Laser processing system operating by plurality of operation modes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016288255-A1
Application number	US-201615085218-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 30, 2016
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

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

1 . A laser processing system comprising:
a laser oscillator which generates laser light; a laser processing machine which 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 for moving an irradiation position of laser light on the workpiece; a mode switching part which switches 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 which controls 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 which controls 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 which 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 . The laser processing system according to claim 2 , 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 . The laser processing system according to claim 1 , 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 . The laser processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the laser processing machine further includes a shutter which opens and closes a path of laser light emitted from the laser oscillator, wherein
the laser processing system further comprises a shutter controller which controls 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

• H01S3/005

  Optical devices external to the laser cavity, specially adapted for lasers, e.g. for homogenisation of the beam or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping (shaping laser beam for working metal or other materials B23K26/06; optical elements, systems or apparatus in general G02B) · CPC title

• H01S3/2232

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

• B23K26/08 Primary

  Devices involving relative movement between laser beam and workpiece · CPC title

• B23K26/0869

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

• G05B2219/45041

  Laser cutting · CPC title