# US 2014/0190947 A1 · Method of and device for producing a contour cut in a strip of sheet metal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190947 A1 - Document ID: US20140190947A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/736,493 - Filed: 2013-01-08 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08 - Assignees: Schuler Automation GmbH & Co. KG - Inventors: Martin LIEBEL; Thomas POHL; Juergen SCHRECK; Michael TOLZ - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190947A1 ## CPC - B23K 26/38: by boring or cutting - B23K 26/0846: {for moving elongated workpieces longitudinally, e.g. wire or strip material} - 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 The invention relates to a method for producing a contour cut in a sheet metal web (BB) transported in a direction of transport (T) by means of a conveying apparatus (3). To accelerate the production of the contour cut, it is proposed in accordance with the invention to divide the sheet metal web (BB) into a plurality of overlapping processing strips and to assign successively two laser cutting units (10, 11) to at least two processing strips in the direction of transport (T). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for producing a contour cut in a sheet metal web (BB) transported in a direction of transport (T) by means of a conveying apparatus (3) having the following steps: dividing the sheet metal web (BB) over its width (B) into at least two overlapping processing strips extending in the direction of transport (T), wherein a first processing strip has a first width (B1) and a second processing strip has a second width (B2), wherein the first width (B1) and the second width (B2) are each smaller than a width (B) of the sheet metal web (BB), providing a first laser cutting device (10), which is assigned to the first processing strip and of which the first working region (A1) is defined by the first width (B1) and in the direction of transport (T) by a first length (L1), providing a second laser cutting device (11), which is assigned to the second processing strip and of which the second working region (A2) adjoining the first working region (A1) either downstream or upstream is defined by the second width (B2) and in the direction of transport (T) by a second length (L2), and controlling the first laser cutting device (10) and the second laser cutting device (11) in such a way that at least one first partial cut (T1) of the contour cut is produced by means of the upstream laser cutting device (10, 11), and in that at least one second partial cut (T2) remaining in order to finish the contour cut is produced consecutively by the downstream laser cutting device (10, 11) by continuing the first partial cut (T1). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a first opening (D1) provided in the conveying apparatus (3) is moved concurrently in line with a first laser beam radiated by the first laser cutting device (10), such that the first laser beam radiates through the first opening (D1), and wherein a second opening provided in the conveying apparatus (3) is moved concurrently in line with a second laser beam radiated by the second laser cutting device (11), such that the second laser beam radiates through the second opening. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, having the following steps: dividing the sheet metal web (BB) over its width (B) into at least three processing strips extending in the direction of transport (T), in such a way that the second processing strip extends approximately centrally and at the edges overlaps the first and a third processing strip, providing a third laser cutting device (12), which is assigned to the third processing strip and of which the third working region (A3) is defined by a third width (B3) and in the direction of transport (T) by a third length (L3), and wherein the second working region (A2) adjoins the third working region (A3), either downstream or upstream, controlling the first (10), second (11) and third laser cutting devices (12) in such a way that at least one first partial cut (T1) of the contour cut is produced by means of an upstream laser cutting unit (12), and in that at least one second partial cut (T2) remaining in order to finish the contour cut is produced consecutively by a downstream laser cutting unit (11) by continuing the first partial cut (T1). ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein a third opening provided in the conveying apparatus (3) is moved concurrently in line with the third laser beam, such that a third laser beam radiated by the third laser cutting device (12) radiates through the third opening. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein, corresponding to the first processing strip, the conveying apparatus (3) comprises a first transport device (4) and a second transport device (5) adjoining in the direction of transport (T), wherein the first opening (D1) is formed between a first end (E1) of the first transport device (4) and an opposed second end (E2) of the second transport device (5), and wherein the concurrent movement of the first opening (D1) is produced by a movement in the same direction of the first end (E1) and of the second end (E2), either in or against the direction of transport (T). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein, corresponding to the second processing strip, the conveying apparatus (3) comprises a third transport device (6) arranged parallel to the first transport device (4) and a fourth transport device (7) arranged parallel to the second transport device (5), wherein the second opening is formed between a third end of the third transport device (6) and an opposed fourth end of the fourth transport device (7), and wherein the concurrent movement of the second opening is produced by a movement in the same direction of the third end and of the fourth end, either in or against the direction of transport (T). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein, corresponding to the third processing strip, the conveying apparatus (3) comprises a fifth transport device (8) arranged parallel to the third transport device (6) and a sixth transport device (9) arranged parallel to the fourth transport device (7), wherein the third opening is formed between a fifth end of the fifth transport device (8) and an opposed sixth end of the sixth transport device (9), and wherein the concurrent movement of the third opening is produced by a movement in the same direction of the fifth end and of the sixth end, either in or against the direction of transport (T). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the sheet metal web (BB) is moved continuously in the direction of transport (T). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the sheet metal web (BB) is moved in the direction of transport (T) with a substantially constant speed of transport. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein, when producing the contour cut, a first curve (Bo1) deviating from a predefined contour of the contour cut is cut at one end of the first partial cut (T1). