Control device for laser machining apparatus

A controller for a laser machine including a nozzle, the controller comprising:

• a tool center path calculation unit that creates an offset vector for a machining program path based on an analysis result of a machining program and calculates a tool center path, through which a center of the nozzle passes, based on the offset vector;
• a first inclination direction calculation unit that calculates an inclination direction of the nozzle with respect to the machining program path based on the analysis result of the machining program;
• a tool posture calculation unit that calculates a posture of the nozzle based on the inclination direction of the nozzle calculated by the first inclination direction calculation unit and an inclination angle in the inclination direction of the nozzle from a direction perpendicular to a plane of a workpiece in a plane orthogonal to the machining program path;
• a drive axis stroke calculation unit that calculates a stroke of a drive axis based on the tool center path calculated by the tool center path calculation unit and the posture of the nozzle calculated by the tool posture calculation unit;
• a drive axis control unit that controls the drive axis based on the stroke of the drive axis calculated by the drive axis stroke calculation unit;
• a second inclination direction calculation unit that calculates the inclination direction of the nozzle with respect to the tool center path based on the analysis result of the machining program;
• and
• an inclination direction calculation switching unit that switches between calculation of the inclination direction of the nozzle with respect to the machining program path by the first inclination direction calculation unit and calculation of the inclination direction of the nozzle with respect to the tool center path by the second inclination direction calculation unit, depending on a shape of the machining program path.