Process for the laser beam machining, especially laser beam welding, of components
AssigneeKUKA Systems GmbH
InventorsPeter Rippl, Anton Englhard, Martin Eberl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for laser beam machining, in particular laser beam welding of bodywork components (14), with the aid of a remote laser head (3). The laser head is guided by a robot (5) including a multi-axial robot hand (7). During the welding process, the emitted laser beam (12) is guided along the welding path (19) on the component (14) by orientation modifications and with a variable irradiation angle beta. said orientation modifications only being produced by pivoting displacements (7) of the manipulator hand (7) about at least one of its hand axes IV, V, VI.
Claims20
A process for the laser beam machining of components, the process comprising:
- providing a remote laser head;
- guiding the laser head with a manipulator with a multiaxial manipulator hand, said remote laser head being arranged externally on said manipulator hand, said laser head emitting a laser beam;
- during welding or cutting, guiding the emitted laser beam along a welding or cutting path on the component by orientation modifications and with a variable irradiation angle β, the guiding including changing the orientation of the laser beam only by pivoting motions of the manipulator hand about at least one of the hand axes resulting in a changing of irradiation angle of the laser beam;
- and
- changing and adjusting at least one or more of a laser power output of the emitted laser beam and a velocity of welding or cutting as a function of the changing irradiation angle β of the laser beam.
A process for the laser beam welding of vehicle body parts, the process comprising:
- providing a manipulator with robot basic axes and a manipulator hand having hand axes;
- providing a laser source;
- providing a remote laser head, said remote laser head being connected to said manipulator hand such that said remote laser head is located at a spaced location from said manipulator hand;
- providing a fiber optic cable;
- connecting said laser source to said remote laser head via said fiber optic cable;
- guiding the laser head with the manipulator hand;
- during welding guiding the motion of the hand to move the laser beam along a welding path on the vehicle body part by orientation modifications and with a variable irradiation angle β, wherein the changes in the orientation of the laser beam are generated only by pivoting motions of the manipulator hand about at least one of the hand axes;
- changing at least one of laser power and velocity of welding as function of said variable irradiation angle β.
A device for the laser beam welding of vehicle body parts, the device comprising:
- a manipulator with robot basic axes and a manipulator hand having hand axes;
- a remote laser head arranged externally to said manipulator hand, said remote laser head emitting a laser beam;
- a control means for pivoting said manipulator hand about at least one of said hand axes such that the laser beam is guided along a welding path on the vehicle body with a variable irradiation angle β;
- a laser beam source arranged in a position external to said manipulator;
- and
- a fiber optic cable, said laser head being connected to said laser beam source via said fiber optic cable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.