Method and system for confined laser cutting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10081079-B2
Application number	US-201615372894-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2016
Priority date	Dec 8, 2016
Publication date	Sep 25, 2018
Grant date	Sep 25, 2018

Abstract

A method of monitoring an operation status of a confined laser cutting tool includes emitting light in the form of laser beams from a laser source. The method includes using a nozzle to form a confining column composed of a liquid. The method further includes forming a confined laser beam, the confined laser beam defined by the confluence of the laser beams and the confining column. The method also includes sensing a characteristic of the confined laser beam with a sensor. The method further includes determining the operation status of the confined laser cutting tool based on the sensed characteristic of the confined laser beam. The method also includes deactivating the laser source when the sensed characteristic of the confined laser beam reaches a predetermined threshold. The method may also include providing an operator notification after deactivating the laser source.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of monitoring an operation status of a confined laser cutting tool, the method comprising:
emitting light in the form of laser beams from a laser source having a beam axis;
forming a confining column comprised of a liquid using a nozzle in fluid communication with a reservoir of confining fluid;
directing the emitted laser beams through a focusing lens aligned with the beam axis of the laser source and positioned to focus the laser beams, such that the laser beams are guided and confined by the confining column to form a confined laser beam, the confined laser beam comprising the confining column and a portion of the laser beams confined therein, the confined laser beam operable for cutting a workpiece;
sensing, using an optical sensor with a high-pass filter, a characteristic of the confined laser beam, the sensed characteristic of the confined laser beam comprising an intensity or a length of re-emitted light from the confined laser beam at a wavelength greater than six hundred nanometers; and
determining, via a controller in operative communication with the sensor, the operation status of the confined laser cutting tool based on the sensed characteristic of the confined laser beam.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating an image based on the sensed characteristic of the confined laser beam, and wherein the step of determining comprises analyzing the image to determine the operation status of the confined laser cutting tool.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining comprises determining a remaining usable life of the nozzle.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming the confining column comprises forming a cylindrical confining column.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a visible indicator of the determined operation status.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising deactivating the confined laser beam when the sensed characteristic of the confined laser beam reaches a predetermined threshold.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising directing the confined laser beam of the confined laser cutting tool towards a near wall of the workpiece prior to the step of deactivating, and recording the location towards which the confined laser beam was most recently directed after the step of deactivating.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising providing an operator notification after the step of deactivating, wherein the operator notification comprises one or more of a visual notification or an audible notification.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises deactivating the laser source when the controller determines that the intensity of the re-emitted light from the confined laser beam at a wavelength greater than six hundred nanometers reaches a predetermined threshold.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising forming the confining column with the nozzle prior to the step of directing the emitted laser beams into the confining column, and wherein the step of determining comprises determining a remaining usable life of the nozzle, and wherein the intensity of the re-emitted light from the confined laser beam at a wavelength greater than six hundred nanometers reaches the predetermined threshold when the remaining usable life of the nozzle is depleted.

11. A confined laser cutting tool comprising:
a laser source defining a beam axis, the laser source operable to emit light in the form of laser beams along the beam axis;
a reservoir of confining fluid;
a nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir of confining fluid, the nozzle configured to form a jet of confining fluid from the reservoir;
a focusing lens aligned with the beam axis of the laser source and positioned to focus the laser beams such that the laser beams are guided and confined by the jet of confining fluid;
a confined laser beam defined by the confluence of the laser beams and the jet of confining fluid, the confined laser beam operable for cutting a workpiece;
an optical sensor with a high-pass filter operable to sense an intensity of re-emitted light from the confined laser beam at a wavelength greater than six hundred nanometers; and
a controller in operative communication with the sensor, the controller operable to receive a signal from the sensor, the signal indicative of the sensed intensity of the confined laser beam, and the controller further operable to determine a remaining usable life of the nozzle based on the sensed intensity.

12. The confined laser cutting tool of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further operable to determine that the remaining usable life of the nozzle is depleted when the sensed intensity of the re-emitted light from the confined laser beam at a wavelength greater than six hundred nanometers reaches a predetermined threshold and to deactivate the laser source after determining that the remaining usable life of the nozzle is depleted.

13. The confined laser cutting tool of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further operable to provide an operator notification after deactivating the laser source, wherein the operator notification comprises one or more of a visual notification or an audible notification.

14. A confined laser cutting tool comprising:
a laser source defining a beam axis, the laser source operable to emit light in the form of laser beams along the beam axis;
a reservoir of confining fluid;
a nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir of confining fluid, the nozzle configured to form a jet of confining fluid from the reservoir;
a focusing lens aligned with the beam axis of the laser source and positioned to focus the laser beams such that the laser beams are guided and confined by the jet of confining fluid;
a confined laser beam defined by the confluence of the laser beams and the jet of confining fluid, the confined laser beam operable for cutting a workpiece;
an optical sensor with a high-pass filter operable to sense a length of a column of light re-emitted by the confining column at a wavelength greater than six hundred nanometers; and
a controller in operative communication with the sensor, the controller operable to receive a signal from the sensor, the signal indicative of the sensed length of the re-emitted light column, and the controller further operable to determine a remaining usable life of the nozzle based on the sensed length of the re-emitted light column.

15. The confined laser cutting tool of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further operable to determine that the remaining usable life of the nozzle is depleted when the sensed length of the re-emitted light column reaches a predetermined threshold and to deactivate the laser source after determining that the remaining usable life of the nozzle is depleted.

16. The confined laser cutting tool of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further operable to provide an operator notification after deactivating the laser source, wherein the operator notification comprises one or more of a visual notification or an audible notification.

17. The confined laser cutting tool of claim 11 , wherein the confining fluid is a liquid.

18. The confined laser cutting tool of claim 14 , wherein the confining fluid is a liquid.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Hu Zhaoli

Classifications

• B23K26/122 Primary

  in a liquid, e.g. underwater · CPC title

• B23K26/38 Primary

  by boring or cutting · CPC title

• B23K26/146

  the fluid stream containing a liquid · CPC title

• B23K2201/001

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B23K26/1494

  Maintenance of nozzles · CPC title