Methods and systems for keyhole-free laser fusion cutting
AssigneeTRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG
InventorTobias Hofmann
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Abstract
The invention relates to methods and systems for keyhole-free fusion cutting of a workpiece, wherein the workpiece is melted by a laser beam along a cutting joint and the molten mass produced is expelled from the produced cutting joint, e.g., by a gas jet at high pressure. According to the new methods at least one laser beam follows the laser beam in the cutting direction and influences the molten mass in such a manner that at least one of the two cutting flanks of the workpiece has a better cutting quality than when cutting without the trailing laser beam.
Claims21
A method for keyhole-free fusion cutting of a workpiece, the method comprising
- melting the workpiece with a leading laser beam along a cutting joint thereby forming two cutting flanks and a molten mass that is expelled from the cutting joint by a gas jet;
- applying a second, trailing laser beam to the workpiece to follow the leading laser beam in a cutting direction and to impact the molten mass to improve a cutting quality of at least one of the two cutting flanks of the workpiece compared to cutting without the trailing laser beam,
- striking the workpiece with a central beam axis of the trailing laser beam in a manner laterally offset behind a central beam axis of the leading laser beam in a direction transverse to the cutting direction.
A method for keyhole-free fusion cutting of a workpiece, the method comprising
- melting the workpiece with a leading laser beam along a cutting joint thereby forming two cutting flanks and a molten mass that is expelled from the cutting joint by a gas jet;
- applying a second, trailing laser beam to the workpiece to follow the leading laser beam in a cutting direction and to impact the molten mass to improve a cutting quality of at least one of the two cutting flanks of the workpiece compared to cutting without the trailing laser beam;
- striking the workpiece with a central beam axis of the trailing laser beam in a manner laterally offset behind a central beam axis of the leading laser beam in a direction transverse to the cutting direction,
- wherein discharge of the molten mass at an apex of a cutting front of the leading laser beam is influenced by the trailing laser beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.