Fiber laser...?

Metal Shop
#21

Metal Shop currently has no interest in doing anything with the Lumonics. There is some interest in the Laser committee, but it comes and goes.

As for the Lumonics itself, it’s currently on ‘indefinite loan’, and is currently status unknown. While the internal parts might all be working, we don’t have any way of knowing without testing it and the power draw, as mentioned, means that testing it at all is a challenge. If it was operational, it’d still need a table, a gantry, and an enclosure before it could be considered ‘up and running’, and Metal Shop has also expressed to me that they don’t have the space for it even if it was ready to go right now.

The current read on the situation is that we don’t have a fiber laser at the moment, and this will not be changing in the near future. In the medium term this might change, but it’s definitely not anything that’s going to be happening within the next few weeks to months.

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#22

Did a little digging during the freeze. Looks like this model is still supported. I could not find any downloadable pdfs for manuals - maintenance, user guide, schematics, etc. Looks like field maintenance / repair is available - don’t know if any of that is here locally.

edit -
Looks like this is a CW/Pulsed YAG.

#23

This is from memory so take that as you will. I think it is a 2k watt output ND:YAG @ 1064nm with two lamp heads in series. If that is the case we are probably talking 30-40+k watt electrical input. It would also need a chiller capable of dumping that much heat.

I have a lamp pumped 80 watt ND:YAG heart surgery laser if science would like to take on a project. It only consumes 3,600-4,800 watts at 208v. Since it is a surgery laser it too has a fiber launch with a 4-5 meter fiber. Maybe make a focus head for a Shapoko style CNC?

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#24

From @tbjk post 8 above:

image
image999×750 181 KB

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#25

Check Confluence. I was asked about interest in the laser last week. I broached the subject of making the laser operational at the committee meeting on Saturday. In view of the potential costs and the fact that the unit is not DMS property, it’s a loaner, the committee voted against pursuing the matter further by a vote of 9 to 0 with 2 abstentions.

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#26

Do we even know who donated/loaned the unit? Certainly wise to not spend lots of money on an item that may go away.

BTW, I do have an articulated arm if that is useful.

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#27

I don’t, but, cvrana has been in contact with the lender recently. The lender is not willing to convert the loan to a donation at this time as far as I know.
There would be costs associated in determining if it is functional.

#28

I can’t seem to find any reference to what an 80W laser would be able to cut. My best guess is not much, the marking lasers run around 30-50W and the vendor makes it clear they won’t cut anything of significance.

Imho the easiest way to cut metal at DMS would be to drop an autofocus head and oxygen assist into one of the thunders. The existing tube should cut thin sheet metal and if it’s useful we could jam a larger tube in later.

But as cool as it is, sending jobs out to a service is just so much safer and less hassle.

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#29

Isn’t there a K in the power description?

#30

Reading the label, it appears to be a 37KW laser. It uses 460V 3 Phase. That appears to be 54Amps at 460V or are there some decimal points not visible on the picture of the label.

#31

I was referring to Lampy’s 80W surgical laser. To me, the laser at DMS is just a waste of space. If we’re unwilling to work on it (and from my casual glances, it would need a lot of work), and we can’t sell it, then whoever owns it is just getting free climate controlled storage.

The DMS laser output is 1.5kW, and yes it requires 43kVA in, which speaks to the very low efficiency of this style of laser.

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#32

Laser is honestly at the point where it sounded like a fun and interesting project to work towards for me personally at one point, but at this point it’d probably just be a better use of our time and money to just buy a new one straight out. Any sort of consideration for something like that, though, is definitely going to have to wait until after the expansion move because right now nobody has any space for anything resembling something like that.

#33

yeah if the owner is not willing to let us have it as a donation we should get them to take it back.

it’s far too much investment on our part to make an item that we don’t own work. it’s been sitting in warehouse storage for far too long.

IMHO I was under the impression that we owned it, if I knew it was a loaned item that we would never own I would have pushed to get it working or removed a long time ago when I was in charge of logistics. it’s just being stored nicely by us, for free.

I recall a similar situation with the old plasma cutter. it was on indefinite loan and that caused all sorts of issues trying to get anything done with it because everything had to be cleared with the owner.
we know have our own plasma cutter we own.

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#34

Contact the loaner/donor and set a deadline for their decision - in hardcopy - not just verbal.
While waiting, contact manufacturer and see if there’s a local field tech.
A knowledgeable field tech may be able to tell us if its worth keeping/working on.
Availability of manuals/documentation. Maintenance costs, etc.

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#35

My sentiments as well. It should go away if it’s not ours and it’s not working, nor foreseen to be working any time soon.

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#36

So the message I got back from the owner can basically be summed up as:

  1. not ready to donate it
  2. intends to leave it as an indefinite loan
  3. would like to help build a table/gantry/etc for it for the space. Might have components that could be used
  4. If there’s not room for it he’d like it back.
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#37

Laser safety is a big concern with a class iv laser.

  1. Licensing. Texas DSHS requires that Class IV lasers be licensed with the state. There would be costs associated with the licensing fee, biennial fee renewals and retaining a certified laser safety officer (LSO), both to make the initial assessment and for the ongoing LSO requirement.

This applies to businesses, including academic use, that use class iv lasers - not just those that provide services. I am not a professional LSO but I know this from personal experience, not just a cursory review.

  1. Facility. Unless the law has changed, class iv lasers also require various (costly) facility controls, interlocks and safety measures as well.

  2. Compliance. At the very least we’d have to engage a competent professional to determine how we need to meet the state radiation control and/or licensing laws.

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#38

The class rating of the laser system is also dependent on how it’s installed. For example, the Fusion is considered a class 2 laser even though the laser source is class 4. The interlocks on the machine are set up such that you can’t end up with the main laser being energized with hands inside.

Kern usually produces class 4 lasers, but also sells this enclosure to reduce the machine to class 2 for use in certain areas.

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#39

Your distinction between the laser system and the laser product is correct. The manufacturer will certify the laser “product” IAW 21 CFR for lasers, Subchapter J, parts 1040.10 & 1040.11 and this will include all enclosures, interlocks, etc.

21 CFR 1040 stipulates two designations. The laser system is the laser component itself. The laser product is the completed item that incorporates the laser system, along with any guards, interlocks, safety enclosures, etc. A laser product could incorporate, for instance, a class II laser system but with suitable safety measures might be certified as a class I laser product.

The fiber laser name plate clearly states that it is a Class IV laser product so presumably it is subject to the Texas Class IV facility and registration requirements.

But back to what I said earlier … if we decide to pursue the fiber laser we’d need to engage a Laser Safety Officer who is familiar with the ins and outs of the regulations.

Based on Metal Shop’s response above, it sounds like this is all moot.

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#40

In any case, it all sounds like things that should be figured out if the laser is to be fired. Let’s not shut down whatever interest there is by quoting laws and then qualifying our statements with ‘… but I’m not familiar enough to offer a solution’.

There’s a long journey and a lot of learning to be had before we get close to a legal gray area, if someone were to pursue it.

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