JP2594435B2 - Laser processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus using a laser processing machine that performs processing such as drilling, welding, and cutting of a workpiece with a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillation device. In particular, the present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus which can improve productivity of a laser processing machine and can be easily coupled to another processing machine, a material storage, a product storage, and the like.

[Prior art] Laser processing machines have many features such as being capable of precision cutting, being suitable for high-mix low-volume production, and being easy to numerically control, and have recently been widely used in various fields. I have.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an example of the most popular conventional laser beam machine. In the figure, 31 is a laser oscillator,
32 is a laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator 31, 33, 3
3a is a total reflection mirror that deflects the direction of the laser beam 32, 34 is a processing head (torch) that has a condenser lens, etc., which collects the laser beam 32 and irradiates the work, and 35 is a processing table that fixes the work. is there.

This laser processing machine fixes the laser oscillator 31, moves the processing head 34 in the x and y directions, and processes the work fixed to the processing table 35, the processing head moving method, and fixes the laser oscillator 31 and the processing head 34. Then, a processing table moving method for moving the processing table 35 on which the work is fixed in the x and y directions, fixing the laser oscillator 31 and moving the processing head 34 in one axis (for example, the x-axis) direction and moving the processing table 35 One axis of the processing head moved in the direction of the other axis (for example, the y axis)
Although it can be divided into several types, such as a processing table one-axis movement method, basically, a laser beam emitted from one laser oscillator is guided to one processing head, and processing is performed by relative motion between the processing head and the work. Is performed.

In such a laser processing machine, when loading, unloading, and setting up other works, it is necessary to stop the irradiation of the laser beam and to perform the work by inputting the laser beam. Therefore, there is a problem that the operation rate is reduced and the productivity is low.

The laser processing machine shown in FIG. 4 is obtained by adding a movable processing table 35a to the laser processing machine shown in FIG.
For example, when processing is performed on the processing table 35, the processing table 35a is retracted to the right, and when processing is performed on the processing table 35a, the processing table 35 is retracted to the left broken line position 35b, and the processing table 35a is moved to the processing position. (Processing table 35
Position).

This laser processing machine can be set up on the other processing table while processing on one processing table, so the operating rate is improved, but there is a problem in safety management because the setup work is performed on the processing table, and There are problems such as the need to use an input or other transport device for loading and unloading the work.

In order to improve such a problem, there is a laser processing method shown in FIG. 5 in which systemization is carried out by performing setup work on the one hand and setup work on the other to improve the productivity.

This method includes a monolift 36, a material storage 37, a loading device 38, a laser processing machine 39 including a laser oscillator 40, an unloading device 41, and the like, and the work sent by the monolift 36 is stocked in the material storage 37, It is mounted on the processing table by the loading device 38 and sent out to the laser processing machine 39, and the processed workpiece is unloaded by the unloading device 41.
And take it out to the outside.

However, this method is limited to processing by a laser processing machine, and if it is to be combined with another processing machine, the loading device and unloading device must be changed depending on the workpiece to be processed, and significant equipment changes are required. is necessary.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The conventional laser processing machine generally has problems such as low productivity and high running cost as compared with other processing machines as described above. Even with such a system, processing is limited to processing by a laser processing machine, and it has been difficult to organically couple the laser processing machine to another processing machine, a material storage, a product storage, or the like.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to improve the productivity of a laser processing machine and to obtain a laser processing apparatus that facilitates organic coupling with another processing machine or the like. I do.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In a system provided with a laser processing machine for processing a work with a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillation device, a common mount having a plurality of guides provided on a top surface in a direction perpendicular to the length direction. And at least one moving frame movably mounted in the common frame in the length direction, and a processing head, and movably mounted on the moving frame in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the moving frame. A laser processing machine comprising a laser oscillation device, a guide device disposed in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the common gantry, and a guide provided on the upper surface in alignment with the guide of the common gantry. A trolley having a guide and movably mounted on the guide device, and a plurality of processing tables mounted on the trolley and capable of being transferred to a guide of a common gantry via the guide at a desired position. A laser processing apparatus, comprising:

[Operation] The processing table on which the work is fixed by the loading device is mounted on a carriage and transferred, is transferred on a common gantry, and is processed by a laser processing machine. During this time, the processing table is continuously sent from the loading device onto the common gantry, is set, and is sequentially and continuously processed.

