Laser Focus World Webinar. The Importance of Electronic CO 2 Laser System Measurements

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Linette Doyle
7 years ago
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1 Laser Focus World Webinar The Importance of Electronic CO 2 Laser System Measurements

2 Industrial CO 2 Laser System Measurements Why does someone go to the doctor: Proactive Health Approach Reactive Health Approach What Happens? Tests (measurements) Are Taken Diagnosis Given Maintaining a CO2 Laser is the Same Thing! 2

3 Industrial CO 2 Laser System Measurements Topics: CO 2 Laser Beam Generation How are CO 2 Lasers Being Used? Laser Measurement Equipment Past and Present Measurements Taken on CO 2 Lasers Why These Measurements Are Important 3

4 Industrial CO 2 Laser System Measurements CO2 Laser: 4

5 Typical CO 2 Laser System Uses Uses for CO 2 Lasers: Cutting Welding Cladding Marking Medical Procedures 5

6 Typical CO 2 Laser System Uses Uses for CO 2 Lasers: For this Presentation: We ll Discuss 2D Cutting Lasers 6

7 Laser Measurement Equipment Legacy Products: Simple Thermopile Power Puck Acrylic Block Mode Burn Short Time Periods Subjective Measurements Single Data Points 7

8 Laser Measurement Equipment Legacy Products: Simple Thermopile Power Puck Fire Laser for Given Time Wait for Response Single Data Point Collection of Laser Behavior Over That Period of Time No Trending Data 8

9 Laser Measurement Equipment Legacy Products: Acrylic Block Mode Burn Fire Laser for Given Time Safety Concerns?? Single Data Point Collection of Laser Behavior Over That Period of Time No Trending Data 9

10 Power Measurement Thermopiles: Laser Measurement Equipment Many Different Solutions: Water-Cooled Sensors Local Reading or Interfaces with Meter or Local PC for Real-Time Power Measurement Measure Power Continuously for Several Minutes 10

11 Electronic Beam Analyzers: Beam Passed Through to Beam Dump or Power Measurement Sensor Spinning Mirror or Needle Samples Small Percentage of Beam Interfaces with Local PC or Laser System for Rapid Viewing and Measurement of Raw Beam Laser Measurement Equipment 11

12 Laser Measurement Equipment Combined Systems: Two Systems Working Simultaneously: Laser Beam Profiling System: Signal sent to local PC for Analysis Laser Power Measurement System: Thermopile Sensor coupled with Local PC for Analysis 12

13 Measurements Taken Which Laser Measurements Are Important For CO 2 Cutting Laser Systems? 1. Laser Power 2. Beam Size 3. Beam Shape 4. Beam Ellipticity 5. Beam Position 13

14 Measurements Taken Graph of Laser Power vs. Time: Measurement 1: Beam Power 14

15 Measurements Taken Beam Analysis Software: Measurements 2-5: Beam Size Beam Shape Beam Ellipticity Beam Position 15

16 Why These Measurements Are Important Laser Parameter Measurements: 1. Laser Power Difference between programmed power and measured power should not be more than 10% Should Stabilize and Hold within Seconds After Beam On Time Healthy Laser Unhealthy Laser 16

17 Why These Measurements Are Important Laser Parameter Measurements: 1. Laser Power Healthy Laser: Power loss <10% between power programmed and power measured 2000W Programmed 1960W Measured 17

18 Why These Measurements Are Important Laser Parameter Measurements: 1. Laser Power Less Than Healthy Laser: Contaminated optics caused power loss >10% between power programmed and power measured 4000W Programmed 3460W Measured 18

19 Why These Measurements Are Important Laser Parameter Measurements: 1. Laser Power Unhealthy Laser: Damaged output coupler caused power to never reach demand and drifting down 19

20 Why These Measurements Are Important Laser Parameter Measurements: 1. Laser Power Unhealthy Laser: Leak in resonator caused power instability for several seconds until reaching demand power 20

21 Why These Measurements Are Important Laser Parameter Measurements: 2. Beam Shape Looking for Shape that is Balanced and Consistent Over Time Many Different Shapes / Modes Most are Conical ( Gaussian /TEM 00 ) or Donut (TEM 01* ) Gaussian Mode Donut Mode Combination 21

22 Bad Beam Shape Examples: Why These Measurements Are Important Unbalanced Mode (5kW Laser / Optical Misalignment): Good Cuts 2D Profile Energy Off-Center Elliptical Bad Cuts 22

23 Why These Measurements Are Important 23

24 Why These Measurements Are Important Bad Beam Shape Example: Inconsistent Mode (4kW Laser / 5 Second Measurement): Time: 0.0 sec. Time: 0.5 sec. Time: 1.0 sec. Time: 1.5 sec. Time: 2.0 sec. Time: 3.0 sec. Time: 4.0 sec. Time: 5.0 sec. 24

25 Why These Measurements Are Important Laser Parameter Measurements: 3. Beam Size Relative Measurement: Looking for a beam size that is consistent over several seconds Absolute Measurement: Looking for a beam size that is consistent with what the OEM specifications are Changes in beam size from what is expected will translate into a difference in what the laser is designed to do. 25

26 Why These Measurements Are Important Bad Beam Size Example: Inconsistent Size (4kW Laser / 5 Second Measurement): Time: 0.0 sec. Time: 0.5 sec. Time: 1.0 sec. Time: 1.5 sec. Time: 2.0 sec. Time: 3.0 sec. Time: 4.0 sec. Time: 5.0 sec. 26

27 Why These Measurements Are Important Laser Parameter Measurements: 4. Beam Ellipticity % - Good 88-92% - Questionable 88% or Less Action Should Be Taken Usually elliptical beams are caused by some kind of optical misalignment. It should be a concern to the user since the cuts will be different between directions. 27

28 Why These Measurements Are Important Laser Parameter Measurements: 5. Beam Position / Pointing Stability Beam analysis software will also measure the beam position over a long period time Problems usually come from the laser design not much can be done. Sometimes from optics. Bad Laser Good Laser 28

29 Conclusions: CO 2 Laser System Measurements Without real-time laser measurement tools, the laser user cannot fully understand how their laser is behaving. If the measurements aren t taken in this way, the laser system is susceptible to low efficiency and high maintenance costs. Electronic methods of laser power measurement and beam analysis gives the laser user a way to fully optimize their laser system and its processes. 29

30 Thank You! 30

PUMPED Nd:YAG LASER. Last Revision: August 21, 2007

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