LASER CUTTING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

Abstract

Methods and systems for laser cutting of components are disclosed herein. Examples are specifically suited for laser cutting relatively large components of e.g. a vehicle framework such as a unitary side panel of a vehicle door. Multiple robots may perform laser cutting operations substantially simultaneously.

Claims

1. A method for cutting a component comprising: charging the component from a charging area to a first laser station, the first laser station comprising a first fixture, and a first plurality of multi-axis robots including a laser cutting head; cutting a first plurality of areas of the component with the plurality of laser cutting heads while the component is held in the first fixture; transporting the component from the first laser station to a second laser station, the second laser station comprising a second fixture and a second plurality of multi-axis robots including a laser cutting head; cutting a second plurality of areas of the component with the second plurality of laser cutting heads while the component is positioned on the second fixture; discharging the component from the second laser station to a discharging area.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein cutting the first plurality of areas of the component comprises making at least one aperture and wherein the method further comprises trepanning the at least one aperture.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein transporting the component from the first laser station to the second laser station comprises trepanning the at least one aperture.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises inspecting the component after cutting the first and/or the second plurality of areas of the component.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein discharging the component from the second laser station to the discharging area comprises inspecting the component.

6. (canceled)

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein transporting the component from the first to the second laser station comprises using a gripper mounted on a multi-axis robot for gripping the component.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the multi-axis robots of the first laser station are arranged on opposite sides of the first fixture.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the multi-axis robots of the second laser station are arranged on opposite sides of the second fixture.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first laser station and/or the second laser station comprises four laser cutting heads mounted on four multi-axis robots.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the component is a hot formed component, specifically made from boron steel, and more specifically made from 22MnB5.

12. A method for manufacturing a unitary side panel for a door frame of a vehicle comprising: providing a plurality of blanks; joining the blanks to each other to form a composite blank; deforming the composite blank to form the unitary side panel; placing the unitary side panel in a first fixture of a first laser station comprising a plurality of multi-axis robots having a laser cutting head; cutting a first plurality of areas of the unitary side panel with the plurality of laser cutting heads while the unitary side panel is positioned on the first fixture; transporting the unitary side panel from the first laser station to a second laser station comprising a second fixture and a plurality of multi-axis robots having a laser cutting head; cutting a second plurality of areas of the unitary side panel with the plurality of laser cutting heads while the steel component positioned on the second fixture.

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. The method for manufacturing a unitary side panel according to claim 12, wherein the unitary side panel includes a rocker portion, an A-pillar portion, a hinge pillar portion connecting the rocker portion to the A-pillar portion; and a B-pillar portion connecting the rocker portion to the A-pillar portion; and wherein each of the four laser cutting heads is configured to perform cutting operations in one of the transitions between the rocker portion and a pillar portion and between the pillar portions of the unitary panel.

18. The method for manufacturing a unitary side panel according to claim 17, wherein each of the multi-axis robots having a laser cutting head are substantially arranged at one of the transitions between the rocker portion and a pillar portion and between the pillar portions of the unitary side panel when the unitary side panel is held by the support system of the first laser station and/or the second laser station.

19. (canceled)

20. The method for manufacturing a unitary side panel according to claim 12, wherein deforming the composite blank comprises hot forming and hot forming the composite blank comprises hot forming a left hand unitary side panel and a right hand unitary side panel at the same time in two forming dies of a single hot forming press.

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. A laser cutting system for cutting a component comprising: a first laser station comprising a first fixture and a first plurality of multi-axis robots with a laser cutting head, wherein the multi-axis robots are configured to laser cut the component simultaneously while the component is positioned on the first fixture; a second laser station comprising a second fixture and a second plurality of multi-axis robots with a laser cutting head, wherein the second plurality of multi-axis robots are configured to laser cut the component substantially simultaneously; and comprising a transportation system for transporting the component from the first laser station to the second laser station and wherein the laser cutting system comprises a housing for enclosing the first laser station, the second laser station and the transportation system.

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. The laser cutting system according to claim 26, wherein the laser cutting system comprises a trepanning station arranged between the first and the second laser cutting stations.

31. The laser cutting system according to claim 26, wherein the laser cutting system comprises scrap removal system for removing scrap from the first and/or the second laser cutting stations.

32. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

34. The laser cutting system according to claim 26, wherein the transportation system comprises a gripper for gripping the steel component mounted on a multi-axis robot.

35. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

37. (canceled)

38. (canceled)

39. A laser cutting system according to claim 26, wherein the first laser station and/or the second laser station comprises four laser cutting heads mounted on four multi-axis robots.

40. The laser cutting system according to claim 39, wherein the four multi-axis robots are arranged on the corners of the fixture of the first and/or of the second laser cutting system.

41. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0076] Non-limiting examples of the present disclosure will be described in the following, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0077] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example of a laser cutting system;

[0078] FIGS. 2 and 3 schematically illustrate different steps of an example of laser cutting method in the system of FIG. 1;

[0079] FIG. 4a schematically illustrates an example of a process involving hot stamping and laser cutting;

[0080] FIG. 4b is a flow diagram of the process illustrated in FIG. 4a; and

[0081] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates an example of a laser cutting system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES

[0082] In these figures the same reference signs have been used to designate matching elements.

[0083] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example of a laser cutting system. The laser cutting system according to this example comprises a charging station 100, a first laser cutting station 200, a trepanning station 300, a second laser cutting station 400, a quality checking station 500, and a discharge area 600.

[0084] Components may arrive on a rack 105. Multiple components may be placed on each rack. The component 10 in this example is a unitary side panel, obtained after hot forming of a tailor welded boron steel blank. A robot 110 may pick the component 10 from the rack 105. To this end, the robot may have one or more grippers for picking and handling the component 10. In an example, the robot may have suction caps, grippers or magnets. The robot 110 may hold the component, while laser cutting actions are performed in the first laser cutting station 200 on a previous component 10A.

[0085] The first laser cutting station 200 may include a plurality of multi-axis robots and a first fixture 250. In this particular example, four robots 210, 220, 230 and 240 are shown. The robots 210-240 each have a laser cutting head and they may be programmed to substantially simultaneously perform several laser cutting actions on the component (in the shown instant, the component 10A). These laser cutting actions may include trimming side edges, and making holes.

[0086] Since multiple robots perform laser cutting actions, each of the robots only performs actions in an approximate quadrant of component 10A. I.e. robot 210 will predominantly focus on the top portion of the B-pillar, and the A-pillar, robot 220 predominantly on the A-pillar and the transition towards the hinge pillar, robot 230 predominantly on the hinge pillar and a portion of the rocker, whereas robot 240 will predominantly work on the bottom portion of the B-pillar and on a portion of the rocker.

[0087] None of the robots 210, 220, 230, 240 are required to linearly displace along the working direction (i.e. the direction of flow of the components from the charging area towards the discharging area).

[0088] Trepanning station 300 in this example may include a multi-axis robot 310 with e.g. suction naps to pick up a component after all cutting actions have been performed in the first laser cutting station 200. The robot 310 may handle the component and hold one or more of the previously cut holes in front of a fixed laser for trepanning. The robot 310 may further be programmed to hold the component (in this instance component 10B) until all necessary laser cutting actions have been performed on another component (in this case component 10C).

[0089] After trepanning, the component may be positioned on a second fixture 450 of a second laser cutting station 400. The second laser cutting station 400 may include multiple robots with a laser cutting head. In this particular example, the second laser cutting station 400 includes four multi-axis robots 410, 420, 430, and 440. Each of these multi-axis robots may perform laser cutting actions substantially simultaneously on different parts of component 10C as was previously explained with reference to the first laser cutting station 200.

[0090] The component may subsequently be picked-up by a multi-axis robot suitable for handling and a quality check may be performed at station 500. The quality check may include a variety of inspection techniques, in particular visual inspection techniques. I.e. in one example, a camera with suitable image processing software may be used for automated visual inspection.

[0091] Finally, the component (in this case component 10D) may be on a rack 610 in a discharge area 600. A forklift may be used to pick up one or more components for further processing and transportation.

[0092] FIGS. 2 and 3 schematically illustrate different steps of an example of laser cutting method in the system of FIG. 1;

[0093] In FIG. 2, component 10C has been picked up from second laser cutting station 400 and is undergoing a visual inspection. After removing component 10C from the second laser cutting station 400, robot 310 has position component 10B in the second laser cutting station. In the moment shown in FIG. 2, laser cutting actions are being finished on component 10A in the first laser cutting station.