When processing is completed, the processing table is transferred to the cart again,
The product is transported to the unloading device and transferred to it, the product is sent to the product storage area, and the processing table is returned to the loading device by a cart.

When processing with another processing machine as a pre-process or a post-process, a workpiece is sent to another processing machine from a material storage or a common gantry by a cart.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of an embodiment of the present invention. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a common base, on both side walls in the length direction of which a guide rail 2 is provided on the same plane. rail
3,3a is laid. Reference numerals 5 and 6 denote portal-type moving frames mounted on the guide rails 2, each having a drive mechanism (not shown), and a common base 1 along the guide rails 2.
It can move in the y-axis direction in a range where the two do not interfere with each other.

Reference numerals 7 and 8 denote laser oscillation devices mounted on the moving frames 5 and 6, respectively, which include a laser oscillator, an optical system, and the like.
Directly below one side, machining heads 9 and 10 are in the z-axis direction (up and down)
Is provided so as to be movable. This laser oscillator 7,8
Are driven by a drive mechanism (not shown).
It is configured to be able to move in the x-axis direction on 5,6. 1
Reference numerals 1, 13, and 14 denote planar processing tables mounted on the rails 3 and 3 a laid on the common gantry 1 and fixed to the common gantry 1 by fixing brackets 4, and reference numeral 15 denotes a three-dimensional processing table.

Reference numerals 16 and 16a denote two rails laid in parallel to the side of the common base 1, on which a carriage 17 is mounted. This trolley 17
On the upper surface of the rails, there are provided rails (18, 18a in FIG. 2) having the same height and the same width as the rails 3, 3a provided on the common base 1, and the processing mounted on the rails 18, 18a A pusher such as a hydraulic cylinder for moving a table (for example, 12), a drive mechanism (not shown) for moving the carriage 17 along the rails 16 and 16a, and the like are provided. The rails 18, 18a
May be installed so as to be movable in the axial direction in order to avoid interference with the moving frames 5 and 6.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing an embodiment of the present invention. The same or corresponding parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. 20 is a loading device, 21 is an unloading device, 22 is another processing machine, and 23 is a material storage.

Next, the operation of the present invention having the above-described laser beam machine will be described with reference to FIGS. For example, it is assumed that the processing tables 11, 12, and 15 are mounted on the rails 3b and 3c of the loading device 20, respectively, and the workpieces are fixed. Now, for example, processing table 11
When working on a workpiece fixed to the rail, the carriage 17 is run and the rails 18, 18a are loaded into the loading device.
The processing table 11 is transferred onto the carriage 17 by using a pusher by aligning the processing table 11 with the 20 rails 3b and 3c. Then, the carriage 17 is moved to the left in the figure to align the rails 18 and 18a with the rails 3 and 3a, for example, and the working table 11 is transferred onto the common base 1 by a pusher and fixed with the fixing bracket 4. And work to cut
The laser oscillation device 7 and the moving frame 5 are moved in the x and y-axis directions according to the processing shape of the workpiece 25, and the workpiece 25 is irradiated with a laser beam from the processing head 9 to cut the workpiece 25.

On the other hand, while the work 25 is being machined,
Returning to the side 20, for example, the processing table 15 on which the three-dimensional processing work 26 is fixed is transferred to the carriage 17, and this is transferred onto the common base 1, and the laser oscillator 8, the moving frame 6 and the processing head 10 are moved. The workpiece 26 on the processing table 15 is three-dimensionally processed by moving in the x, y, and z directions. Similarly, the working tables 12, 13, 14,... Are sequentially transferred onto the common gantry 1 by the carriage 17 on the loading device 20 to which the work is fixed, and the moving frame 5 is moved to move the working tables 12 to 14, Are processed sequentially and continuously.

