US 5,293,024 A · Machining apparatus with automatic restart function

Abstract

A laser cutting apparatus which allows cutting to be automatically restarted or redone without intervention from an operator once a cutting error or fault occurs. In a first embodiment, when the fault occurs the apparatus discontinues processing on the product corresponding to the fault. Thereafter, it moves to, and restarts cutting at, a starting position of the next product to be cut. In a second embodiment, the apparatus corrects a fault and continues cutting on the product corresponding to the fault by restarting cutting at the fault point. It determines whether a restart is possible at the point of the fault based on the type or definition of the fault. If a predetermined number of restarts are attempted at the point of fault without a successful restart, then the apparatus moves to a new start position. In another embodiment, the apparatus uses a profile sensor to prevent machine damage by sensing the position of the cutting head relative to the workpiece.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A machining apparatus for cutting products from a workpiece, comprising:

laser beam means for generating a laser beam;
a cutting head for performing a cutting operation by focusing the laser beam onto the workpiece and by moving the laser beam relative to the workpiece along a desired path, in order to cut-out said products;
a cutting table for holding the workpiece;
and
information processing means for controlling movement of said cutting head based on program blocks of information, said information processing means comprising:
first memory means for storing cutting programs and data, said programs containing said program blocks which are used to control said cutting head;
second memory means for storing auxiliary function states and travel values for said cutting head;
fault detection means for detecting faults that occur during said cutting operation;
and
restart means for automatically restarting the cutting operation based on said stored travel values and auxiliary function states, when said fault detection means detects a fault, by commanding the cutting head to move the laser beam from a current position to a restart position and to restart the cutting operation, said current position corresponding to a point on the workpiece at which the fault occurred and said restart position being based on the travel values stored in the second memory means.

7 more elements

A laser cutting machine for performing a cutting operation on a workpiece, comprising:

a laser source for generating a laser beam;
a cutting head for using the laser beam to perform the cutting operation;
a cutting table, positioned near the cutting head, for holding the workpiece;
a fault detector for detecting faults in the cutting operation;
memory for storing a program, travel values and auxiliary function states;
and
an information processing unit for controlling movement of said cutting head based on the program, said information processing unit comprising:
a restart enable unit for determining, when a fault is detected, whether an automatic restart is selected;
a fault mode determining unit for identifying a fault type and for determining whether cutting can be automatically restarted after the identified fault type;
and
a restarting unit for performing an automatic restart operation, when the automatic restart is selected and when the identified fault is of a type, from which cutting can be automatically restarted.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Machining apparatus with automatic restart function

Life of this patent

Machining apparatus with automatic restart function

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20