A sneaky peak... ! 27.06.10

Hi folks,

This is just a sneaky peak of something I've been working on for a bit.

These are my dichro and FS mirror mounts for an RGB scanner in the making.

They may look rough for their size but I assure you that precision is the aim of the game. These, (and there are three), are part of a larger assembly that includes adjustable modules rather than adjustable optic mounts. They are the last pieces to be fabricated, (by hand), and the full assembly can proceed later this week.

Alignment of these critters I can see as being a real PITA! Especially as it is the first time I have had to align any multiple laser build but I am confident the results will be worth adding to this post or form part of a larger thread.

Once the alignment of a white beam is good I can start to concentrate on the scanner control aspects.

Enjoy...



Any comments or questions are welcome.

M

Re: A sneaky peak... !

wow, those must have been hard to make. Looking forward to seeing them used in something!

Re: A sneaky peak... !

Hey All,

A few more bits as they are now...

Some work to be done on the modules actually. I need to cannibalise a couple of other builds to harvest a driver for the 100mW green and for the LCC in the middle.

The obvious problem with the new diodes coming out is a clear, 'Power Gap', between red and all the other colours! For now I am expecting to have to overdrive the LCC a bit to match the others a little better as I have no Flexdrive and am having to run the, 'New Breed', at around 500mW to keep the MicroDrive happy. However, this will be temporary as I intend to either; drop the blu output, (and green perhaps), to match a single LCC, or; add in a red PBS cube and double the number of LCCs. All for the future though as this prototype is not proven yet anyway.

I just need to put all this stuff together now! For a first RGB combining setup and alignment exercise I think I'm making it very hard for myself but let's hope I've not bitten off more than I can chew! (No emoticon for nervous nail biting!)


The optics, from left to right: 1 x Edmund optics 7mm FS mirror, 1 x pass green/reflect red dichro, 1 x pass red and green/reflect blue dichro. (Dichros very kindly donated by a great guy called Jem from PL!)



Modules, from left to right: 1 x 100mW O-like module soon to be using a Flexdrive, 1 x over driven LCC module with Casio lens installed in a standard, backwards inserted Aixiz plastic lens nut, (great idea by... Insert Name here please!) and soon to be using a Flexdrive, 1 x under driven, 'New Breed', with Aixiz glass 405nm AR coated lens, (half thread), and using a Microboost driver. All current settings are negotiable at the moment.

* [EDIT: I am no longer using the Casio or the Aixiz lens solutions. Please see post #15 for an update - http://laserpointerforums.com/f47/sneaky-peak-updated-17-06-10-a-51801.html#post744390] :thanks: *



The whole assembly. Purpose designed by myself, (with obvious inspiration from LPF members and others!). CNCed parts made by Mel and Ant at MK College. All hand crafted parts made by myself.





Many thanks for looking. I hope to be showing first light very soon but it depends on a whole lot of stuff going right, and I'm sure there will be problems to overcome that I haven't even thought of yet! A full write up will appear at some point but I just wanted to at least post progress as this prevents procrastination and makes me just get on with it!

Wish me luck...

M

Re: A sneaky peak... ! (Updated 17.06.10)

Looks great! Where did you get your reflect green pass red dichros?

Re: A sneaky peak... ! (Updated 17.06.10)

Looking good Morgan...
I'm very interested to the the final mechanical assembly...

Jerry

Re: A sneaky peak... ! (Updated 17.06.10)

Very nice mounts for the optics, i also like the size of the laser heatsinks

Re: A sneaky peak... ! (Updated 17.06.10)

Jacob32123 said:

Looks great! Where did you get your reflect green pass red dichros?

Click to expand...

Hey Jacob32123,

They're not reflect green and pass red. They're the other way round; pass green/reflect red. They were kindly donated by a member of Photonlexicon called Jem as the pass green and red/reflect blue was a little damaged when he upgraded. They are an older LaserWave set if that helps. To be honest I'd be looking to now put the blue through more optics and the red through less to try and balance things up but I don't know how much of a problem this will end up being at this stage.

I guess you can try LaserWave but these are my first set of dichros so I don't have the experience to know good from bad on these, (yet! :crackup

M


(P.S. Found some drivers and just setting them up in between posts! If I feel a building spurt coming on I may mount some optics tonight too.)

[EDIT: Many thanks Jerry and Gryphon, I missed your post as I was writing... And Pontiac? Yes, the mounts were hard to make! Several hours went into those alone but that's what happens when you don't have access to a CNC in the holidays!]

Re: A sneaky peak... ! (Updated 17.06.10)

Looks awesome Morgan, look forward to hearing some more updates

Re: A sneaky peak... ! (Updated 17.06.10)

Thanks for the info.

Re: A sneaky peak... ! (Updated 19.07.10)

A few new pics of this setup as now I have, 'First Light'!!!

The delay has been caused by a nightmare with the 532nm modules! I blew my trusty O-like with a stupid mistake and then replaced it with one that, for whatever reason, didn't step up to the mark. Since then I have found a nice, stable playmate!

Toying with outputs I think I have found a reasonable baseline and tonight I got first light with all modules installed and even had a stab at alignment. The first go has shown me where to improve and also that this little setup is going to work really well! I am pretty pleased even though it is not perfect just yet.

I won't give any specific figures just now as the colour is a bit too blue but these dichros are probably going to be swapped for some from the Casio projector anyway. This should let the red be the last colour in the chain and therefore mean fewer losses from the weakest colour. With these old version Laserwave dichros I am seeing 40% losses?!!! Down from a pre-optic output total of ~500mW to only 300mW! Although this may be inexperience I wouldn't be surprised to find this is normal, (any comments from the wiser members?)

Anyway, enjoy the updated pics and know I am progressing with this build...

The assembly


First light with all three modules in place


Dichros just resting on the assembly so no alignment at this point.


A closer look...


I hope you like them and I'll post some more when I've tweaked the setup.

Thanks for looking,

M

Re: A sneaky peak... ! (Updated 17.06.10)

wow.
those parts make me droll.
That setup beats mine anyday.
i cant wait to see the videos of your show with that thing.
I swear this forum need to pool money together and see if we cant have a forum operated 4 axis cnc machine.
I think most of us would have great uses for it.

Re: A sneaky peak... ! (Updated 17.06.10)

^Only 4 Axes! I want 5!

There's a long way to go on this little project. I have to get low voltage control for the colour outputs and then there's the scanner side of things, (Initial research has been started but it's still in the, "Thought Lab", at the moment ).

This is all working towards a handheld scanner.

Lots to do but without this type of setup working it would be pointless to continue. I consider it a development of the White Fusion. Once the prototype is proved then there's a place for it I think. I already have designs to make it more streamlined and it could then be pointerised! Heat is surprisingly less of an issue than I thought. 500mW output should not be unattainable.

I'm glad you're liking it so far! Hand building the dichro mounts was a real PITA!

More developments will be coming soon! Photos of the properly aligned beam shouldn't be too far away.

M

Re: A sneaky peak... ! (Updated 17.06.10)

if you want a compact scanner get a pic or micro processor and get the smallest steepers you can find. ie floppy drive ones.
I made a nice little setup smaller than 1.5in and it was able to do 2 letters i only programed the word "HI"
i also made it do some small show but these can be made into a handheld unit, but your looking at a remote style laser not pen.
Off topic but,
Am i the only one who like remote style lasers i never liked the pen look.

Re: A sneaky peak... ! (Updated 17.06.10)

Great setup your building. I love nothing more then RGB & I've been thinking over a handheld build myself. