KR100665312B1 - Laser manufacturing apparatus and laser mold manufacturing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A laser processing apparatus and a laser mold processing apparatus are provided to generate plural laser beams from one light source according to the processing accuracy by forming a variable mirror unit, a harmonic wave generation unit, a wave length division unit and a second processing unit. A laser processing apparatus(100) comprises a light source unit(110) generating a laser beam; a processing unit(140) receiving and controlling the laser beam and scanning to an object; a variable mirror unit(130) mounted between the light source unit and the processing unit and driven to reflect and pass the laser beam; a harmonic wave generation unit(150) receiving the laser beam reflected from the variable mirror unit and generating more than one harmonic wave laser beam having a wave length different from the laser beam; a wave length division unit(160) respectively dividing plural laser beams passed through the harmonic wave generation unit; and a second processing unit(180) receiving and controlling a predetermined harmonic wave laser beam from plural laser beams divided by the wave length division unit and scanning to the object.

Description

LASER MANUFACTURING APPARATUS AND LASER MOLD MANUFACTURING APPARATUS}

1 is a schematic view showing a conventional laser processing apparatus,

2 is a schematic view showing a laser processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a partial schematic view for explaining a state of processing by using the laser processing apparatus of FIG.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: laser processing apparatus 110: light source unit

120, 170: reflection mirror 130: variable mirror portion

131: variable mirror 140: machining

141, 181: beam expander 142, 182: scanhead

143, 183: X mirror 144, 184: Y mirror

145, 185: fθ lens 150: harmonic wave generating unit

151: second harmonic generator 152: third harmonic generator

160: wavelength separation unit 180: second processing unit

190: beam absorbing unit 1100: worktable

The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a laser processing apparatus and a laser mold processing apparatus capable of generating a plurality of processing laser beams from one source light source.

Laser processing equipment has been widely used for cutting, drilling, welding and the like of metal products.

In particular, in recent years, as the product life cycle is shortened and the competition for new product development and model change of the enterprise is intensified, the laser processing apparatus has been adopted and used in the processing of molds for product production. That is, the technology that uses a laser processing apparatus as a means for quickly manufacturing a mold at a low cost at the time of switching from a small quantity mass production system to a large quantity small quantity production system has been attracting attention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional laser processing apparatus 10 includes a light source unit 11 for generating a laser beam, a reflection mirror 12 for reflecting the generated laser beam, and a light collecting element for condensing the reflected laser beam. (13). The laser beam is adjusted to the processing laser beam L by the light collecting element 13 and scanned on the object 1. The laser processing apparatus 10 was used to cut, weld or mold the metal product. Reference numeral 14 in the drawings is a work table.

However, according to the conventional laser processing apparatus 10, only a single wavelength laser beam can be generated from the light source unit 11, and according to the processing precision, a plurality of steps, for example, rough grinding and finishing There was a problem that it was not possible to cope with the machining process made of) at the same time. In other words, for a plurality of processes having different processing precisions, a plurality of laser devices 10 having light sources 11 for generating laser beams of different wavelengths were required. It was pointed out that it was disadvantageous.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a laser processing apparatus and a laser mold processing apparatus capable of generating a plurality of processing laser beams from one source light source.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention, a laser processing apparatus comprising a light source unit for generating a laser beam, and a processing unit for receiving and adjusting the generated laser beam to scan the object, between the light source unit and the processing unit A variable mirror unit positioned at and driven to reflect or pass the laser beam; A harmonic wave generating unit for receiving the laser beam reflected by the variable mirror unit to generate at least one harmonic laser beam having a wavelength different from that of the laser beam; A wavelength separation unit separating the plurality of laser beams passing through the harmonic wave generation unit from each other; And a second processing unit which receives and adjusts a predetermined harmonic laser beam from the plurality of laser beams separated by the wavelength separation unit, and scans the target harmonic laser beam.

The harmonic wave generating unit may include a second harmonic wave generating unit configured to receive a laser beam reflected by the variable mirror unit to generate a second harmonic wave laser beam; It may include a third harmonic wave generator for receiving the laser beam passing through the second harmonic wave generator to generate a third harmonic wave laser beam.

