US 9,764,426 B2 · Multi-station laser machine

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed toward a machine tool configured to perform small-scale, high-accuracy drilling operations for small-hole applications. The small-hole applications for which the machine tool is designed includes holes with one or more diameters. A part may have a larger-diameter hole that penetrates through a fraction of the thickness of a part and a smaller-diameter hole that penetrates from the bottom of the larger-diameter hole through the remainder of the part thickness. Additionally, the machine tool may be used with parts in any of the following categories: (i) both the step-hole and the flow-hole are created using the machine tool; or, (ii) the step-hole is created with an up-stream process and the machine tool may accept the part, measure the step-holes and create the flow-holes; or, (iii) no step-hole is used and the machine tool may accept the part, measure the raw surface and create the flow-holes.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for drilling small holes, the system comprising:

a first station configured with a measuring unit configured to measure a part and a drilling unit configured to drill a hole having a first width;
a second station, wherein the second station is configured with a second drilling unit;
and
a computer system configured to operate the first station and the second station, wherein the controlling comprises:
causing the first station to perform at least one of (i) measuring the part surface and (ii) drilling the hole;
and
causing the second station to create the through hole;
a pre-determining station, wherein the pre-determining station is configured to determine if the first station should operate with the drilling tool or if the first station should operate with the measuring tool.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-station laser machine

Life of this patent

Multi-station laser machine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20