Laser processing system operating by plurality of operation modes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10065268-B2
Application number	US-201615085218-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2016
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

A laser processing system able to realize both reduction of the power consumption and shortening of the cycle time. The laser processing system is provided with a laser oscillator, a laser processing machine which has a movement mechanism which makes the irradiation position of the laser light on the workpiece move, a mode switching part which switches an operation mode of the laser oscillator between a standard-standby mode and an energy saving mode, a movement controller controlling the movement mechanism so as to place the irradiation position at a process start point placed at a non-product region of the workpiece, and a switching controller controlling the mode switching part to switch the operation mode from the energy saving mode to the standard-standby mode when placing the irradiation position at the process start point.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A laser processing system comprising:
a laser oscillator configured to generates laser light;
a laser processing machine configured to irradiates laser light generated by the laser oscillator onto a workpiece so as to process the workpiece, the laser processing machine including a movement mechanism configured to move an irradiation position of laser light on the workpiece;
a mode switching part configured to switches an operation mode which determines an electric power supplied to the laser oscillator between (1) a standard-standby mode for making the laser oscillator carry out a base discharge to generate laser light having a smaller laser power than a main discharge prior to a laser processing and (2) an energy saving mode in which the base discharge and the main discharge are stopped such that the power consumption is smaller than that in the standard-standby mode,
a movement controller configured to control the movement mechanism so as to arrange the irradiation position at a process start point arranged at a non-product region of the workpiece other than a product region of the workpiece used as a product; and
a switching controller configured to control the mode switching part so as to switch the operation mode from the energy saving mode to the standard-standby mode when the irradiation position is arranged at the process start point.

2. The laser processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the laser processing machine includes:
a table on which the workpiece is placed; and
a nozzle configured to emits laser light generated by the laser oscillator toward the table, wherein
the movement mechanism moves the nozzle and the table relative to each other.

3. A laser processing system comprising:
a laser oscillator configured to generate laser light;
a laser processing machine configured to irradiate laser light generated by the laser oscillator onto a workpiece so as to process the workpiece, the laser processing machine including a movement mechanism configured to move an irradiation position of laser light on the workpiece;
a mode switching part configured to switch an operation mode which determines an electric power supplied to the laser oscillator between a standard-standby mode for making the laser oscillator carry out a base discharge prior to a laser processing and an energy saving mode in which the power consumption is smaller than that in the standard-standby mode,
a movement controller configured to control the movement mechanism so as to arrange the irradiation position at a process start point arranged at a non-product region of the workpiece other than a product region of the workpiece used as a product; and
a switching controller configured to control the mode switching part so as to switch the operation mode from the energy saving mode to the standard-standby mode when the irradiation position is arranged at the process start point,
wherein the laser processing machine includes:
a table on which the workpiece is placed; and
a nozzle configured to emit laser light generated by the laser oscillator toward the table, wherein the movement mechanism moves the nozzle and the table relative to each other,
wherein the switching controller switches the operation mode from the energy saving mode to the standard-standby mode when receiving a gap control start command for starting to control a gap dimension between the nozzle and the table.

4. A laser processing system comprising:
a laser oscillator configured to generate laser light;
a laser processing machine configured to irradiate laser light generated by the laser oscillator onto a workpiece so as to process the workpiece, the laser processing machine including a movement mechanism configured to move an irradiation position of laser light on the workpiece;
a mode switching part configured to switch an operation mode which determines an electric power supplied to the laser oscillator between a standard-standby mode for making the laser oscillator carry out a base discharge prior to a laser processing and an energy saving mode in which the power consumption is smaller than that in the standard-standby mode,
a movement controller configured to control the movement mechanism so as to arrange the irradiation position at a process start point arranged at a non-product region of the workpiece other than a product region of the workpiece used as a product; and
a switching controller configured to control the mode switching part so as to switch the operation mode from the energy saving mode to the standard-standby mode when the irradiation position is arranged at the process start point,
wherein the switching controller switches the operation mode from the energy saving mode to the standard-standby mode when receiving a piercing command for piercing a hole at the process start point by laser light.

5. A laser processing system comprising:
a laser oscillator configured to generate laser light;
a laser processing machine configured to irradiate laser light generated by the laser oscillator onto a workpiece so as to process the workpiece, the laser processing machine including:
a movement mechanism configured to move an irradiation position of laser light on the workpiece; and
a shutter configured to opens and closes a path of laser light emitted from the laser oscillator;

a mode switching part configured to switch an operation mode which determines an electric power supplied to the laser oscillator between a standard-standby mode for making the laser oscillator carry out a base discharge prior to a laser processing and an energy saving mode in which the power consumption is smaller than that in the standard-standby mode,
a movement controller configured to control the movement mechanism so as to arrange the irradiation position at a process start point arranged at a non-product region of the workpiece other than a product region of the workpiece used as a product;
a switching controller configured to control the mode switching part so as to switch the operation mode from the energy saving mode to the standard-standby mode when the irradiation position is arranged at the process start point; and
a shutter controller configured to control an operation of the shutter, wherein
the shutter controller does not close the shutter when the operation mode is switched from the energy saving mode to the standard-standby mode.

Assignees

• Fanuc Corp

Inventors

• Suzuki Kazuhiro

Classifications

• H01S3/2232

  Carbon dioxide (CO2) or monoxide [CO] · CPC title

• B23K26/032

  using optical means · CPC title

• B23K26/38 Primary

  by boring or cutting · CPC title

• H01S3/104

  in gas lasers · CPC title

• B23K26/0869

  Devices involving movement of the laser head in at least one axial direction · CPC title