Method and apparatus for laser piercing and cutting metal sheet and plate

A controller for laser piercing and cutting metal sheet and plate comprising in combination:

• a computer readable file displayable on a human machine interface display screen of a laser equipped CNC machine tool and communicating with a part program for processing a workpiece;
• said computer readable file adapted with a plurality of setup data and parameters for piercing and cutting a type and thickness of material and adapted substantially as a table;
• said table comprising a plurality of parameters, each parameter controlling a unique function of operation;
• said table comprising a plurality of steps comprised of a first setup step and a plurality of time increment steps having individually selectable time durations, each variable time increment step controlling a portion of a pierce cycle;
• said table adapted to selectively engage and disengage at least one auxiliary function within the pierce cycle;
• said table associated with a plurality of parameters controlling cutting the workpiece;
• and
• a computer system to process said part program and control said laser equipped machine tool to perform piercing and cutting according to said computer readable file.

A controller for laser piercing and cutting metal sheet and plate comprising in combination:

• a computer readable file displayable on a human machine interface display screen of a laser equipped CNC machine tool, residing on a computer associated with the CNC of said machine tool and communicating with a part program for processing a workpiece;
• said computer readable file adapted as three display screens, a display screen associated with parameters for cutting larger, coarse features of part geometry, a display screen associated with parameters for cutting small, fine features of part geometry, and a display screen associated with parameters for etching a character, mark or feature of geometry into a workpiece;
• said computer readable file adapted with a plurality of setup data and parameters for piercing and cutting a type and thickness of material and adapted substantially as a table;
• said table comprising a plurality of parameters, each parameter controlling a unique function of operation;
• said table comprising a plurality of steps comprised of a first setup step and a plurality of time increment steps having individually selectable time durations, each variable time increment step controlling a portion of a pierce cycle;
• said table associated with a plurality of parameters controlling cutting the workpiece;
• said display screens associated with at least one other control means adapted substantially as a table and controlling another aspect of cutting a workpiece;
• and
• a computer system to process said part program and control said laser equipped machine tool to perform piercing and cutting according to said computer readable file.

A controller for laser piercing and cutting metal sheet and plate comprising in combination:

• a computer readable file displayable on a human machine interface display screen of a laser equipped CNC machine tool, residing on the CNC of said machine tool and communicating with a part program for processing a workpiece;
• said computer readable file adapted as three display screens, a display screen associated with parameters for cutting larger, coarse features of part geometry, a display screen associated with parameters for cutting small, fine features of part geometry, and a display screen associated with parameters for etching a character, mark or feature of geometry into a workpiece;
• said computer readable file adapted with a plurality of setup data and parameters for piercing and cutting a type and thickness of material and adapted substantially as a table;
• said table comprising a plurality of parameters, each parameter controlling a unique function of operation;
• said table comprising a plurality of steps comprised of a first setup step and a plurality of time increment steps having individually selectable time durations, each variable time increment step controlling a portion of a pierce cycle;
• said table associated with a plurality of parameters controlling cutting the workpiece;
• said display screens associated with at least one other control means adapted substantially as a table and controlling another aspect of cutting a workpiece;
• and
• a computer system to process said part program and control said laser equipped machine tool to perform piercing and cutting according to said computer readable file.

A method of controlling piercing in a laser equipped machine tool comprising the steps of:

• providing a Material Parameter Library which stores at least a plurality of sets of pierce cycle parameters for a plurality of material types;
• dividing each pierce cycle into a plurality of sequential increments;
• separately specifying the duration of each said increment and the pierce cycle parameters for that increment;
• and
• when a pierce cycle is required, operating on information from a selected Material Parameter Library record related to the type of material being processed by sequencing through the sequential increments for the selected time durations and at the selected pierce cycle parameters.

A method of piercing a workpiece using a computer numerically controlled laser equipped machine tool, the method comprising the steps of:

• subdividing the piercing cycle into a plurality of increments;
• independently selecting a duration for each increment;
• selecting a plurality of laser operating parameters for each of the increments, such that the increments when performed in sequence for the selected durations and at the selected laser operating parameters is capable of piercing the workpiece;
• and
• operating the piercing cycle by sequencing through the increments for the selected time durations and at the selected laser operating parameters.

A controller for laser piercing and cutting metal sheet and plate comprising in combination:

• a memory for storing a piercing cycle table, with the table subdividing the piercing cycle into a plurality of increments;
• an interface by which an operator optionally selects a duration for each increment and a plurality of laser operating parameters for each increment, such that the increments when performed in sequence for the selected durations and at the selected laser operating parameters is capable of piercing the workpiece;
• and
• the controller being constructed to operate the piercing cycle by sequencing through the increments for the selected time durations and at the selected laser operating parameters.