Automated Laser Machining System for Intelligent And Flexible Production
Laser flexible manufacturing system is a highly integrated smart manufacturing system combined with laser automation of 3D cutting and welding, micro-drilling, forming, cladding, modeling, repairing, and relying on computer management to make the two perfectly cooperate. It is an essential laser machining system for modern industrial manufacturer and Industry 4.0. This article will briefly explain laser flexible cutting and welding.
What You'll Learn In This Guide
Laser Flexible Cutting System
Laser cutting technology is a thermal cutting method that uses a focused laser beam as the main heat source. It generally uses a carbon dioxide laser beam to gather the laser beam in a small area through a lens and mirror, so that the energy is highly concentrated for local cutting. Rapid heating, so as to achieve the purpose of cutting, especially suitable for products with metal sheet metal parts, stainless steel materials, complex contour shapes, and high slitting process requirements.
In the traditional laser cutting system, in mass production and processing operations, the materials to be processed are generally uncoiled by the uncoiling line, and then cut by flying shear equipment, and the cut and stacked materials are manually packaged and transported to the laser cutting equipment. Then realize the laser cutting operation by carrying and loading materials. The whole operation process is cumbersome and the manual workload is large, which is not conducive to the improvement of production and processing efficiency.
At this time, a laser flexible processing system was launched, which can realize the automatic production of plate uncoiling, laser cutting and workpiece transportation after cutting, including automatic uncoiling system, laser cutting system, automatic unloading system and sorting table connected in sequence.
The automatic uncoiling system consists of an automatic uncoiling line and a drum on which the sheet to be processed is wound.
The laser cutting system includes bed body, workpiece transmission system, track, beam, laser cutting Z axis and laser cutting machine head. The beam moves horizontally along the track, the laser cutting Z axis moves horizontally along the beam, and the laser cutting Z axis itself is powered Under the action, it moves vertically up and down, and the plate to be processed is cut and processed by the laser cutting system into workpieces after being uncoiled by the automatic uncoiling system.
The automatic unloading system includes the gantry, the moving trolley on the gantry and the vacuum suction cup under the moving trolley. The vacuum suction cup absorbs the workpiece processed by the laser cutting system and moves to the sorting table under the drive of the moving trolley. This utility model realizes the processing procedure. Continuity, improve the degree of automation.
The automatic uncoiling line uncoils the plate to be processed according to the requirements, and the uncoiled plate automatically enters the laser cutting system. The laser cutting head can move in the directions of X, Y, and Z axes in space, and the laser cutting head moves in the X direction. The movement of the beam is realized by the movement of the beam along the track. The movement of the laser cutting head in the Y direction is realized by the movement of the laser cutting Z axis along the beam, and the laser cutting head realizes the vertical movement in the Z direction driven by the laser cutting Z axis. Through the spatial movement formed by the X, Y, and Z axes, the processing movement of the corresponding laser cutting head can be driven. The workpiece after laser cutting is moved to the sorting table by the moving trolley through the vacuum suction cup in the automatic unloading system, and finally the workpiece is sorted.
Pros and Cons
The automatic loading and unloading system can realize the automatic control of the process from the supply of raw materials to the delivery of products, which improves production efficiency, reduces labor costs, reduces labor intensity of workers, and realizes unmanned operation at night, which can achieve unattended functions to meet the needs of industrial 24-hour continuous production. In short, the laser cutting automatic production line can realize the unmanned automatic operation of the whole process from feeding, cutting to sorting finished products, and effectively meet the lean manufacturing needs of high efficiency, high intelligence, high flexibility, and low cost.
Multiple laser cutting machines can share an automated production line, and can process large batches of parts of different specifications during on-line production. It is especially suitable for large-volume flexible production, and it can also adapt to the trend of fast replacement, multi-variety and individualization of sheet metal products. At the same time, more and more customers are considering improving productivity, reducing production costs, and increasing equipment automation. The flexible production line can provide excellent solutions for the sheet metal processing industry, promote the process of industrial automation, and promote the optimization and upgrading of the industrial structure. Flexible manufacturing systems are very useful in the construction machinery industry. With the further development of industry and laser processing technology, there will be more extensive applications.
Laser Flexible Welding System
In the automobile manufacturing process, a large number of cold stamping, hot stamping, roll forming, hydroforming and other parts are used for joint forming (spot welding, projection welding, laser welding, MAG welding, CMT, stud welding, FDS, SPR, TOX.) Among them, in the process of connecting parts, the overlapping relationship is complex, the connection process is diverse, the process and quality requirements are high, and the stability of manual welding is poor. Therefore, for large body-in-white components such as the A-pillar of a large SUV, due to the product process and quality requirements, one-time assembly cannot be realized, and a single connection process cannot meet the requirements, so it must be planned for multi-process and multi-process production.
According to the traditional production method, all welding operations and transportation between processes will be carried out by personnel, which will increase the number of operators and welding tools with lower production efficiency and higher quality risks. Therefore, the flexible laser welding system has emerged as the times require. Through PLC controls lasers, spot welding, stud welding, robots, grippers and other equipment to achieve multi-process highly automated flexible welding, which improves operating efficiency and FTT while reducing operators.
Flexible laser welding system includes a finished product unloading station platform. A multifunctional robot is installed above the finished product unloading station platform. The number is two, and the overlap of the two multifunctional robots is fixedly installed with a stud welding torch, and the tops of the two multifunctional robots are fixedly connected with the B surface of the turntable. The multi-process laser flexible welding system completes the laser flying welding operation of the workpiece fixed on the welding positioner through the action of the laser welding robot and the welding positioner on the turntable. Stud welding and other equipment, so as to achieve the flexible welding system as an efficient, stable, high-speed and flexible compact robot welding system, which has a compact space and is convenient for flexible automatic welding and product switching.
Pros and Cons
Laser flexible welding system has the advantages of avoiding welding operations by personnel, stabilizing welding quality, improving work efficiency, and completing multi-process and multi-process production of products in the shortest time. The transportation and circulation between the two will increase the number of operators, increase the number of welding equipment, lower production efficiency, and higher quality risks.
In addition, there is an increasingly intelligent software system support to realize the combination of computer technology and laser welding, and the integration technology of the welding process can be realized through the analysis and operation of the weld seam through computer technology. In the future, it is believed that laser welding technology will help many factories transform and upgrade into smart factories.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a fast, accurate and efficient automated mechanized manufacturing system consisting of a unified information control system, material storage and transportation system and a set of digitally controlled processing equipment.
It's used for automobile manufacturing, shipbuilding, aerospace, weapons, elevators, lithium batteries and precision machinery manufacturing with a laser beam that can rotate, tilt, move freely up and down, left and right, which allows it to process complex 3D surfaces, as well as laser automation that allows it to be integrated into mass production lines.
You first have to consider what do you need it for? Then set a budget, compare features and costs, and choose one or more machines with laser automation from many popular brands to integrate into your current mechanized manufacturing system.
