Method and apparatus for removing material from metal workpieces moved relative to a laser removal tool
AssigneesAdvanced Technik GmbH, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
InventorsJorg Franke, Wolfgang Schulz, Gerd Herziger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for removing material from moving metal workpieces, particular for cutting sheet metal. It entails preheating, without melting, the surface of the workpiece to a temperature at which ignition is triggered by a combustible gas directed onto the preheated section as a jet under pressure, while burnt material from the workpiece is blown away from the cut recess thus produced. In order to achieve smooth edges on large-gauge workpieces with a relatively high feed-rate, a laser beam is also directed onto the cutting front in the cut recess.
Claims16
A method for removing material from a metal workpiece moved relative to a removal tool, comprising the step of preheating, without melting, a surface of the workpiece to a temperature at which ignition of the workpiece to burn workpiece material is triggered by a combustible gas which is blown onto a preheated section as a jet under pressure and by means of which burnt material of the workpiece is blown away from a cut recess produced by such burning, wherein in addition to the combustible gas, also laser radiation is irradiated into the cut recess where it impinges on a removal front, said laser radiation being in the form of a laser beam having an intensity distribution with a first maximum at the center thereof and an annular secondary maximum disposed around the first maximum.
An apparatus for removing material from a metal workpiece moved relative to a removal tool, comprising means for preheating a surface of the workpiece to a temperature below a melting temperature of the workpiece at which ignition of the workpiece to bum workpiece material is triggered by a combustible gas, and further comprising a nozzle for the combustible gas used for blowing said combustible gas under pressure onto a preheated section, wherein a laser is provided which produces a laser beam which, in addition to the combustible gas, impinges on a removal front of a cut recess, said laser beam having an intensity distribution with a first maximum at the center thereof and an annular secondary maximum disposed around the first maximum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.