The laser beam absorber may further include a beam absorbing unit for absorbing and extinguishing other laser beams other than the predetermined harmonic laser beam among the plurality of laser beams passing through the wavelength separation unit.

In addition, at least one of the processing unit and the second processing unit may include a beam expander for expanding the beam size of the received laser beam, and a scan head for adjusting the scanning direction of the enlarged laser beam.

In addition, it may further include a worktable for fixedly holding the object to reciprocally transport between the processing unit and the second processing unit.

In this case, the worktable may be five-axis drive (X, Y, Z, R _Y , R _Z ).

In addition, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention, in the laser mold processing apparatus comprising a light source unit for generating a laser beam, and a processing unit for receiving and adjusting the generated laser beam to scan the object, the light source unit and the A variable mirror unit positioned between the processing units and reciprocally driven to reflect or pass the laser beam; A harmonic wave generating unit for receiving the laser beam reflected by the variable mirror unit to generate at least one harmonic laser beam having a wavelength different from that of the laser beam; A wavelength separation unit separating the plurality of laser beams passing through the harmonic wave generation unit from each other; And a second processing unit which receives and adjusts a predetermined harmonic laser beam from the plurality of laser beams separated by the wavelength separation unit, and scans the target harmonic laser beam.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail with respect to the present invention.

Laser processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 2, the light source unit 110 for generating a laser beam, a reflection mirror 120 for reflecting the generated laser beam, the reflected laser beam Receiving and adjusting the processing unit 140 for scanning to the object.

The light source unit 110 is provided, for example, as a Nd: YAG or Nd: YVO laser source to generate a CW wave laser beam having a wavelength λ of 1064 nm, and further comprising a Q switch element. By providing a pulse wave (laser wave) laser beam may be generated.

The processing unit 140 includes a beam expander 141 that enlarges the beam size of the laser beam received from the reflection mirror 120, and a scan head 142 that scans the object by adjusting the scanning direction of the enlarged laser beam. do.

In addition, the laser processing apparatus 100 includes a variable mirror unit 130 positioned between the reflective mirror 120 and the processing unit 140, the harmonic wave generating unit 150, the wavelength separation unit 160, and the second processing unit. The unit 180 further includes.

The variable mirror unit 130 is driven to reflect or pass the laser beam generated from the light source unit 110 and reflected by the reflective mirror 120. That is, the variable mirror unit 130 is driven such that the variable mirror 131 installed therein can reciprocate between a reflection position (dotted line) reflecting the laser beam and a passing position (solid line) passing the laser beam. The reciprocating drive of the variable mirror 131 may be achieved by a motor drive or a cylinder drive.

Accordingly, the laser beam reflected by the reflection mirror 120 is reflected by the variable mirror 131 positioned at the reflection position (dotted line) and transmitted to the harmonic wave generation unit 150 described later, or the passing position (solid line). Passed as it is by the variable mirror 131 located in the processing unit 140 is transmitted.

The laser beam transmitted to the processing unit 140 is scanned on the object to be processed at a wavelength as it is generated by the light source unit 110 (that is, 1064 nm).

The harmonic wave generator 150 is a means for receiving the laser beam reflected by the variable mirror unit 130 and generating at least one harmonic laser beam having a wavelength different from that of the laser beam. In particular, the harmonic wave generation unit 150 receives the laser beam reflected by the variable mirror unit 130 to generate the secondary harmonic wave laser beam L ₁ . The harmonic wave generator 151 may include a third harmonic wave generator 152 that receives the laser beam passing through the harmonic wave generator 151 and generates a third harmonic wave laser beam L ₂ .

In the present embodiment, the second harmonic generator 151 is a second harmonic laser beam having a wavelength of 532 nm from the incident laser beam (wavelength: 1064 nm) as an SHG wavelength conversion crystal (SHG). L ₁ ).

