Topic: laser DPSS Active Q-Switched

[Themba]

Hello, I am Themba, new to this forum.


Little knowledge about Laser technology.
Trying to build a unit which automatically marks Acetyl-Polymers (Plastic) -letters, numbers, barcodes (data Matrix).
I tried with a laser manufacturer and obtained good results with UV laser 355nm and YAG laser 1064nm(for YAG, I added a special additive to polymer).
Main problems are costs (they asked me 20/25K $US)
Size (I need something as small as possible).
Power should be around 1,5/2Watts
Marking area small, 2,0/05cm.
Galvanometric Lense to mark.
Surfing the net I read about DPSS solutions..


Can anyone help?


Thanks


Themba

[James]

Hello Themba.

Welcome to the LaserBoy Forum.

I think the best idea for you would be to get a good DPSS green laser with analog modulation.

You can easily burn plastic with diodes, like 808nm, 658nm, 445, and even 405. They can all be powerful enough to do the job.

But I don't think you will get the quality of beam that you need to do fine marking.

A professionally made DPSS green will have a very nice, small, round beam spot.

Plus it will be nicely made in a good protective case and have a good stable power supply.

I think a 1 Watt green should cost about $1000.

That's not cheap, but it should last for 10 thousand hours or more.

Then you need to get a pair of scanning galvonometers. These are not lenses, they are tiny moving mirrors.

Once you get that setup, you will need to be able to make signal to control both the brightness of the laser and the positions of the X and Y mirrors; synchronized together.

That is what LaserBoy can do for you!

You can take an inexpensive computer sound card and modify it a little bit to make a direct coupled laser control DAC.

Then you can make your art in the LaserBoy application, convert that art into a wave file and play the wave through the modified sound card.

That will give you the signals you need to control your laser projector.

BTW I like your avatar! Freddie Mercury is one of my favorite singers of all time!

James. 

[Themba]

Thank you James for your reply.


As mentioned previously I have basically no knowledge about how to manufacture a complete system (similarly to what you mention in your mail).


Do you think it is possible to someone of this formu willing to give a hand ? (he would be paid for obviously)


Do you think worth sending the material I need to print before making the investment?


andrea