Laser assisted machining system for ceramics and hard materials

• US 9,539,681 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents for Northern Illinois University
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents for Northern Illinois University
• Inventors: Santner, Joseph S., Sciammarella, Federico M., Kyselica, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Angwin, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Singh, Amit K
• Application Number:
  US13/307,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20130134141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: 219/121.68, 219/121.69, 219/121.83, 219/121.67, 219/121.78, 219/121.79, 219/121.8, 219/121.6, 219/121.85, 723/421, 723/429.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0093 combined with mechanical machining or metal-working covered by other subclasses than B23K combined welding or cutting procedures or apparatus B23K28/02
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 25/006 Heating the workpiece by laser during machining
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/182 characterised by the machine tool function, e.g. thread cutting, cam making, tool direction control G05B19/21 - G05B19/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45165 Laser machining

Abstract

An improved apparatus and method for laser assisted machining are provided, by utilizing a computer to develop interrelated heating and machining plans, from a variety of input data describing the material to be machined, the properties of lasers and pyrometers used for heating the material, and computer models of the machining arrangement, workpiece and final part to be produced. An iterative process continues until the machining and heating plans result in the cutting zone of the workpiece being maintained at a desired temperature with no obstruction in the line-of-sight of at least one laser and pyrometer throughout the machining process, while also maintaining the cutting tool at or below a desired maximum temperature.

Claims

1. An apparatus for Laser Assisted Machining (LAM) of a finished part from a workpiece mounted in a machining arrangement using a cutter of the machining arrangement for removing material from the workpiece along a cutting path including a cutting zone of the workpiece ahead of the cutter where the cutting zone is heated to a machining temperature by a laser heating arrangement (LHA) operatively disposed for heating the cutting zone to a temperature of the cutting zone, the apparatus comprising:

a base adapted for attachment to the machining arrangement and defining a central axis extending perpendicularly to the base;

a radial arm extending radially outward from the base and defining a radial axis extending perpendicularly to and intersecting the central axis of the base;

a mounting post having a proximal end thereof directly attached to a slidable connection of the radial arm and extending parallel to the central axis of the base, and also defining a mounting post axis extending from the proximal end to a distal end of the mounting post in a direction parallel to the central axis of the base; and

a primary mounting rail having a proximal end thereof attached to the mounting post and extending perpendicularly to the mounting post axis, and also defining a primary mounting rail axis extending from the proximal end to a distal end of the primary mounting rail in a direction perpendicular to the mounting post axis;

the primary mounting rail being adapted for attachment thereto of one or more components of the laser heating arrangement from a group of laser heating arrangement components consisting of;

at least one laser and at least one pyrometer arrangement.

2. The apparatus for LAM of claim 1, wherein, the base, radial arm, mounting post and primary mounting rail comprise components of the apparatus for LAM that are cooperatively configured and operatively connected such that they are movable relative to one another in at least one of a group of relative movements consisting of:

the radial arm is movable angularly with respect to the base about the central axis of the base;

the mounting post is movable with respect to the radial arm along the radial axis of the radial arm;

the primary mounting rail is movable with respect to the mounting post along the mounting post axis;

the primary mounting rail is movable angularly with respect to the mounting post about the mounting post axis; and

the primary mounting rail is rotatable about the primary mounting rail axis.

3. The apparatus for LAM of claim 2, wherein, one or more of the base, radial arm, mounting post and primary mounting rail include marked indicia to facilitate positioning of movable components of the apparatus for LAM.

4. The apparatus for LAM of claim 2, wherein, the primary mounting rail includes marked indicia thereupon to facilitate positioning of the one or more components of the laser heating arrangement.

5. The apparatus for LAM of claim 1, further comprising, a laser heating arrangement (LHA) component mount adapted for operatively mounting the one or more components of the laser heating arrangement on the primary mounting rail.

6. The apparatus for LAM of claim 5, wherein, the primary mounting rail includes marked indicia thereupon to facilitate positioning of the LHA component mount along the primary mounting rail.

7. The apparatus for LAM of claim 5, wherein, the LHA component mount is configured to provide angular adjustment of an angular position of the LHA component with respect to the primary mounting rail.

8. The apparatus for LAM of claim 7, wherein, the LHA component mount includes angular indicia thereupon to facilitate angular adjustment of the angular position of the LHA component with respect to the primary mounting rail.

9. The apparatus for LAM of claim 1, further comprising, a first and a second LHA component, and a second LHA component mount for mounting the second LHA component on the first LHA component.

10. The apparatus for LAM of claim 9, further comprising, a second LHA component mount configured to provide angular adjustment of an angular position of the second LHA component with respect to the first LHA component.

11. The apparatus for LAM of claim 10, wherein, the second LHA component mount includes angular indicia thereupon to facilitate angular adjustment of the angular position of the second LHA component with respect to the first LHA component.

12. The apparatus for LAM of claim 10, further comprising, a first LHA component mount adapted for operatively mounting the first LHA component on the primary mounting rail, with the first LHA component mount being configured to provide angular adjustment of an angular position of the first LHA component with respect to the primary mounting rail.

13. The apparatus for LAM of claim 12, wherein, the first LHA component mount includes angular indicia thereupon to facilitate angular adjustment of the angular position of the first LHA component with respect to the primary mounting rail.

14. The apparatus for LAM of claim 1, wherein:

the machining arrangement includes a turret having a movable central chuck and an outer element disposed about and operatively connected to the central chuck to allow movement of the central chuck with respect to the outer element; and

the base of the apparatus for LAM is adapted for attachment to the outer element of the turret.

15. The apparatus for LAM of claim 14, wherein:

the outer element of the turret is circular shaped; and

the base includes a circular opening therein centered about the central axis of the base, with the base being further configured for operative attachment to the outer element of the turret in such a manner that the central axis of the base is aligned coaxial with the central chuck of the turret.