Abstract: A laser beam hardening tool is comprised of an engagement portion for freely engaging with a tool holding portion of a machine tool, a beam guide path which is a passage of supplied laser beam, and a torch portion for radiating laser beam which passed through the beam guide path on a workpiece, thereby executing hardening with laser beam inside the machine tool by installing the laser beam hardening tool in the tool holding portion of the machine tool.

Abstract: Voltage fluctuating time integrating means integrates voltage fluctuating time when voltage of a sensor electrode fluctuates as a voltage fluctuation integrated time, and voltage fluctuation occurrence rate computing means computes a rate of occurrence of voltage fluctuation for time on the basis of the voltage fluctuation integrated time integrated. By doing so, quantity of generated plasma can be taken as the rate of occurrence of voltage fluctuation, and plasma detection judging means can easily detect large volume of generated plasma on the basis of the computed voltage fluctuation occurrence rate. Then, it is not necessary to provide a circuit for measuring electric resistance between the sensor electrode and a workpiece as a conventional way, thereby avoiding complexly structured plasma detector.

Abstract: A laser beam generating unit has a semiconductor laser unit having a plurality of beam emitting portions located in the shape of a matrix, and a plurality of optical fibers for individually transmitting laser beam emitted from the beam emitting portions. An optical fiber bundle is formed by binding a plurality of the optical fibers on a side where laser beam emits, and laser beam is emitted through a taper adaptor provided on the side where laser beam emits. Then, laser beam can be transmitted by the optical fibers at a good condition, and can be collected by a beam transmitting path of the adaptor having the thinner diameter with high efficiency and the power density can be raised.

Abstract: A laser beam machine can make quality of machining almost constant in such a manner that a first reflecting means in a first beam guide portion is moved and driven so as to maintain a length of an optical path of laser beam to be almost constant in spite of a moved position of a machining head. According to the invention, a second reflecting means for catching laser beam in a second beam guide portion is located at a position facing the first reflecting means, thereby relatively shortening a length of the optical path between the first and second reflecting means and shortening the whole length of the optical path, and maintaining quality of machining with laser beam good.

Abstract: A laser beam hardening tool is comprised of an engagement portion for freely engaging with a tool holding portion of a machine tool, a beam guide path which is a passage of supplied laser beam, and a torch portion for radiating laser beam which passed through the beam guide path on a workpiece, thereby executing hardening with laser beam inside the machine tool by installing the laser beam hardening tool in the tool holding portion of the machine tool.

Abstract: A model producing means for modeling a chip model at an edge of a solid model of a nozzle through a predetermined space in a three-dimensional virtual space, and a trace machining propriety judging means for watching a state of an interference between the chip model and the solid model of a workpiece at the time of simulation of laser beam machining program and outputting a predetermined signal when releasing the state of the interference are provided. If an inconvenient instruction wherein the nozzle and the workpiece do not face each other is included in the laser beam machining program, the chip model departs from the solid model of the workpiece and the trace machining propriety judging means outputs a predetermined signal, through which program error can be properly detected with no visual observation of an operator.

Abstract: A model producing means for modeling a chip model at an edge of a solid model of a nozzle through a predetermined space in a three-dimensional virtual space, and a trace machining propriety judging means for watching a state of an interference between the chip model and the solid model of a workpiece at the time of simulation of laser beam machining program and outputting a predetermined signal when releasing the state of the interference are provided. If an inconvenient instruction wherein the nozzle and the workpiece do not face each other is included in the laser beam machining program, the chip model departs from the solid model of the workpiece and the trace machining propriety judging means outputs a predetermined signal, through which program error can be properly detected with no visual observation of an operator.

Abstract: A machine tool is comprised of a tool rest for supporting a plurality of tools, and a laser beam generating means for generating laser beam. When installing a tool for cutting machining on the tool rest, cutting machining can be performed on a worpiece. When installing a tool for emitting laser beam on the tool rest, a hardening can be performed on the workpiece. Only by change of a tool, both cutting machining and hardening can be performed.

Abstract: A laser beam generating unit has a semiconductor laser unit having a plurality of beam emitting portions located in the shape of a matrix, and a plurality of optical fibers for individually transmitting laser beam emitted from the beam emitting portions. An optical fiber bundle is formed by binding a plurality of the optical fibers on a side where laser beam emits, and laser beam is emitted through a taper adaptor provided on the side where laser beam emits. Then, laser beam can be transmitted by the optical fibers at a good condition, and can be collected by a beam transmitting path of the adaptor having the thinner diameter with high efficiency and the power density can be raised.

Abstract: A laser beam machine can make quality of machining almost constant in such a manner that a first reflecting means in a first beam guide portion is moved and driven so as to maintain a length of an optical path of laser beam to be almost constant in spite of a moved position of a machining head. According to the invention, a second reflecting means for catching laser beam in a second beam guide portion is located at a position facing the first reflecting means, thereby relatively shortening a length of the optical path between the first and second reflecting means and shortening the whole length of the optical path, and maintaining quality of machining with laser beam good.

Abstract: Voltage fluctuating time integrating means integrates voltage fluctuating time when voltage of a sensor electrode fluctuates as a voltage fluctuation integrated time, and voltage fluctuation occurrence rate computing means computes a rate of occurrence of voltage fluctuation for time on the basis of the voltage fluctuation integrated time integrated. By doing so, quantity of generated plasma can be taken as the rate of occurrence of voltage fluctuation, and plasma detection judging means can easily detect large volume of generated plasma on the basis of the computed voltage fluctuation occurrence rate. Then, it is not necessary to provide a circuit for measuring electric resistance between the sensor electrode and a workpiece as a conventional way, thereby avoiding complexly structured plasma detector.

