METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR LASER PROCESSING CONTINUOUSLY MOVING SHEET MATERIAL

摘要

Systems and methods for laser processing continuously moving sheet material include one or more laser processing heads configured to illuminate the moving sheet material with one or more laser beams. The sheet material may include, for example, an optical film continuously moving from a first roller to a second roller during a laser process. In one embodiment, a vacuum chuck is configured to removably affix a first portion of the moving sheet material thereto. The vacuum chuck controls a velocity of the moving sheet material as the first portion is processed by the one or more laser beams. In one embodiment, a conveyor includes a plurality of vacuum chucks configured to successively affix to different portions of the sheet material during laser processing.

主权项

1. A method for processing sheet material with a laser beam from a laser processing head, the method comprising:
continuously moving the sheet material from a first roller to a second roller at a first velocity; removably affixing a moving vacuum chuck on a conveyor to a first portion of the sheet material as the first portion of the sheet material moves from the first roller to the second roller; moving the moving vacuum chuck, with the first portion of the sheet material affixed thereto, through a laser processing area at a second velocity; providing feedback of the first velocity provided by the first and second rollers relative to the second velocity provided by the moving vacuum chuck; coordinating, based at least in part on the feedback, relative motions of the vacuum chuck, the first and second rollers, and the laser beam; illuminating the first portion of the sheet material with the laser beam while the first portion of the sheet material is affixed to the moving vacuum chuck; and transporting, using the moving vacuum chuck, singulated pieces of the moving sheet material to a receiving tray.