In addition, the third harmonic generator 152 has a wavelength from a laser beam (wavelengths: 1064 nm and 532 nm) passing through the second harmonic generator 151 as a THG wavelength conversion crystal (THG). And generate a third harmonic laser beam L _{2 of} 355 nm.

The SHG or THG wavelength converting crystal is made of nonlinear optical crystals such as lithium triborate (LB ₃ O ₅ ) and beta barium borate (beta BaB ₂ O ₄ ).

In addition, since the output wavelength of the SHG or THG wavelength conversion crystal may vary depending on temperature, a thermostat for maintaining a constant operating temperature of the crystal may be further provided.

As a result, the laser beam passing through the second harmonic generator 151 and the third harmonic generator 152 is differentiated into three kinds of wavelengths (that is, 1064 nm, 532 nm, and 355 nm).

Harmonic wave generator 150 may be provided with two sub-harmonic wave generators 151 and 152 as described above to further generate two different wavelengths (532 nm and 355 nm), but if necessary, three It is also possible to generate a laser beam of a desired wavelength by being provided with the above-described detail harmonic generation unit or by providing only a single detail harmonic generation unit (for example, the second harmonic generation unit 151).

The wavelength separator 160 is responsible for separating the plurality of laser beams passing through the harmonic wave generator 150 for each wavelength. As the wavelength separator 160, a prism, a diffraction grating, or the like may be used.

When the prism is used as the wavelength separation unit 160, as shown in FIG. 2, the incident three laser beams are refracted at different angles for each wavelength.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the laser beam processing apparatus 100 may reflect the reflection mirror 170 for incident incident reflection of only the third harmonic laser beam L ₂ having a wavelength λ of 355 nm separated from the wavelength separation unit 160. And a beam absorption absorbing and extinguishing other wavelengths other than the third harmonic laser beam L ₂ , that is, the original laser beam L ₀ having a wavelength of 1064 nm and the second harmonic laser beam L ₁ having a wavelength of 532 nm. It may further include a portion 190.

Here, a laser beam dumper may be used as the beam absorber 190.

The third harmonic laser beam L ₂ reflected by the reflective mirror 170 is received and controlled by the second processing unit 180 and scanned on the object.

In this embodiment, the processing unit 140 and the second processing unit 180, respectively, the beam expander (141, 181) to enlarge the beam size of the received laser beam, and adjusts the scanning direction of the enlarged laser beam Scanheads 142 and 182 may be included.

According to the beam expanders 141 and 181, the spot size of the received laser beam can be adjusted to various sizes according to the degree of processing of the object, and if necessary, it can be used to perform heat treatment of the processing object.

The scanheads 142 and 182 are X mirrors 143 and 183 and Y mirrors 144 and 184 for adjusting the horizontal position of the received laser beam, respectively, and an fθ lens 145 for compensating the focal length of the laser beam. , 185).

The workpiece is positioned inside the scannable area by the scanheads 142 and 182, and the laser beam scanning angles of the scanheads 142 and 182 are X mirrors 143 and 183, Y mirrors 144 and 184 and fθ. This is accomplished through the adjustment of lenses 145 and 185.

On the other hand, the laser processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, may further include a worktable 1100 of 5-axis drive (X, Y, Z, R _Y , R _Z ) for fixed support and transport of the workpiece. have.

The work table 1100 is fixedly supports the object at the top end through a magnetic force, a clamp, etc., and reciprocally transfers the object being fixedly supported by the X-axis drive between the processing unit 140 and the second processing unit 180.

In addition, the worktable 1100 may transfer the object in the longitudinal direction and the vertical direction through the Y-axis drive and the Z-axis drive, and the object in the longitudinal direction (Y direction) through the R _Y soccer drive or the R _Z soccer drive. It can be rotated about the center or about the vertical direction (Z direction).

In the case of the work table 1100, as shown in Figure 3, by rotating the object (1) through the R _Y soccer dong machining the workbench of the conventional three-axis drive (X, Y, Z) method There is an advantage that can be smoothly performed until the machining of the corner portion, which was difficult to do.

