Laser device for simultaneous industrial processing and monitoring of temperature
AssigneesComau S.p.A., Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche
InventorsGiorgio Manassero, Alberto Maccagno
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Abstract
A laser device which combines a device for focusing a laser beam onto a workpiece to carry out industrial processes, for example, surface hardening heat-treatment or welding, with a row of pyroelectric sensors to simultaneously monitor the temperature of a region of the workpiece being treated by detecting the thermal energy emitted by the workpiece. This detection of thermal energy occurs along an ideal line extending across a focal length of the region of the workpiece onto which the laser beam is focused. In the present invention, both the device for focusing the laser beam and the row of pyroelectric sensors are attached to a single head.
Claims7
A laser device for simultaneous monitoring of temperature and processing of a workpiece, the device comprising a focusing head, processing means fitted on the focusing head for focusing a laser beam onto the workpiece in order to carry out an industrial process, pyroelectric sensor means for detecting the thermal energy emitted by the workpiece in the region being processed and transmitting a signal corresponding to and indicative of the temperature of the workpiece in the region being processed, and electronic means for processing the signal transmitted by the sensor means, wherein:
- the pyroelectric sensor means is fitted on the focusing head of the laser device and includes a row of pyroelectric sensors which detect the thermal energy emitted by the workpiece in correspondence to a plurality of points which are located along an ideal line extending across a focal area of the workpiece onto which the beam is focused.
In a control method for an industrial process where a laser beam is directed onto a workpiece to carry on an industrial process, the control process including pyroelectric sensing to obtain signals indicative of the temperature of the workpiece in the region being treated by the laser beam, and processing the signals obtained from the pyroelectric sensing, the improvement wherein:
- said pyroelectric sensing includes obtaining a plurality of signals from a corresponding plurality of pyroelectric sensors configured to detect the thermal energy emitted by the workpiece along a plurality of aligned spots within a focal area of the workpiece where the laser beam is directed;
- and
- electronically processing said plurality of signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.