Laser blanking from coil strip profile conveyor system
A laser blanking system for cutting material stock includes a first series of conveyor lanes that include a plurality of support conveyors which are situated in parallel, generally spaced apart relationships. A second series of conveyor lanes is situated downstream from the first series. The second series includes a plurality of support conveyors situated in parallel, generally spaced apart relationships with respect to each other. The laser blanking system further includes a multiple-axis gantry system. The multiple-axis gantry includes a moveable transverse-axis component is supported by and moveable along a longitudinal-axis component that is situated adjacent to a longitudinal edge of the first and second series. A moveable laser head is supported by the transverse-axis component. A controller operatively controls movements of each one conveyor of the first and second lanes, the transverse-axis component, and the laser head as stock material is indexed downstream and supported by the system.
1. A laser blanking system for cutting a blank from a stock material, comprising:
a laser cutting station comprising a laser moveable along both a longitudinal axis of the system and a transverse axis of the system;
a plurality of first support conveyors extending along the longitudinal axis of the system and being arranged adjacent to one another along the transverse axis of the system in a substantially parallel, spaced-apart relationship, the first support conveyors each being linearly extensible and retractable along the longitudinal axis of the system independently from one another, the first support conveyors being located on an upstream side of the laser cutting station;
a plurality of second support conveyors extending along the longitudinal axis of the system and being arranged adjacent to one another along the transverse axis of the system in a substantially parallel, spaced-apart relationship, the second support conveyors each being linearly extensible and retractable along the longitudinal axis of the system independently from one another, the second support conveyors being located on a downstream side of the laser cutting station; and
a controller for operatively controlling the extension and retraction of each of the first and second support conveyors and the movement of the laser.
2. The laser blanking system of claim 1 , wherein the controller operatively controls the movement of each of the first and second support conveyors to match a two-dimensional profile portion of the blank being cut from the stock material.
3. The laser blanking system of claim 2 , wherein each of the second support conveyors comprises a conveyor belt which moves in a recurring loop along the longitudinal axis of the system, and wherein each of the first and second support conveyors continuously or intermittently retract and extend to adjust a conveyor surface of the system.
4. The laser blanking system of claim 3 , wherein movement of the conveyor belts is controlled to index feed a specific length of stock material.
5. The laser blanking system of claim 4 , wherein a velocity of the belts is substantially equal to a velocity of the stock material traveling along the system.
6. The laser blanking system of claim 3 , wherein movement of the conveyor belts is suspended when a laser beam cuts the associated stock material.
7. The laser blanking system of claim 3 , wherein each of the first and second support conveyors comprises a conveyor belt which moves in a recurring loop along the longitudinal axis of the system, wherein the conveyor belts of the first support conveyors move substantially at a same first velocity, and wherein the conveyor belts of the second support conveyors move substantially at a same second velocity.
8. The laser blanking system of claim 7 , wherein the first velocity is substantially equal to said second velocity.
9. The laser blanking system of claim 7 , wherein the first velocity is different from said second velocity.
10. The laser blanking system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first support conveyors opposes a corresponding one of the second support conveyors.
11. The laser blanking system of claim 10 , wherein the controller controls the movement of a plurality of corresponding first and second support conveyors in order to match at least a portion of a two-dimensional profile of the blank being cut from the stock material.
12. The laser blanking system of claim 10 , wherein the controller operatively controls the extension and retraction of each of the first and second support conveyors such that at least one first support conveyor is extended or retracted and at least one second support conveyor is retracted or extended in order to simultaneously support the stock material and create an opening therebetween for the laser to cut through the stock material.
13. The laser blanking system of claim 10 , wherein the controller operatively controls the extension and retraction of each of the first and second support conveyors such that more than one first support conveyor is extended or retracted and more than one second support conveyor is retracted or extended in order to simultaneously support the stock material and create an opening therebetween for the laser to cut through the stock material.
14. The laser blanking system of claim 10 , wherein the controller operatively controls the extension and retraction of each of the first and second support conveyors such that more than one first support conveyor is extended or retracted and more than one second support conveyor is retracted or extended in order to create an opening therebetween to allow scrap to fall from the stock material.
15. The laser blanking system of claim 2 , wherein the laser cutting station further comprises a multiple-axis gantry system comprising a longitudinal axis component situated adjacent to the first and second support conveyors and a transverse-axis component supported by and moveable along the longitudinal axis component, wherein the laser is supported by and moveable along the transverse-axis component.
16. The laser blanking system of claim 9 , wherein when the blank is cut from the stock material the first velocity is 0 meters/second and the second velocity is greater than 0 meters/second, wherein the conveyor belts of the second support conveyors carry the blank downstream of the laser cutting station.
17. The laser blanking system of claim 13 , wherein the laser reciprocally moves along a longitudinal axis of the transverse-axis component and the transverse-axis component reciprocally moves along the longitudinal axis of the longitudinal-axis component, and wherein the controller operatively controls the simultaneous movement of the transverse-axis component and the laser to cause the laser to follow the two-dimensional profile portion of the blank.
18. The laser blanking system of claim 14 , further including a scrap conveyor positioned below the first and second support conveyors to collect and carry away scrap cut from the stock material.
19. A laser blanking system for a cutting blank from a strip of coil stock material as the strip moves forward through the system, the system comprising:
a first pinch roll assembly located adjacent to an upstream end of the system, the first pinch roll assembly feeding the strip of the coil stock material in a downstream direction onto a first series of conveyors;
the first series of conveyors comprising a plurality of individual first support conveyors extending along the longitudinal axis of the system and being arranged adjacent to one another along the transverse axis of the system in a substantially parallel, spaced-apart relationship, the first support conveyors each being linearly extensible and retractable along the longitudinal axis of the system independently from one another, the first series of conveyors moving the strip of coil stock material downstream to a laser cutting station;
the laser cutting station comprising a laser moveable along both a longitudinal axis of the system and a transverse axis of the system and a multiple-axis gantry system comprising a longitudinal axis component situated adjacent to the first series of conveyors and a transverse-axis component supported by and moveable along the longitudinal axis component, wherein the laser is supported by and moveable along the transverse-axis component;
a second series of conveyors comprising a plurality of second support conveyors extending along the longitudinal axis of the system and being arranged adjacent to one another along the transverse axis of the system in a substantially parallel, spaced-apart relationship, the second support conveyors each being linearly extensible and retractable along the longitudinal axis of the system independently from one another, the second series of conveyors being located on a downstream side of the laser cutting station such that each of the first support conveyors opposes a corresponding one of the second support conveyors; and
a controller for operatively controlling the movement of the first and second support conveyors and the movement of the laser, wherein a plurality of corresponding first and second support conveyors are positioned to match at least a portion of a two-dimensional profile of the blank and create an opening therebetween, and wherein the laser follows the two-dimensional profile of the blank.
20. The laser blanking system of claim 19 , wherein the controller operatively controls the extension and retraction of each of the first and second series of conveyors such that more than one first support conveyor is extended or retracted and more than one corresponding second support conveyor is retracted or extended in order to create an opening therebetween to allow scrap to fall from the stock material.