Patent ID: 6870130

Claim:
A laser machining apparatus for machining a workpiece by irradiating a laser beam from a machining nozzle comprising: a sensor for detecting a gap amount between the machining nozzle and the workpiece; first driving means for driving a gap control axis to be controlled such that the gap amount detected by said sensor is maintained to a predetermined value in machining; second driving means for driving machining feed axes to move the machining nozzle relative to the workpiece along a predetermined machining shape in machining; and a controller for controlling said first and second driving means, to start driving of the gap control axis so that the machining nozzle moves away from the workpiece at a machining end point of one machining shape, and to start driving of said machining feed axes so that the machining nozzle moves to a machining start point of a next machining shape in driving the gap control axis when the gap control axis is driven by a predetermined amount or for a predetermined time.