Control apparatus for a three-dimensional laser working machine and three-dimensional laser working machine

• US 6,617,544 B1
• Filed: 03/22/2002
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Mukae, Tomonori, Tsukamoto, Masuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Tom
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON, JONATHAN J
• Application Number:
  US10/088,955
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 219/121.79, 219/121.81, 219/158, 219/162, 219/121.62, 219/121.63, 219/121.64, 219/121.65, 219/121.66, 219/121.67, 219/121.68, 219/121.69, 219/121.7, 219/121.71, 219/121.72, 219/121.78, 700/166, 700/159
• US Class Current: 219/121.79
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/08 Devices involving relative movement between laser beam and workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0884 in at least in three axial directions, e.g. manipulators, robots
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1679 characterised by the tasks executed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40085 Point with tip always to same remote target point
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45165 Laser machining
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49246 3-D printing, layer of powder, add drops of binder in layer, new powder
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50353 Tool, probe inclination, orientation to surface, posture, attitude

Abstract

The control apparatus for a three dimensional laser working machine teaches a tip position and an attitude of a nozzle and carries out working based on the teaching in a three-dimensional laser working machine having a head structure that a working point does not change when a rotational axis and an attitude axis are rotated. A nozzle direction vector is calculated from current angles of a rotational axis (14) and an attitude axis (16). An angle that the attitude axis (16) changes for constant time is calculated. An angle through which the rotational axis (14) is to be rotated is calculated so that X and Y directions of the nozzle direction vector are kept constant according to an angle change amount of the attitude axis (16), and the rotation of the rotational axis (14) is controlled by the calculated angle.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for a three-dimensional laser working machine, said three-dimensional laser working machine including a head structure for which working points do not change when a rotational axis and an attitude axis are rotated, said control apparatus deciding a tip position and an attitude of a nozzle of said head structure and carrying out working based on the decided tip position, said control apparatus comprising:

a unit which calculates a nozzle direction vector from current angles of the rotational axis and the attitude axis,

a unit which calculates an angle where the attitude axis changes for constant time and calculating an angle through which the rotational axis is rotated so that X and Y directions of the nozzle direction vector are kept constant according to an angle change amount of the attitude axis, and

a unit which controls the rotation of the rotational axis based on the calculated angle.

2. The control apparatus for a three-dimensional laser working machine according to claim 1, wherein, when teaching of new teaching point accompanying the rotation of the attitude axis from a teaching point of an orthogonal state, the rotation of the rotational axis is controlled so that the orthogonal state with respect to a workpiece is obtained according to the change amount of the attitude axis.

3. The control apparatus for a three-dimensional laser working machine according to claim 2, wherein, when the attitude axis is rotated in order to correct an attitude direction with respect to the teaching point once created, the rotation of the rotational axis is controlled so that the orthogonal state is obtained with respect to the workpiece according to the change amount of the attitude axis.

4. The control apparatus for a three-dimensional laser working machine according to claim 1, wherein, constant movement of the nozzle direction vector can be switched between valid and invalid, and when movement instructions such as jog and fast-forward of the attitude axis are given, the rotation of the rotational axis is controlled by the calculated angle so that X and Y directions of the nozzle direction vector are kept constant according to the change amount of the attitude axis.

7. A three-dimensional laser working machine, comprising;

an oscillator that oscillates a laser beam;

a working head that transmits the laser beam to a workpiece and has a rotational axis and an attitude axis; and

the control apparatus according to claim 1 that controls the oscillator and the working head.

5. A control apparatus for controlling a three-dimensional laser working machine that includes a head structure having a nozzle, and capable of preventing working points from shifting when a rotational axis and an attitude axis are rotated, the control apparatus determining a tip position and an attitude of the nozzle by a teaching operation and carrying out work based on the determined tip position, the control apparatus comprising:

a unit that calculates a nozzle direction vector from current angles of the rotational axis and the attitude axis at a teaching point;

a unit that calculates a variation of an angle in the attitude axis between its value at teaching points and an amount of an angle for the rotational axis to be rotated at the teaching point so that X and Y directions of the nozzle direction vector are kept constant according to the variation of the angle in the attitude axis; and

a unit that controls the rotation of the rotational axis based on the amount of the angle calculated, wherein

when the teaching point is moved to a new teaching point accompanying a rotation of the attitude axis from the previous teaching point, the rotation of the rotational axis is controlled so that a positionally orthogonal relationship between the nozzle and a workpiece is maintained according to the amount of the angle calculated.

6. The control apparatus for a three-dimensional laser working machine according to claim 5, wherein when the attitude axis is rotated in order to correct an attitude direction with respect to the previous teaching point, the rotation axis is controlled so that the positionally orthogonal relationship between the nozzle and the workpiece is maintained according to the change amount of the angle calculated.