METHOD FOR DEFINING SAFE ZONES IN LASER MACHINING SYSTEMS

• US 20090312858A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electro Scientific Industries Incorporated (MKS Instruments Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Electro Scientific Industries Incorporated (MKS Instruments Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sadikin, Heny, Childers, David, Alpay, Mehmet E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,024,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/103
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/38 by boring or cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/60 Preliminary treatment

Abstract

A method for defining machine cutting path safety zones for use in laser machining devices. The method includes indentifying safety zone positional coordinates in a computer aided design model, using a machine vision system to image the modeled physical machining device, determining the positional difference between the design model safety zone points and the imaged points and converting the design model safety zone coordinates into machine specific coordinates for input into a machining cutting path program.

Claims

1. A method of defining restricted safety zones for use in a material machining system, the method comprising:

identifying positional coordinates of at least one safety zone in a computer aided design model of a physical material machining device;

identifying positional coordinates of at least one fiducial alignment reference point in the design model;

determining positional coordinates of the at least one fiducial reference point in the material machining device;

calculating the positional difference of the fiducial reference point between the design model and the material machining device; and

converting the safety zone positional coordinates in the design model to the material machining device coordinates for use by the material machining system as a part of a machining path program.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one reference fiducial reference point is one of the safety zone positional coordinates.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the positional coordinates of the at least one fiducial reference point in the material machining device further comprises the step of taking a visual image of at least a portion of the material machining device including the at least one safety zone and the fiducial reference point as defined in the design model.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of taking an image comprises selectively activating a camera and a lighting source positioned in proximity to the at least a portion of the machining device including the at least one safety zone and the fiducial reference point.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of calculating the positional difference of the fiducial reference point further comprises the step of determining the number of image pixels that separates the design model fiducial reference point location from the fiducial reference point location on the image.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of calculating the positional difference of the fiducial reference point further comprises the step of defining a coordinate transform to convert the positional coordinates of the fiducial point in the design model to the machining device.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of determining the transform coefficients wherein the coefficients are at least one of offset, rotation, scaling and keystone effects.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of determining an optimum coordinate transform to convert the positional coordinates of the fiducial point in the design model to the machining device.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of converting the safety zone positional coordinates further comprises the step of applying the predetermined coordinate transform to the design model safety zone positional coordinates.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of importing the defined machine device safety zone into a computer cutting path program for the material machining system.

11. A method of defining restricted safety zones for use in a material machining system cutting path, the method comprising:

generating a computer aided design model of a physical material machining device having geometric positional boundary locations of at least one safety zone;

identifying the positional location of at least one fiducial alignment reference point in the design model;

generating a visual image of at least a portion of the physical material machining device including the at least one safety zone and the fiducial reference point as defined in the design model;

calculating the positional difference of the fiducial reference point between the design model and the image of the physical material machining device; and

converting the safety zone boundary coordinates in the design model to the physical material machining device for use by the material machining system as a part of a cutting path program.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of calculating the positional difference of the fiducial reference point further comprises the step of determining the number of image pixels that separates the design model fiducial reference point location from the fiducial reference point location on the image.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of identifying an image reference point on the image spaced from the imaged fiducial reference point from the physical material machining device and determining a distance from the image reference point to the imaged fiducial reference point.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of calculating the positional difference of the fiducial reference point further comprises the step of defining a coordinate transform to convert the position of the fiducial point in the design model to the machining device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of converting the positional boundary locations of the safety zone further comprises the step of applying the coordinate transform to the safety zone positional coordinates of the design program.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of generating an application data file for receipt of the design model positional coordinates of the at least one of the safety zone and the fiducial reference point.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of importing the defined safety zone into a cutting path program for the material machining system.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one safety zone is a plurality of safety zones.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the material machining system is a laser machining system.