Flushing lines or cavities of a laser processing machine
First Claim
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1. A method of flushing processing gas in a laser processing machine, the method comprising:
- processing a workpiece with a laser in a first workpiece processing operation while continuously delivering a processing gas to the laser via gas lines of the laser processing machine;
then,flushing the gas lines of the laser processing machine by introducing a pressurized flushing gas to the lines in multiple gas impulses introduced at a pressure higher than a residual gas pressure remaining in the lines, such that the introduced flushing gas, different from the processing gas, expands in the lines and mixes with any residual processing gas between successive flushing gas impulses; and
thenprocessing the workpiece with the laser in a second workpiece processing operation, the first and second processing operations being successive workpiece processing operations between which the flushing of the gas lines is performed.
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Abstract
Flushing gas lines of a laser processing machine, by supplying a flushing gas to the system in a series of pressure impulses greater than a residual processing gas pressure after completion of a processing sequence, and allowing the supplied flushing gas to expand and mix with any residual gas between successive pressure impulses, to substantially clear the processing gas from the system.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of flushing processing gas in a laser processing machine, the method comprising:
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processing a workpiece with a laser in a first workpiece processing operation while continuously delivering a processing gas to the laser via gas lines of the laser processing machine;
then,flushing the gas lines of the laser processing machine by introducing a pressurized flushing gas to the lines in multiple gas impulses introduced at a pressure higher than a residual gas pressure remaining in the lines, such that the introduced flushing gas, different from the processing gas, expands in the lines and mixes with any residual processing gas between successive flushing gas impulses; and
thenprocessing the workpiece with the laser in a second workpiece processing operation, the first and second processing operations being successive workpiece processing operations between which the flushing of the gas lines is performed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of flushing processing gas front lines or cavities of a laser processing machine, the method comprising:
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processing a workpiece with a laser while continuously delivering a first processing gas to the workpiece via gas lines of the laser processing machine;
then,between successive workpiece processing operations, flushing the gas lines of the laser processing machine by introducing a pressurized flushing gas to the lines in multiple gas impulses introduced at a pressure higher than a residual gas pressure remaining in the lines; such that the introduced flushing gas, different from the processing gas, expands in the lines and mixes with any residual processing gas between successive flushing gas impulses; and
thenperforming a second laser processing step while continuously delivering a second processing gas to the lines of the laser processing machine. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification