The present invention relates to laser processing systems and more particularly, to a modular processing system and enclosure.
Laser processing systems may be used for a variety of processing applications including, without limitation, marking, welding, cladding, cutting and drilling. Different processing applications often involve different types of lasers, laser processing heads, and part handling mechanisms. A laser processing system used for such applications may include an enclosure for enclosing the processing area to prevent user access during operation, for example, providing Class 1 laser safety. Such enclosures are often designed for a particular laser processing head and part handling mechanism and may thus limit the versatility of the laser processing system.
These and other features and advantages will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein:
A modular laser processing enclosure, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, is capable of being used with different laser processing heads and part handling mechanisms to form a modular laser processing system. The modular laser processing enclosure generally includes an enclosure housing defining a laser processing area and multiple laser processing access openings for accessing the laser processing area. The modular laser processing enclosure further includes one or more plates that may be removably mounted over the laser processing access openings to allow use with different laser processing heads and/or part handling mechanisms in different configurations for different applications. The modular laser processing system may be a Class 1 laser system for use with different applications including, without limitation, cutting, drilling, welding, cladding and marking.
Referring to
Although four side access openings 116a-d are shown, the enclosure housing 112 may include less than four side access openings. The enclosure housing 112 may include, for example, only two opposing openings 116a, 116d or only two adjacent openings 116a, 116b. The enclosure housing 112 may also include additional openings on one or more sides. In the illustrated embodiment, the enclosure housing 112 is configured as a tower with a rectangular shape such that the side access openings 116a-d are located near the top and on each of the four sides. Each of the sides of the enclosure housing 112 may have the same width such that the enclosure housing 112 has a square cross section and each of the laser processing access openings 115, 116a-d may have substantially the same dimension.
The modular laser enclosure 110 also includes panels or plates 120, 122, 124 for covering one or more of the laser processing access openings 115, 116a-d. The plates 120, 122, 124 may have substantially the same size such that the plates are configured to cover any one of the laser processing accessing openings 115, 116a-d. A processing head plate 120, for example, is configured to be mounted to the laser processing head 130. In the illustrated embodiment, the processing head plate 120 is used to mount the processing head 130 to the top laser processing access opening 115, although the processing head plate 120 may be used to mount the processing head 130 to any of the side laser processing access openings 116a-d. A part loading plate 122 may define an opening (e.g., a circular opening is shown) for receiving and/or guiding the part handling mechanism 140 to the laser processing area 114. The part loading plate 122 may also be configured to be mounted to the part handling mechanism 140. A cover plate 124 may also be used to completely cover one or more of the access openings. The cover plate 124 may be opaque or may include a transparent window (not shown) that allows viewing of the laser processing while protecting an observer from the laser.
The modular laser enclosure 110 also includes a laser system connection plate 129 covering a laser system connection opening in the enclosure housing 112. The laser system connection opening and plate 129 is shown located proximate a bottom of the enclosure housing 112 but may also be located in other locations. The laser system connection plate 129 may provide for a connection between laser system equipment (e.g., controls, electronics, power source, gas sources, smoke vacuums) and the laser processing enclosure 110. The laser system connection plate 129 may include, for example, feedthroughs or connectors that connect to cables or conduits. The laser system connection plate 129 may also include holes for accessing cables and equipment located inside the laser enclosure 110. In one example, a light (e.g., an LED) may be provided inside the laser enclosure housing 112 via the laser system connection plate 129.
A control cabinet 150 may be used to house other components of the laser processing system, such as the fiber laser, gas sources (e.g., process gas and/or shielding gas), vacuum, controls, and other electronics. The fiber laser may provide a wavelength and power depending upon the application and may include fiber laser sources available from IPG Photonics Corporation. One example of the fiber laser may include a quasi-continuous wave (QCW) Ytterbium laser source providing a power between 10 to 1000 W.
The laser processing head 130 may include, without limitation, a laser cutting head, drilling head, welding head or marking head available from IPG Photonics Corporation. The part handling mechanism 140 may include, without limitation, a robotic placement arm, a part conveyor, and a part holder or stage. The modular laser processing enclosure 110 may thus be configured or reconfigured relatively easily for different types of laser sources, laser processing heads, and part handling mechanisms to be used for a variety of different applications.
Referring to
Plates 220, 222, 224, 228 are mounted to the enclosure housing 212 at each of the laser processing access openings. The processing head plate 220 mounts a laser processing head 230 to a top access opening. The part loading plate 222 mounts to a side laser processing access opening and is configured to receive a part for laser processing. As shown in
Referring to
In this embodiment, a robotic placement arm 740 is mounted on the part handling support 718 and used to obtain the parts from rotary part holding station 742 and to place the parts within the laser processing area through one of the laser processing access openings 716. A rotary stage 744 is mounted within an opposing access opening to receive the parts from the robotic placement arm 740 for processing. A part collection chute 746 receives the processed parts and delivers the processed parts through another access opening to a part collection bin 748 on the part handling support 717. Thus, this embodiment of the modular laser enclosure 710 uses three laser processing access openings for part handling and uses the top access opening for the laser processing head.
Accordingly, a modular laser enclosure, consistent with embodiments described herein, may be used to provide a modular laser system having a variety of configurations for a variety of different applications. The modular laser enclosure thus enables a more versatile and compact Class 1 laser system.
While the principles of the invention have been described herein, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation as to the scope of the invention. Other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the present invention in addition to the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/252,033, filed on Nov. 6, 2015, which is fully incorporated herein by reference.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2016/060282 | 11/3/2016 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2017/079409 | 5/11/2017 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20190091806 A1 | Mar 2019 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62252033 | Nov 2015 | US |