are cutting positions (processing points) P _I and P _II .

When processing is performed at this optimum stable cutting position P _I , as shown in FIG.
Is set to the position shown by the solid line, and the optical path length L _I is kept constant to perform the cutting process. Then, since the laser beam diameter D does not change from the optimum cutting position P _I even if a change occurs with time, the cutting processing can be performed under the same stable cutting conditions at the optimum cutting position P _II , so that the total optical path length is changed from L _I to L.
_II (= L _I -2L) may do it to change to. That is,
As shown in FIG. 5 (A), if the optical inverter 31 is shifted to the right by the distance L, the cutting process can be performed under stable conditions. Therefore, even if the cutting conditions change due to changes over time, it is possible to continuously perform good cutting processing without changing the cutting conditions simply by changing the position of the optical inverter 31.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be implemented in other modes by making appropriate changes.

[0039]

As can be understood from the above description of the embodiments, according to the invention of claim 1, the optical path length of the laser beam from the laser oscillator to the laser processing head is always simple in laser processing. Therefore, it is possible to carry out laser processing with a constant processing accuracy with a constant value.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the layout of the laser processing apparatus itself can be minimized. According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the stable cutting condition is metamorphosed, the position of the optical inverter is changed so that the stable cutting condition is maintained and laser processing with good processing accuracy can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between an X-axis carriage and an optical inverter.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating linear movement of an optical inverter.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a relationship between a laser beam diameter and a processing position from an output mirror of a laser oscillator to a condenser lens of a laser processing device.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a change of the optical inverter when the stable cutting condition is changed due to the change.

[Explanation of Codes] 1 laser processing device 3 base 5 laser oscillator 17 X-axis carriage 21 Y-axis carriage 25 laser processing head 31 optical reversing device 35 optical path length adjusting means 37-47 pulley 49, 55 timing belt 51, 53 small pulley

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An X-axis carriage movable in the X-axis direction is provided, a Y-axis carriage movable in the Y-axis direction is provided in the X-axis carriage, and a laser processing head is provided in the Y-axis carriage via the Z-axis carriage. Is provided to guide the laser beam output from the laser oscillator to the laser processing head through a plurality of bend mirrors and one optical reversing device, and perform arbitrary laser processing by arbitrarily moving the laser processing head. As a device, in order to always keep the optical path length of the laser beam from the laser oscillator to the laser processing head constant, the movement direction in the X-axis direction with respect to each movement amount in the movement direction of the X-axis and Y-axis carriage. A laser processing apparatus characterized in that the optical reversing device is provided so as to be movable in a direction opposite to the direction described above by ½. 2. The X-axis carriage moves in the X-axis direction with one end side on the base as the origin position, and the optical inverter moves in the opposite direction in the X-axis direction with the other end side on the base as the origin position. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser processing apparatus is configured to be. 3. The optical reversing device according to claim 1, wherein the position of the optical reversing device is changeable so as to maintain the stable cutting condition when the stable cutting condition changes with time. Laser processing equipment.