LASER PROCESSING HEAD AND LASER PROCESSING SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME

• US 20180178323A1
• Filed: 12/15/2017
• Published: 06/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
• Inventors: TAKAHASHI, Hiromitsu, AOKI, Toshimichi
• Granted Patent: US 10,870,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/032 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/082 Scanning systems, i.e. devices involving movement of the laser beam relative to the laser head
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/083 Devices involving movement of the workpiece in at least one axial direction
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0884 in at least in three axial directions, e.g. manipulators, robots
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/21 by welding
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/402 characterised by control arrangements for positioning, e.g. centring a tool relative to a hole in the workpiece, additional detection means to correct position G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40623 Track position of end effector by laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45135 Welding

Abstract

A laser processing head emits a laser beam to a workpiece that moves during laser processing and includes: optical path changing members that reflect, toward the workpiece, the laser beam emitted from a laser beam output section; a driver that changes posture of each of the optical path changing members; a control unit that controls the driver; and a memory device that stores target path information indicating a target path of the laser processing, in which the control unit receives information relating to a relative position of the workpiece with respect to the laser processing head, and controls the driver on the basis of the received information relating to the relative position and the target path information to perform the laser processing along the target path.

Claims

1. A laser processing head that is supported by a robot and emits a laser beam to a workpiece supported by a supporting apparatus that moves the workpiece during laser processing, the laser processing head comprising:

at least one optical path changing member that reflects or refracts, toward the workpiece, the laser beam emitted from a predetermined laser beam output section so as to emit the laser beam to the workpiece;

a driver that changes posture or a position of the optical path changing member;

a control unit that controls the driver; and

a memory that stores target path information indicating a target path of the laser processing on the workpiece,

wherein the control unit receives information relating to a relative position of the workpiece with respect to the laser processing head whose position and/or posture is changed by the robot while the laser processing is performed on the workpiece, and the control unit controls the driver by using the received information relating to the relative position and the target path information so as to perform the laser processing along the target path.

2. A laser processing head that emits a laser beam to a workpiece supported by a supporting robot that moves the workpiece during laser processing, the laser processing head comprising:

at least one optical path changing member that reflects or refracts, toward the workpiece, the laser beam emitted from a predetermined laser beam output section so as to emit the laser beam to the workpiece;

a driver that changes posture or a position of the optical path changing member;

a control unit that controls the driver; and

a memory that stores target path information indicating a target path of the laser processing on the workpiece,

wherein the control unit receives information relating to a relative position of the workpiece with respect to the laser processing head while the laser processing is performed on the workpiece, and the control unit controls the driver by using the received information relating to the relative position and the target path information so as to perform the laser processing along the target path.

3. A laser processing system, comprising:

a supporting apparatus that supports a workpiece and moves the workpiece during laser processing;

a laser processing head that is supported by a robot and includes at least one optical path changing member, the optical path changing member being for reflecting or refracting a laser beam emitted from a predetermined laser beam output section toward the workpiece that is supported by the supporting apparatus and that is moved during the laser processing;

a driver that is provided in the laser processing head and changes posture or a position of the optical path changing member;

a control unit that controls the driver; and

a memory that stores target path information indicating a target path of the laser processing on the workpiece,

wherein the control unit receives information relating to a relative position of the workpiece with respect to the laser processing head whose position and/or posture is changed by the robot while the laser processing is performed on the workpiece, and the control unit controls the driver by using the received information relating to the relative position and the target path information so as to perform the laser processing along the target path.

4. A laser processing system, comprising:

a supporting robot that supports a workpiece and moves the workpiece during laser processing;

a laser processing head that includes at least one optical path changing member, the optical path changing member being for reflecting or refracting a laser beam emitted from a predetermined laser beam output section toward the workpiece that is supported by the supporting robot and is moved during the laser processing;

a driver that is provided in the laser processing head and changes posture or a position of the optical path changing member;

a control unit that controls the driver; and

a memory that stores target path information indicating a target path of the laser processing on the workpiece,

wherein the control unit receives information relating to a relative position of the workpiece with respect to the laser processing head while the laser processing is performed on the workpiece, and the control unit controls the driver by using the received information relating to the relative position and the target path information so as to perform the laser processing along the target path.