Laser Cutter Notes

Laser Cutter

Release status: unknown

Description	turnkey or DIY laser-cutter toolheads
License	GPL
Author	User:Sebastien Bailard, VDX
Contributors
Based-on
Categories	[[Category:Laser Cutter][Category:Tools]]
CAD Models
External Link

RepRap Research/Writeups

Bright-VikBot or a good name.

Background

See Laser_Cutter/Background

Description

Discussion: http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?70,13836,14061#msg-14061

Laser Light Sources

~45 sealed CO2 laser ...

1 watt pigtail diode laser with optical head (focus ~50 microns):

Cost Estimate

- comercial 'naked' diodelaser with 8Watt@975nm and 0.1mm atached glass fibre: ~230 Euros (in quantities above 5 pcs).

- turnkey-system with 10Watts@975nm, a visible red pilot-laser and jack for the glass fibre: ~1000 Euros (in quantities above 5 pcs).

Components

1. Laser-source: - CO2-lasertube ... sealed (RF) or 'naked' glass-tube - diode-laser ... best with atached glass fibre (=pigtailed) - ...

2. beam-feeding optics: - mirrors for CO2-laser - glass fibre (or lenses and mirrors) for diode-laser - ...

3. focussing optics: - Germanium- or ZnSe-lens for CO2-laser ... concave mirror is possible too - 'normal' optical lenses for diode-laser - ...

4. power-source: - mostly monolithic PS, good when below 40 Volts for RF-CO2-lasers, 'naked' and DIY-CO2-tubes need above 1000 Volts - constant-current-driver (e.g. more LM317 in parallel) - ...

5. output-power controller: - embedded in RF-CO2-lasers - mostly TTL-input capable of switching the laser output with some ten kHz - current-modulation and/or PWM-switching for diode-lasers until some kHz - AOM (AcoustoOpticalModulator) for diode-laser switchin until some hundred kHz - ...

Requirements

Power

Nitrogen tank or clean dry compressed air.