[0094] In FIG. 3, component 10A is pickup for trepanning and (in some cases) a visual inspection at station 300. Substantially simultaneously component 100 is positioned on first fixture 250 for laser cutting in the first laser cutting station 200.

[0095] By including multiple laser cutting stations, and by including multiple robots with laser heads in each of the stations, the speed of processing can be increased to keep pace with the speed of the hot stamping process. In spite of having multiple robots, the cost can be much lower than when using traditional laser cells. Moreover, with the efficient arrangement on opposite sides of the fixtures, and due to the fact that each of the robots only covers a relatively small area, the footprint of the operation can be kept small.

[0096] In an industrial setting, left side components and right side components may be handled in parallel. E.g. one laser line according to the example of FIG. 1 may be configured to handle left side door panels and may run in parallel with another laser line configured for handling right side door panels.

[0097] FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b schematically illustrates an example of a process chain. The process chain may start with a steel coil 1000. Ultra high strength steel may be used for the manufacture of high strength components such as e.g. a B-pillar, a rocker or a unitary side panel. One example of a suitable steel is 22MnB5, such as Usibor™. This steel may be provided with a protective coating, e.g. an aluminium-silicon coating or a zinc coating.

[0098] Blanks of suitable dimensions may be cut 1010. A Tailor Welded Blank may be formed by edge-to-edge welding of several blanks 1030. If a steel with an aluminium silicon coating is used, this coating may be ablated 1020 at suitable locations to avoid the presence of aluminium in the weld area because this could negatively affect the strength. In this particular example, a TWB is formed for the manufacture of a unitary side panel.

[0099] At oven 1040, the tailor welded blank may be heated to above an austenization temperature, in particular to above Ac3. After sufficient heating, a hot stamping process 1050 may be performed, optionally including tailored quenching/heating so as to obtain desirable microstructures in selected areas of the side panel. Additionally, or alternatively localized heating of selected areas may take place to tailor the microstructure and mechanical properties as desired.

[0100] At laser cutting stations 1060 and 1070, multiple laser heads may substantially simultaneously perform trimming and cutting operations on the component. The number of robots with laser heads in e.g. of the stations may vary between one and six, and more particularly between two and four. A suitable number of robots may depend on the dimensions of the component to be laser cut and on the number of operations that need to be performed. By changing the number of laser cutting stations, and by changing the number of robots per station, the speed of processing may be matched to the productivity of the hot stamping process.

[0101] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates an example of a laser cutting system, which substantially corresponds to the examples described hereinbefore. The several cutting stations may be enclosed in a housing 900. Auxiliary systems for temperature control, ventilation, electrical power etc. may be arranged on top of housing 900.

[0102] A scrap removal system may be integrated in the laser cutting line as well. In this particular example, a scrap removal system 800 includes a scrap conveyor belt 820 which collects scrap from both the laser cutting stations 200 and 400 and moves in the opposite direction to the direction of the components. Scrap may be dropped in a scrap container 810.

[0103] In this example, at discharge 600, racks may be provided for stacking products in different piles 620 and 640. Multiple racks and piles might be used.

[0104] A robot as used herein is meant to denote an automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose, manipulator programmable in three or more axes, for use in industrial automation applications. Multi-axis robot is preferably to be interpreted as a five or six axis robot.

[0105] Each of the robots in the laser cutting line may be programmed to perform specific tasks. Coordination of the movements of the robots during their different tasks may be necessary so that accidents can be avoided, and the footprint of the laser cutting line may remain relatively small.

[0106] Although reference has been made particularly to unitary side panels, it should be clear that other components, specifically other structural vehicle components may be advantageously manufactures using examples of the methods and systems described herein. Specifically, relatively large structural components having a length or width exceeding 75 cm or 1 meter, and particularly having length and width exceeding these dimensions may be advantageously manufactured using examples of the methods and systems described herein.

[0107] Although only a number of examples have been disclosed herein, other alternatives, modifications, uses and/or equivalents thereof are possible. Furthermore, all possible combinations of the described examples are also covered. Thus, the scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by particular examples, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow.