# US 10,871,758 B2 · Plasma processing long steel product including beams

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- Number: US 10,871,758 B2
- Document ID: US10871758B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/182,056
- Filed: 2014-02-17
- Published: 2014-08-21
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2013-02-15
- Applicants: Matthew Fagan
- Inventors: Matthew Fagan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871758B2

## CPC

- G05B 19/182: {characterised by the machine tool function, e.g. thread cutting, cam making, tool direction control (G05B19/21 - G05B19/40 take precedence)}
- B23K 10/00: Welding or cutting by means of a plasma
- B23K 37/0235: {the guide member forming part of a portal}
- B23K 2101/28: Beams
- B23K 2103/04: Steel {or steel} alloys
- B23K 2103/10: Aluminium or alloys thereof
- G05B 2219/36199: Laser cutting
- G05B 2219/40293: Gantry, portal
- G05B 2219/45041: Laser cutting
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM

## Abstract

A method of processing long product on a numerical control machine including a gantry, a cutting bed, and a gantry holding a cutting torch, includes the steps of moving the gantry over a stationary long product on the cutting bed while cutting the long product with the cutting torch to process the long product. The cutting torch is capable of moving in at least the X-, Y-, and Z-directions relative to an arbitrary coordinate system defining the dimensions of the long product.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of processing long product defining a lengthwise longitudinal direction on a numerical control machine including a cutting bed and a gantry, the gantry coupled through a drive box and a pantograph to a plasma cutting torch, the method comprising:
moving the gantry to position the plasma cutting torch over a long product on the cutting bed along the lengthwise longitudinal direction while performing a step of cutting the long product with the plasma cutting torch, the cutting including cutting on a first surface and a second surface of the long product, to process the long product, where the long product is selected from a group consisting of I beams, channel, equal angle, unequal angle, rolled hollow section having rectangular cross-section, and T section products,
wherein the plasma cutting torch is configured to be able to rotate at least 90 degrees about the lengthwise longitudinal direction between cutting on the first surface and cutting on the second surface and is adapted to move in at least one of the lengthwise longitudinal direction, a lateral direction, an azimuth direction, and a vertical direction relative to a coordinate system defining the dimensions of the long product; and
where the long product remains stationary on the cutting bed throughout the plasma cutting torch rotation and cutting on both the first and second surfaces of the long product;
the first and second surfaces of the long product are perpendicular to each other; and
where the plasma cutting torch is configurable to be positioned in a pantograph with a tip of the plasma cutting torch at a first point and configurable to be positioned in the pantograph with the tip of the cutting torch at a second point, the first point being where the central lengthwise axis of the plasma cutting torch and a twist axis of the pantograph intersect, and the second point being along the central lengthwise axis of the plasma cutting torch extended beyond the twist axis of the pantograph toward the long product; wherein the step of cutting comprises cutting at least a first hole in the first surface and a second hole in the second surface of the long product, the first surface at right angles to the second surface of the long product; wherein the step of cutting comprises two plasma cutting functions performed by the plasma cutting torch, the plasma cutting functions selected from a group consisting of cutoff of the long product, cutting holes in the long product, penetrating the long product, coping the long product, mitering the long product, text marking on the long product, and line marking on the long product, and wherein the two plasma cutting functions are performed on at least the first and second surfaces of the long product and each of the two functions is performed with the plasma cutting torch at right angles to the surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the long product is held stationary during the step of moving solely by a weight of the long product.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the long product is held stationary during the step of moving by clamps or fixed holding structures.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of cutting comprises at least three multi-pass cutting substeps, wherein at least one of the multi-pass cutting sub steps comprises further processing of the long product to include weld preparation along a cut of the long product provided by a prior one of the at least one of the multi-pass cutting substeps.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein, during the step of moving, the gantry moves along a lengthwise direction of the long product relative to the cutting bed, while the long product remains stationary in the lengthwise direction relative to the cutting bed.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plasma cutting torch is held perpendicular to the first surface of the long product during cutting the first surface and perpendicular to the second surface during cutting the second surface, the surfaces including a horizontal surface and a vertical surface of the long product.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of cutting includes cutting the long product in a horizontal plane parallel to a plane of the cutting bed and with the plasma cutting torch perpendicular to the horizontal plane.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of cutting comprises cutting a third hole in a third surface, the first surface at right angles to the second surface of the long product and the third surface at right angles to the second surface and parallel to the first surface.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein, prior to the step of cutting, information concerning support placement is automatically determined and entered into a program of the numerical control machine.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of cutting comprises a substep of penetrating only partially through a thickness of a material of the long product to form marks that survive painting and simulate heavy stamping.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of measuring the long product along a length of the long product for variations in a height, a width, and a surface angle of the long product to create a precise model of the multiple surfaces such that the plasma cutting torch is held at a precise angle to the surface and a precise distance from the surface.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the step of measuring is performed by a laser measurement device on the gantry.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the step of measuring is performed by ohmic contact with a surface of the long product.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of cutting includes processing of at least two separate nested components from the long product.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of cutting includes at least two different cutting or marking processes performed on different respective sections of the long product.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of cutting includes a substep of swiveling the plasma cutting torch in a C azimuth while cutting a miter into the long product.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising a substep of adding weld preparation, by the plasma cutting torch on the gantry, to the miter cut into the long product.