Three-dimensional CO2 laser material processing with gantry machine systems

Peter Hoffmann; Stephan Biermann; Manfred Geiger; Rudolf Nuss

doi:10.1117/12.20539

1 October 1990 Three-dimensional CO2 laser material processing with gantry machine systems

Peter Hoffmann, Stephan Biermann, Manfred Geiger, Rudolf Nuss

Proceedings Volume 1276, CO2 Lasers and Applications II; (1990) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.20539
Event: The International Congress on Optical Science and Engineering, 1990, The Hague, Netherlands

Abstract

Laser material processing has found new applications, e.g. in treating spatially formed workpieces. The aim to get the high working qualities, which on principle can be reached by cutting and welding of sheet metals with C02-lasers even in case of manufacturing spatially formed parts, lead to the development of convenient machine systems. Meanwhile there exist many solutions to realize a three dimensional movement between the working tool laser beam and the workpiece'. A fundamental distinction can be made between robot and gantry systems. Robots have a greater freedom of movement but are not as accurate in guidance as gantry systems. Mostly robot systems are equipped with an external beam guidance system, which diminishes the working area and raises the danger of collisions between workpiece and machine system. Therefore recent developments of robot systems for laser material processing integrate the beam in the handling system in such a manner that the optical axis of the laser beam lies in the mechanical axis of the robot system. Despite of this improvements there are still laser material processing operations which better or exclusively can be executed with gantry machine systems. Gantry machine systems have a high frame stability, an accurate guiding behaviour even at high process velocities and large working areas. Especially when processing large workpieces, where heavy clamping devices are necessary, the use of a gantry machine system is advisable. A typical set up of a gantry machine system is given in figure 1.

Citation Download Citation

Peter Hoffmann, Stephan Biermann, Manfred Geiger, and Rudolf Nuss "Three-dimensional CO2 laser material processing with gantry machine systems", Proc. SPIE 1276, CO2 Lasers and Applications II, (1 October 1990); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.20539

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