Lavorazione Laser del Materiale

Motion Systems for Laser Material Processing

Laser cutting, laser welding, laser marking or laser drilling – lasers are used in a wide variety of processes in many different industrial sectors to optimize manufacturing processes and to ensure the high quality of components. This for example, is how the electronics manufacturing, semiconductor industry, automotive industry, or medical technology benefits from the advanced capabilities for laser material processing.

Process, material, work cycle, ambient conditions, and criteria such as throughput, precision, geometry tolerances, size of the machining surface, and contours, all make different demands on the automation platforms. For example, as far as throughput and precision is concerned, it is possible to meet the different requirements when system components such as the mechanics, laser control, and laser beam steering complement each other and communicate via a high-performance standard industrial networks.

The technological diversity and the high vertical range of manufacturing enables PI to react flexibly to the market development in laser technology and to offer automation platforms for high-precision and high-throughput laser processing that address the needs of OEMs, integrators and end users: From single and multi-axis systems without beam deflection to highly customized solutions where the motion of galvanometer scanners and the positioning systems have to be synchronized and are able to run simultaneously.

High Dynamic

Precision

Robustness

Marking complex or high value structures is one of the applications for a multi-axis positioning systems. For example, an invisible to the human eye identification can be engraved into an item by the laser. The motion of the workpiece in the X, Y direction and positioning of the laser objective in the Z-direction is accomplished by the use of highly dynamic direct drive linear stages. The >> V-528 linear stages linear stages achieve higher velocities and higher scan frequencies that is possible with traditional stepper or rotary servo based solutions. Thanks to their crossed roller bearings, sub micrometer accuracy is possible using motors equipped with highly repeatable and precise linear encoders.

The stages of the >> V-417 series, for example, are also ideal for laser processing applications. The stages position with an accuracy of a few micrometers and provide speeds of up to 2 m/s. They can be easily combined for multi-axis applications.
Specially designed hard covers and side seals prevent the intrusion of dirt or hot particles into the drive and encoder mechanisms. Industrial connectors with high IP ratings and bayonet locks provide additional robustness. The linear stages can be easily aligned during installation thanks to a specially-formed edge with a parallelism (//) better than 50 μm to the bearing guides or to the direction of motion.

Learn more about how these stages meet the requirements of machine builders

Modified V-528 linear stage with gravity compensation for vertical use

XY configuration of high-performance and robust V-417 linear stages

The simplest way to find more suitable positioning solution for laser material processing within the PI product range is the product finder. It helps you to find high performance components and systems in accordance with your criteria.

Product Finder

A-322 PIglide HS Planar Scanner with Air Bearing

High Travel Accuracy

High Flatness

High Constant Speed

Segregating wafer dies also depends on the high accuracy. The cutting width must remain constant and vertical intersections are necessary. In addition, the absolute accuracy is important in order not to damage the individual dies during cutting. The permissible tolerances along the travel range amount to only a few micrometers per meter. The >> A-322 air bearing planar stage, which is moved by linear motor direct drives, is a suitable positioning system for such applications. Such systems achieve high velocities with accelerations of 20 m/s². At the same time, sine-commutated control provides smooth motion and single digit nanometer positioning possible. The combined controls and mechanics approach ensures maximum throughput and the highest precision.

High Precision

High Dynamic

Long Travel Ranges

The requirements for production and processing stencils and printed circuit boards are similar. Workpiece size and feature density can be relatively high. The challenge is provide long travel ranges whilst maintaining micrometer precision. Gantry systems can offer a good solution for these demands. Cable management and operation are optimized so that vertical motion axes, autofocus sensors, and fiber routing system for the laser can be accommodated. The design allows holding the part to remain static while the laser is moved overhead. The absolute measuring systems implemented by PI simplify system initialization because this makes it unnecessary to perform a reference move after switching on.

Multi-axis setup comprising linear stages from PI and a galvanometer scanner from SCANLAB for laser marking of scales

High-Precision

High Velocity

2D Processing

In the case of laser structuring, multi-axis positioning systems with a galvanometer scanner are often combined for steering the laser beam. This leads to good results with respect to dynamics and precision when for example, dials are to be written onto functional components. Motion in the XY direction is then taken over by a positioning stage from the >> V-731 series, which is set up as an XY roller stage. Its linear motors require no additional mechanics and they drive the platform directly. This makes high velocities possible.

Learn more about galvanometer scanners from SCANLAB

The EtherCAT® slave module of the LCM series offers a broad range of functions. The control module can control virtually any laser via universal electrical interfaces. (Image: ACS Motion Control)

In the case of the laser processing process described, it is possible to control the laser directly from the motion control platform easily with a special laser module. It allows direct control of the laser source in order to increase the precision and throughput of the process.

The EtherCAT® slave module of the >> ACS' LCM (Laser Control Module) series offers a broad range of functions, which includes digital pulse modulation for dynamic power control, output impulses or gating signals (on/off signals) that are synchronized to positions along a two to six-dimensional motion path or programmable operation zones. The control module can control virtually any laser via its universal interfaces.

EtherCAT® is an open real-time Ethernet-based fieldbus system, originally developed by Beckhoff Automation. Today, EtherCAT is becoming more and more popular for control and system engineers as a robust, high-speed, real-time network for machine control solutions. The flexibility of the fieldbus system is one reason.

Read how ACS Motion Control solutions benefit from EtherCAT integration

High-Precision

High Throughput

Simultaneous 2D Processing

Motion systems that employ galvanometer scanners typically operate by moving the part to be processed under the scanner and passing the control to scanner controller to carry out its own individual operation. If the area to be processed is larger than the field of view of the scanner, the above method is repeated in what is referred to as tilling. Large areas with many small details cannot be marked efficiently in this manner. Smaller details may require high accelerations and larger require longer travel ranges. It could be advantageous to separate the trajectories for smaller features with the faster more nimble galvo and use the larger, relatively slower motion system stages to handle larger features. Both systems then need to be a synchronized controller architecture, where the appropriate output is fed to the correct motion platform.

XL SCAN Powered by ACS Motion Control and SCANLAB

The jointly developed XL SCAN motion and gantry control system enables large-area marking and processing. The XL scanning solution extends a laser scan system‘s working field by simultaneously controlling and moving a 2D scan head and a 2D scanning stage equipped with high-dynamic magnetic linear drives. The combined system allows efficient marking of large areas with high throughput and high accuracy.