METAL ANALYZING PLASMA CNC CUTTING MACHINE AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

• US 20170246703A1
• Filed: 04/18/2017
• Published: 08/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matthew Fagan
• Original Assignee: Matthew Fagan
• Inventors: Fagan, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 10,195,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 10/00 Welding or cutting by means of a plasma
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 10/006 Control circuits therefor circuits for plasma torches H05H1/36
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/18 Sheet panels
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/04 Steel or steel alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/10 Aluminium or alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/12 Copper or alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 31/12 relating to investigating the properties, e.g. the weldability, of materials
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/0235 the guide member forming part of a portal
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/0408 for planar work
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/73 using plasma burners or torches

Abstract

A plasma computer numerically controlled (CNC) cutting machine is controlled by a computer such as a personal computer capable running an operating system and software programs. In an embodiment, the computer executes a CNC program to control movement of a plasma torch to cut parts from a workpiece while a spectrometer determines an emissions spectra of light emitted as the torch cuts the workpiece. The spectrometer cooperates with software running on a computer to analyze the metal as it is being cut by the CNC cutting machine and determine a composition. In embodiments, the composition is compared to an expected composition and saved in a database with identifying information; in a particular embodiment the database is queried to provide identifying information of metal having similar composition to the workpiece.

Claims

1. A metal analyzing plasma CNC cutting machine, comprising:

a plasma cutting torch controllable to cut a workpiece with a plasma arc;

a lens positioned and configured to capture light from the plasma arc;

a spectrometer coupled to receive the captured light from the lens through an optical fiber path and adapted to determine spectral data of the light;

at least one computer having a processor and memory storing spectral analysis software that includes machine readable instructions executable by the processor to analyze the spectral data and generate a determined composition indicative of a composition of the workpiece.

2. The metal analyzing plasma CNC cutting machine of claim 1, further comprising:

a bed for supporting the workpiece as it is cut;

a gantry that traverses the bed under control of the at least one computer; and

the plasma cutting torch mounted to apparatus configured to traverse the gantry under control of the at least one computer.

3. The metal analyzing plasma CNC cutting machine of claim 2, the spectrometer being positioned within an actuator box of the apparatus configured to traverse the gantry, the actuator box protecting the spectrometer from interference and damage caused by the plasma arc.

4. The metal analyzing plasma CNC cutting machine of claim 2, the lens being configured to remain in fixed alignment to the plasma arc despite movement of the plasma cutting torch over the bed under control of the at least one computer.

5. The metal analyzing plasma CNC cutting machine of claim 1, the optical fiber path comprising a fiber optic cable.

6. The metal analyzing plasma CNC cutting machine of claim 1, the spectral analysis software further comprising machine readable instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to compare the determined composition to an expected composition of the workpiece and to generate an alert on a user interface of the at least one computer when the determined composition does not match the expected composition.

7. The metal analyzing plasma CNC cutting machine of claim 6 wherein the spectral analysis software further comprises machine readable instructions configured to save the determined composition to a database on a server, and, when the expected composition of the workpiece does not match the determined composition, to identify a previous entry of the database having a closest match to the determined composition.

8. A plasma CNC cutting machine of the type having a bed for supporting a workpiece to be cut, a gantry that traverses the bed, a plasma cutting head apparatus mounted to the gantry, and a computer having a processor and memory storing CNC control software having instructions executable by the processor to control the gantry and the plasma cutting head apparatus to cut the workpiece with a plasma arc, the improvement comprising:

a lens positioned and configured to capture light from the plasma arc and direct the light through an optical path;

a spectrometer configured to analyze the light received through the optical path and generate spectral data therefrom; and

spectral analysis software comprising machine readable instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to analyze the spectral data and generate a determined composition indicative of composition of the workpiece.

9. The plasma CNC cutting machine of claim 8 the lens being positioned on a pantograph arm of the plasma cutting head apparatus.

10. The plasma CNC cutting machine of claim 8, the spectrometer being positioned within an actuator box of the plasma cutting head apparatus, the actuator box configured to protect the spectrometer from interference and damage caused by the plasma arc.

11. A method for analyzing composition of a workpiece being cut by a plasma CNC cutting machine, comprising:

capturing light from a plasma arc of the plasma CNC cutting machine as the plasma arc cuts the workpiece;

generating spectral data from the light; and

processing the spectral data to generate a determined composition indicative of composition of the workpiece.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising directing the light through a lens and a fiber optic cable to a spectrometer, the spectrometer configured to perform the step of generating spectral data from the light.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

comparing the determined composition to an expected composition of the workpiece; and

when the determined composition does not match the expected composition to within limits, generating an alert to notify an operator of the plasma CNC cutting machine of a difference between the determined composition and the expected composition.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising repeating the steps of capturing, generating, and processing to continually monitor composition of the workpiece as it is cut.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising retrieving the expected composition from a database indexed by a specification.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising storing the determined composition in a database with identifying information.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising accessing the database to determine a closest composition entry match in major alloying elements of the workpiece and determining a specification of metal in the workpiece.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising accessing the database to determine a closest composition entry match in minor elements of the workpiece and determining a likely origin of metal in the workpiece.