Unloading a cut-free workpiece part during machining

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10814432-B2
Application number	US-201715840925-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2017
Priority date	Jun 16, 2015
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

In the method according to the disclosure for the unloading of a workpiece part from a workpiece, in parallel with processing time, by means of an unloading element, e.g. a vacuum sucker, the workpiece part is cut from an especially plate-form workpiece by means of a laser beam. The movement of the laser beam relative to the workpiece at least along a first movement axis (X) is divided into a movement of the workpiece and a movement of the laser beam. Before executing a final cut, which separates the workpiece part from the workpiece, the workpiece is decelerated until standstill and the final cut is then executed for example, by moving the laser beam. The workpiece part is being unloaded by an unloading element that operates at least partially during cutting of the workpiece. The unloading element operates according to one of three operating options.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of cutting and unloading a workpiece part from a workpiece that is plate-form, the method comprising:
applying a laser beam to cut the workpiece part leaving the workpiece part connected to the workpiece by a main drive, wherein the laser beam has a movement relative to the workpiece at least along a first movement axis (X), the movement relative to the workpiece comprises a movement of the workpiece and a movement of the laser beam;
executing a final cut that separates the workpiece part from the workpiece by moving only the laser beam, wherein before executing the final cut, the workpiece is decelerated until standstill; and
unloading the workpiece part by an unloading element having a vacuum sucker that is operated during cutting of the workpiece;
wherein the unloading element is operated according to an operation selected from the group of operations consisting of:
(1) fixing the unloading element on the workpiece part, no earlier than the standstill of the workpiece, and no later than a completion of executing the final cut,
(2) no later than completion of executing the final cut, lowering the unloading element in a direction toward the workpiece part without clamping on the workpiece part, and no earlier than at completion of executing the final cut, laterally displacing the unloading element, which is located above the workpiece part, along with the workpiece and the workpiece part therein, into a withdrawal position such that at the withdrawal position the unloading element is fixed on the workpiece part, and
(3) decelerating the unloading element synchronously with the workpiece until standstill at least along the first movement axis (X) without an unloading element movement relative to the workpiece, such that the unloading element is fixed on the workpiece part no later than at the standstill of the workpiece.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser beam movement relative to the workpiece further comprises a movement of the workpiece and a movement of the laser beam along a second movement axis (Y).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein operation of the unloading element via a machine control unit comprises operation sequence (1), and wherein the unloading element is activated by its activation time (TA) no earlier than before the standstill of the workpiece and no later than before completion of executing the final cut.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein operation of the unloading element via a machine control unit comprises operation sequence (1), and wherein before activation of the unloading element the unloading element is positioned at an eventual position of the workpiece part and is then lowered in a direction (Z) toward the workpiece to an interaction height.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein operation of the unloading element via a machine control unit comprises operation sequence (3), and wherein before decelerating, the unloading element is moved synchronously with the workpiece without movement relative to said workpiece while being fixed on the workpiece part no later than completion of executing the final cut.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein operation of the unloading element via a machine control unit comprises operation sequence (3), and wherein before decelerating the unloading element is moved synchronously with the workpiece without movement relative to said workpiece and is laid on the workpiece part to stabilize the workpiece part in the plane of the workpiece before being fixed to the workpiece part after the standstill of the workpiece.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein operation of the unloading element via a machine control unit comprises operation sequence (3), and wherein the unloading element is activated at least by its activation time (TA) before deceleration of the workpiece commences.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein operation of the unloading element via a machine control unit comprises operation sequence (3), and wherein during the synchronous movement with the workpiece, the unloading element is lowered in the direction toward the workpiece up to an interaction height.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein operation of the unloading element via a machine control unit comprises operation sequence (3), and wherein the unloading element is decelerated synchronously with the workpiece until standstill along two movement axes (X, Y) without movement relative to the workpiece, and is fixed on the workpiece part no later than completion of executing the final cut.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein operation of the unloading element via a machine control unit comprises operation sequence (2), and wherein the unloading element is lowered no earlier than the standstill of the workpiece in the direction toward the workpiece part without clamping on the workpiece part.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein operation of the unloading element via a machine control unit comprises operation sequence (2), and wherein the unloading element is lowered to a distance from the workpiece part, the distance being smaller than workpiece thickness.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the unloading element is lowered until resting on the workpiece part.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein operation of the unloading element via a machine control unit comprises operation sequence (2), and further comprising:
lifting the workpiece part from the remaining workpiece from a lower surface of the workpiece part; and
fixing the unloading element on lifted workpiece part at the withdrawal position.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein before executing the final cut the movement of the laser beam is accelerated as the movement of the workpiece is decelerated.

15. A laser cutting machine for cutting of a workpiece part from a workpiece that is plate-form, the machine comprising:
a main drive for moving the workpiece at least along a first movement axis;
an auxiliary drive for moving at least one of a laser machining head that directs a laser beam onto the workpiece and a deflection optical device that deflects the laser beam onto the workpiece, at least along the first movement axis;
an unloading element for unloading the workpiece part, the unloading element has a vacuum sucker and is movable to be lowered and lifted relative to the workpiece; and
a machine control unit programmed to implement a method of cutting and unloading a workpiece part from a workpiece that is plate-form, the method comprising:
applying a laser beam to cut the workpiece part leaving the workpiece part connected to the workpiece by a main drive, wherein the laser beam has a movement relative to the workpiece at least along a first movement axis (X), the movement relative to the workpiece comprises a movement of the workpiece and a movement of the laser beam;
executing a final cut that separates the workpiece part from the workpiece by moving only the laser beam, wherein before executing the final cut, the workpiece is decelerated until standstill; and
unloading the workpiece part by an unloading element having a vacuum sucker that is operated during cutting of the workpiece;
wherein the unloading element is operated according to an operation selected from the group of operations consisting of:
(1) fixing the unloading element on the workpiece part, no earlier than the standstill of the workpiece, and no later than a completion of executing the final cut,
(2) no later than completion of executing the final cut, lowering the unloading element in a direction toward the workpiece part without clamping on the workpiece part, and no earlier than at completion of executing the final cut, laterall

Assignees

• Trumpf Werkzeugmaschinen Gmbh Co Kg

Inventors

• Schmauder Frank
• Pfisterer Dieter
• Bellon Jochen
• Mathias Harald
• Renz Bernd

Classifications

• B23K26/0869

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

• B23K26/0853

  Devices involving movement of the workpiece in at least two axial directions, e.g. in a plane · CPC title

• B23K26/38 Primary

  by boring or cutting · CPC title

• B23K26/702

  Auxiliary equipment · CPC title

• B23K2101/18

  Sheet panels · CPC title