Abstract: At the time of execution of concurrent six-axes cylindrical interpolation instruction wherein a start point, an intermediate point, an end point and feed speed are instructed in a machining program PRO, a machining data computing portion 59 computes angular velocity of first, second, and third rotational axis directions and moving speed of first, second and third axial directions so as to correspond the feed speed of a torch with respect to a workpiece with the feed speed instructed in the machining program PRO, and the machining control portion 55 simultaneously controls the first, second and third axes and the first, second and third rotational axes on the basis of the angular velocity and the moving speed which are computed so as to rotate a chuck holding the workpiece and to move the torch, so that machining on the workpiece is executed.

Abstract: In a numerically controlled method of moving an object to be controlled along a predetermined locus, controlling control axes, the locus is made approximate to a spatial polynomial, a polynomial is converted into a polynomial as time function, the polynomial converted as time function is distributed to each control axis, control command in each control axis is produced on the basis of the polynomial distributed to each axis as time function, and the object to be controlled is moved along the locus, controlling each control axis on the basis of the control command. The velocity, the acceleration and the jerk of the object to be controlled can be easily obtained concerning each control axis in advance by differentiating the polynomial expressed by time function. The object to be controlled is controlled so as to move along the locus expressed by the polynomial, feeding irregularity or position shift is reduced and curved face machining at high accuracy is possible.

Abstract: A workpiece is irradiated by a laser beam scanned in an oscillating track as the workpiece is advanced along a feed path in a hardening process. Sinusoidal variations in scan velocity are offset by decreasing the laser beam power level at phases in the scanning cycles corresponding to high and low scan displacement peaks, where the scan velocity is least. The beam power is increased near the scanning center line where the scan velocity is highest. The beam energy applied per unit of area is thus equalized over the scanning cycle. The workpiece temperature can be sampled at regular phases by a non-contact temperature sensor in the optical path, and used to control beam power versus phase in a subsequent scanning cycle. Alternatively or in addition, a sinusoidal beam power pattern can be stored and used to offset scan velocity variations as a function of phase.

Abstract: In a numerically controlled method of moving an object to be controlled along a predetermined locus, controlling control axes, the locus is made approximate to a spatial polynomial, a polynomial is converted into a polynomial as time function, the polynomial converted as time function is distributed to each control axis, control command in each control axis is produced on the basis of the polynomial distributed to each axis as time function, and the object to be controlled is moved along the locus, controlling each control axis on the basis of the control command. The velocity, the acceleration and the jerk of the object to be controlled can be easily obtained concerning each control axis in advance by differentiating the polynomial expressed by time function. The object to be controlled is controlled so as to move along the locus expressed by the polynomial, feeding irregularity or position shift is reduced and curved face machining at high accuracy is possible.

Abstract: A linear motor has a support portion 311 laterally bridged between a plurality of armatures 30 and a shifter side base portion 33 located on a shifter 3 side, for moving along a stator 2 in such a state that a distance between the shifter side base portion and the stator 2 is almost constantly maintained, and the support portion 311 is supported by the shifter side base portion 33 so as to determine a gap between the armature 30 and a magnet 20. Then, the gap between the armature 30 and the magnet 20 of the stator 2 is properly maintained.

Abstract: A nozzle holding means (13) having a nozzle (19) being free to eject laser beam from its top end is provided being free to move along a guide means among a plurality of machine tools. Nozzle holding means operation control means (6, 33) for controlling hardening operation on a workpiece by the nozzle are provided, and communication control means (6, 33) are provided for exchanging information necessary for hardening operation on a workpiece to be machined with each machine tool between the control means and a control means of each machine tool. The nozzle moves among the machine tools and hardening operation is performed on workpieces (29, 30) in the respective machine tools, thereby it is not necessary to provide a hardening unit for exclusive use every each machine tool, and it is possible to provide a hardening equipment having high working ratio.

Abstract: A sharp corner judgment means judges as to whether a corner of cut shape in a workpiece is a sharp corner is not on the basis of a machining program. When the corner is regarded as the sharp corner, an additional locus producing means for producing sharp corner produces an additional locus for producing sharp corner when machining on the corner regarded as the sharp corner, and a sharp corner machining execution means executes machining on the corner on the basis of the produced additional locus for producing sharp corner. Then, the additional locus for producing sharp corner can be automatically produced for the sharp corner so as to execute machining.

Abstract: A saddle 18 is movable along a guide means 16 provided, passing through an neighborhood of machining area MA of a plurality of machine tools 1, 2. The saddle 18 is provided with a machining head 33, being free to selectively insert in and retreat from the machining area MA, and a plurality of kinds of nozzles 48 for ejecting laser beam. The nozzle 48 suitable for a portion of workpiece 3, 4 to be hardened is selected so as to attach it to the machining head 33. When hardening is instructed, the nozzle 48 is moved to a desired position with respect to the workpiece 3, 4 in the state of the workpiece 3, 4 located on the machine tool 1, 2, and the laser beam 51 is ejected from the nozzle 48 so as to harden the workpiece 3, 4.

Abstract: A linear motor has a stationary member shaped as a channel and a moving member therein, with a magnet and an armature producing force for displacing the moving member along the channel. A first air flow path for cooling is defined along the path of the moving member in the channel. The moving member can have channels allowing cooling air to flow through. The channel can be closed over by a cover band passing through a slit in the moving member and closed or lifted by rollers on the moving member. The channel can be supplied with forced air flow by a blower and/or an exhaust fan, and preferably includes a filter for excluding metallic particles from the first air flow path.