Metal analyzing plasma CNC cutting machine and associated methods

• US 10,195,683 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2017
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matthew Fagan
• Original Assignee: Matthew Fagan
• Inventors: Fagan, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Stapleton, Eric
• Application Number:
  US15/490,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20170246703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 21912144
• 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,

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.

2. The metal analyzing plasma CNC cutting machine of claim 1 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.