Lasers

[Appalachiatools]

Anyone know of a good source for lasers? I'm looking for just the laser head itself to mount on my z. All I can seem to find is whole systems. Thanks.

--Rick

[vger]

Are you thinking of using the laser to cut? or just to point? A laser head is pretty useless with out the power supply. If you are thinking of cutting with it, then you are talking about a fairly heafty laser, most likely too large to mount on the Z. Cutting lasers are generally CO2 in the kilowatt range. Large systems with the beam mirrored to get to the moving axis where there is a focusing lens. Otherwise, give this site a look...

http://www.mi-lasers.com/index1.html

Steve

[Appalachiatools]

Thanks for the reply Steve. I am looking to engrave in wood, brass, plastics, maybe some other metals. I believe what I am looking for is a CO2 laser? I'm pretty ignorant on the subject but I am looking for the complete set up, power supply, laser, whatever else I may need. I can't seem to find anything but the complete laser engraving machines...cnc and controls included. I have an extremely hefty cnc with a precise spindle mounted to my z now. I'm making another plate to hold a full size router, and could probably mount another 25 lbs without any problem...not that I would. Any help on the subject of lasers, laser engraving, and sources would be greatly appreciated.

--Rick

[Herbertkabi]

I hope you will not angry I use this thread for my own questions,

I have to cut thousands of stator laminations from 0.04mm thick 40mm wide MetGlass tape
http://www.metglas.com/faq/?faq_id=1

What type of Laser is the best for and whats power range I need ?

Cheers,
Herbert

[vger]

Rick, You would probably want to use a CO2 laser, you may have a hard time getting your hands on one as they are controlled. Used to be by the BRH (Beurau of Radiological Health) but now I think OSHA is in the game. Unless you are a company that already has a machine that uses one, getting one may be difficult. As for the power needed to etch? not sure, and it would depend on how fast you want to move. I seem to remember a quote that said a 400 watt CO2 would cut 1/8" steel at a rate of about 1 inch a second. A 400 watt CO2 will devour at least 2000 watts of power just for the plasma, and the tube would be water cooled. The tube would also be about 4 meters long (about 100 watts / meter). Most of the higher power CO2's have folded tubes. To do engraving, you basicly want to vaporize the material quickly so maybe a Q-switched pulsed laser with airflow to remove the vaporized material. Here is a link to a page about a 100 watt laser....

http://www.synrad.com/tseries/t100.htm

The head weighs 22 lbs and the RF power supply 30 lbs

Most systems I have seen use a large beam that is focused to a dot with a lens near the work piece. This is for a couple of reasons.... Mirrors for infrared are a bit pricey and ones for very high power are REALLY pricey. Spread the beam out over a larger area and you use the lower cost mirrors. Safety is the other concern... If a pencil led thin beam stikes a shinny metal part and is reflected even in a momentarily molten puddle of metal in an unintended direction, well... Read the safety warning with your remaning good eye. With a focused lens, the only hot spot is at the focal point of the beam.

look up CO2 laser on ebay, you will find components there, but probably not a full system (for legal reasons) unless it's a medical laser and then you have to have a med license to buy it.

Steve

[Appalachiatools]

Thanks for the info.

--Rick