On the other hand, when the laser processing of the work is completed, the carriage 17 is moved to align the rail on which the work table for the work is mounted with the rails 18 and 18a of the carriage 17 so that the fixing bracket 4 is fixed.
Is removed, and the processing table is transferred onto the carriage 17 using a pusher. Then, move the truck 17 to the rails 18 and 18a.
Is aligned with the rail of the unloading device 21, the processing table is transferred to another carriage 17b, and the carriage 17 is returned.

Work that has been completely processed is a bogie 17b with a processing table
Is transferred to a product storage area (not shown), and is removed from the processing table here. The processing table is transferred to a carriage 17b, returned to the loading device 20 through the rails 16b and 16c, and is returned to the loading device 20. And a new work is mounted again.

In the case of processing by another processing machine as a pre-process, the work taken out from the material storage 23 may be processed by the processing machine 22, transferred to the carriage 17 and transferred to the common gantry 1. In the case of processing by another processing machine as a post-process, the work after the laser processing is fixed on the processing table, transferred to the carriage 17b via the unloading device 21, conveyed in the direction of the arrow, and transferred to the other direction. Transfer to processing machine (not shown).

Thus, according to the present invention, different types of processing can be performed by one laser processing apparatus, and at the same time, the same shape,
The same type of processing can be performed, and different shapes and different types of processing can be performed.

As is clear from the above description, the laser processing apparatus according to the present invention has many features as follows.

(1) Setup work such as work installation is performed on a bogie that is off the processing line, which is extremely effective for safety management. In addition, the setup work can always be performed at a fixed location by moving the bogie. Therefore, the labor for the operator to move to the position of the processing table on the laser processing machine can be omitted.

(2) The laser processing machine can be organically connected to other processing machines, material storage, and product storage just by extending the rail for the truck, which is of course new equipment.
Connection with existing equipment is relatively easy.

(3) Since the processing table is detachable, the processing content is not limited, and various processing tables can be prepared to cope with various processings and various processing machines.

(4) Since the destination of the processing table can be freely changed by the cart, a large number of other processing machines may be combined, and therefore, it is possible to sufficiently cope with high-mix low-volume production.

In the above description, the case where two moving frames are mounted on the common gantry 1 has been described. However, one moving frame may be mounted, or two or more moving frames may be mounted. Also a trolley
Although the case where the vehicle 17 is mounted on a rail and run is shown, the vehicle may be moved by a belt, a chain or the like instead of the rail, or two or more trucks may be mounted on the same rail. Furthermore, although the case where rails are provided on the common gantry and the carriage is shown, grooves or other mechanisms may be provided instead of the rails.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, a single laser processing apparatus can simultaneously perform a plurality of processings of the same type or different types, and can transfer a processing table by a cart. Because it is possible to perform setup work at a specific place away from the processing line, it is effective for safety management, and it can be easily connected to other processing machines, material storage, product storage, etc. The effect is great.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a main part of the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic views showing the basic structure of a conventional laser beam machine, respectively. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional laser processing method. 1: Common mount, 2: Guide rail, 3, 3a: Rail, 5, 6: Moving frame, 7, 8: Laser oscillation device, 9, 10: Processing head, 11,
12,13,14: Planing table, 15: Solid processing table, 16, 16a: Rail, 17: Dolly, 20: Loading device, 2
1: Unloading device, 22: Other processing machine, 25, 26: Work.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A laser beam machine for processing a workpiece with a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillation device, comprising: a common gantry having a plurality of guides provided on an upper surface thereof at right angles to a longitudinal direction; A laser oscillation device having at least one moving frame mounted movably in the longitudinal direction thereof and a processing head mounted on the moving frame so as to be movable in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the moving frame. A laser processing machine comprising: a guide device disposed parallel to a side of the common gantry in the longitudinal direction thereof; and a guide provided on the upper surface in alignment with the guide of the common gantry, A trolley movably mounted on the guide device; and a plurality of processing tables mounted on the trolley and capable of being transferred to a guide of a common gantry via the guide at a desired position. Laser processing equipment.