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the second partial cut (T2) is started before an one end of the first partial cut (T1) and is guided in a second curve (Bo2) running toward the predefined contour. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a transverse position of the sheet metal web (BB) running transversely to the direction of transport (T) is set such that the contour cut can be produced with a minimum number of partial cuts (T1, T2). ### Claim 13 An apparatus for producing a contour cut in a sheet metal web (BB), with a conveying apparatus (3) for transporting the sheet metal web (BB) in a direction of transport (T), wherein the sheet metal web (BB) is divided over its width (B) into at least two overlapping processing strips extending in the direction of transport (T), wherein a first processing strip has a first width (B1) and a second processing strip has a second width (B2), wherein the first width (B1) and the second width (B2) are each smaller than a width (B) of the sheet metal web (BB), with a first laser cutting device (10), which is assigned to the first processing strip and of which the first working region (A1) is defined by the first width (B1) and in the direction of transport (T) by a first length (L1), with a second laser cutting device (11), which is assigned to the second processing strip and of which the second working region (A2) adjoining the first working region (A1) downstream or upstream is defined by the second width (B2) and in the direction of transport (T) by a second length (L2), and with a control device for controlling the first (10) and second laser cutting devices (11) in such a way that at least one first partial cut (T1) of the contour cut is produced by means of the upstream laser cutting device (10, 11), and in that at least one second partial cut (T2) remaining in order to finish the contour cut is produced consecutively by the downstream laser cutting device (10, 11) by continuing the first partial cut (T1). ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a first opening-moving device for concurrently moving a first opening (D1) provided in the conveying apparatus (3) in line with a first laser beam radiated by the first laser cutting device (10) is provided, such that the first laser beam radiates through the first opening (D1), and wherein a second opening-moving device for concurrently moving a second opening provided in the conveying apparatus (3) in line with a second laser beam radiated by the second laser cutting device (11) is provided, such that the second laser beam radiates through the second opening. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the sheet metal web (BB) is divided over its width (B) into at least (3) processing strips extending in the direction of transport (T), in such a way that the second processing strip extends approximately centrally and at the edges overlaps the first processing strip and a third processing strip having a third width (B3), and wherein a third laser cutting device (12) is provided, which is assigned to the third processing strip and of which the third working region (A3) is defined by the third width (B3) and in the direction of transport (T) by a third length (L3), and wherein the second working region (A2) adjoins the third working region (A3), either downstream or upstream. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the first (10), second (11), and third laser cutting device (12) are controlled by the control device in such a way that at least one first partial cut (T1) of the contour cut is produced with an upstream laser cutting device (10, 11, 12), and in that at least one second partial cut (T2) remaining in order to finish the contour cut is produced by the second laser cutting device (11) by continuing the first partial cut (T1). ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein an opening-moving device for concurrently moving a third opening provided in the conveying apparatus (3) in line with the third laser beam is provided, such that a third laser beam radiated by the third laser cutting device (12) radiates through the third opening. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The apparatus according claim 13, wherein, corresponding to the first processing strip, the conveying apparatus comprises a first transport device (4) and a second transport device (5) adjoining in the direction of transport (T), wherein the first opening (D1) is formed between a first end (E1) of the first transport device (4) and an opposed second end (E2) of the second transport device (5), and wherein the concurrent movement of the first opening (D1) is caused by a movement in the same direction of the first end (E1) and of the second end (E2), either in or against the direction of transport (T), produced by means of the first opening-moving device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, corresponding to the second processing strip, the conveying apparatus (3) comprises a third transport device (6) arranged parallel to the first transport device (4) and a fourth transport device (7) arranged parallel to the second transport device (5), wherein the second opening is formed between a third end of the third transport device (6) and an opposed fourth end of the fourth transport device (7), and wherein the concurrent movement of the second opening is caused by a movement in the same direction of the third end and of the fourth end, in or against the direction of transport (T), produced by means of the second opening-moving device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, corresponding to the third processing strip, the conveying apparatus (3) comprises a fifth transport device (8) arranged parallel to the third transport device (6) and a sixth transport device (9) arranged parallel to the fourth transport device (7), wherein the third opening is formed between a fifth end of the fifth transport device (8) and an opposed sixth end of the sixth transport device (9), and wherein the concurrent movement of the third opening is caused by a movement in the same direction of the fifth end and of the sixth end, in or against the direction of transport (T), produced by means of the third opening-moving device. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a regulation device for regulating the speed of transport is provided. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein an adjustment device for adjusting a spool (1) receiving the sheet metal web (BB) is provided in a transverse direction (Q) running transversely to the direction of transport (T). ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the adjustment device comprises a lateral web guide adjustable in the transverse direction (Q). ### Claim 24 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a transverse position of the sheet metal web (BB) can be set by means of the adjustment device such that the contour cut can be produced with a minimal number of partial cuts (T1, T2).