According to the laser processing apparatus 100 as described above, the work object is primarily located below the processing unit 140, and thus the light source unit 110, the reflection mirror 120, the beam expander 141, and the scan head 142. Rough grinding is performed by a laser beam L ₀ having a wavelength of 1064 nm which is scanned through a first optical path leading to.

Then, after the object is secondly positioned below the second processing unit 180, the variable mirror 131 is driven by the variable mirror unit 130 to block and reflect the laser beam L ₀ in the middle. Second sight that leads to the light source unit 110, the reflection mirror 120, the variable mirror 131, harmonic wave generation unit 150, the wavelength separation unit 160, the reflection mirror 170, the second processing unit 180 Finishing is performed by the third harmonic laser beam L ₂ having a wavelength of 355 nm scanned through the furnace.

In addition, the laser processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as cutting, drilling, welding, heat treatment, surface modification, etc. of an object through spot adjustment of the laser beam by adjusting the scan heads 142 and 182. It can also be used.

On the other hand, the laser processing apparatus 100 as described above may be used as a laser mold processing apparatus for the processing of the mold, depending on the object of course.

In particular, in the case of processing a mold by the laser mold processing apparatus as described above, there is an advantage that it is suitable for producing a small amount of the product as the mold can be quickly manufactured at low cost. Of course, there is also an advantage that the environmental pollution can be prevented by eliminating the problem of the waste lubricant generated when the conventional mold production method.

As described above, according to the laser processing apparatus and the laser mold processing apparatus according to the present invention, the variable mirror portion, the harmonic wave generating portion, the wavelength separation portion, and the second processing portion are provided from a plurality of source light sources according to the processing precision. Can generate laser beams sequentially.

In addition, according to the laser processing apparatus and the laser mold processing apparatus according to the present invention, the work of the corner portion of the object by the 5-axis drive system can be smoothly performed.

Claims (7)

In the laser processing apparatus comprising a light source unit for generating a laser beam, and a processing unit for receiving and adjusting the generated laser beam to scan the object, A variable mirror unit positioned between the light source unit and the processing unit and driven to reflect or pass the laser beam; A harmonic wave generating unit for receiving the laser beam reflected by the variable mirror unit to generate at least one harmonic laser beam having a wavelength different from that of the laser beam; A wavelength separation unit separating the plurality of laser beams passing through the harmonic wave generation unit from each other; And And a second processing unit which receives and adjusts a predetermined harmonic laser beam from the plurality of laser beams separated by the wavelength separation unit, and scans the target harmonic laser beam. The method of claim 1, The harmonic wave generating unit, A second harmonic wave generator for receiving a laser beam reflected by the variable mirror part to generate a second harmonic wave laser beam; And a third harmonic generator for receiving a laser beam passing through the second harmonic generator to generate a third harmonic laser beam. The method of claim 1, And a beam absorbing unit for absorbing and extinguishing other laser beams other than the predetermined harmonic laser beam among the plurality of laser beams passing through the wavelength separation unit. The method of claim 1, At least one of the processing unit and the second processing unit includes a beam expander for enlarging the beam size of the received laser beam, and a scan head for adjusting the scanning direction of the enlarged laser beam. Device. The method of claim 1, And a worktable for fixedly supporting the object to reciprocally transfer the processing unit and the second processing unit. The method of claim 5, The work table is a laser processing apparatus, characterized in that the five-axis drive (X, Y, Z, R _Y , R _Z ). In the laser mold processing apparatus comprising a light source unit for generating a laser beam, and a processing unit for receiving and adjusting the generated laser beam to scan the object, A variable mirror unit positioned between the light source unit and the processing unit and reciprocally driven to reflect or pass the laser beam; A harmonic wave generating unit for receiving the laser beam reflected by the variable mirror unit to generate at least one harmonic laser beam having a wavelength different from that of the laser beam; A wavelength separation unit separating the plurality of laser beams passing through the harmonic wave generation unit from each other; And And a second processing unit which receives and adjusts a predetermined harmonic laser beam from the plurality of laser beams separated by the wavelength separation unit, and scans the target harmonic laser beam.

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