SYSTEM FOR THERMALLY PROCESSING WORKPIECES

• US 20120103946A1
• Filed: 10/23/2009
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kjellberg Finsterwalde Plasma und Maschinen GmbH (Kjellberg-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Kjellberg Finsterwalde Plasma und Maschinen GmbH (Kjellberg-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Krink, Volker, Bach, Friedrich-Wilhelm, Laurisch, Frank, Ruemenapp, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,461,475 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/121.39
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 10/00 Welding or cutting by means of a plasma
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 10/02 Plasma welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/1462 Nozzles; Features related to nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/21 by welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/38 by boring or cutting

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for the thermal processing of workpieces. In this respect, workpieces can be processed by a plasma jet or by a laser beam. It is the object of the invention to make possible the thermal processing of workpieces more flexibly and also less expensive in this respect. In the system in accordance with the invention, a laser processing head and a plasma processing head can be connected by a single shaft element.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A system for the thermal processing of workpieces using a plasma jet and/or a laser beam, in which a laser processing head (22) and a plasma processing head (21) can be connected to a single shaft element (20) and the plasma processing head (22) and the laser processing head (21) are designed for the separating processing and/or for the welding of workpieces, wherein at least one feed (20.1) for the electric current to an electrode in the plasma processing head (21), an optical waveguide (20.2) for laser radiation and a feed (20.3) for process gas are present in the shaft element (20) and respectively communicate with one another or are connected to one another by complementary connections or elements (21.1, 21.3, 22.2, 22.3) which are present at the plasma processing head (21) and at the laser processing head (22) in the state fasted to shaft element;

wherein the feeds (20.1 and 20.3) are connected to a supply for electric current (30.1), for process gas (30.3) and the optical waveguide (20.2) is connected to a laser light source (30.2).

12. A system in accordance with claim 11, characterized in that the plasma processing head (21) and the laser processing head (22) are fastenable to the shaft element (20) by means of at least one quick-change closure.

13. A system in accordance with claim 11, characterized in that laser radiation emitted by the laser light source (10.2) can be transmitted by means of optical waveguides.

14. A system in accordance with claim 11, characterized in that the laser light source (10.2) is a fiber laser.

15. A system in accordance with claim 11, characterized in that a feed (20.4) and a return line (20.5) for a coolant are formed through the shaft element (20) and can be connected to coolant lines (21.4, 21.5 and/or 22.4 and 22.5) in the laser processing head (22) and/or in the plasma processing head (21).

16. A system in accordance with claim 15, characterized in that a feed line/feed lines for electric current to an electrode of a plasma processing head (21) is/are arranged within the feed (20.4) or return line (20.5) in the shaft element (20) and a coolant line (21.4 or 21.5) in the plasma processing head (21).

17. A system in accordance with claim 11, characterized in that a sensitive element is present at the shaft element (20) and/or at the plasma processing head (21) and laser processing head (22) which is connected to an electronic control for the identification of the respective processing head (21 or 22) fastened to the shaft element (20).

18. A system in accordance with claim 11, characterized in that a plasma source (10.1) and the laser source (10.2) are connected to a common current source.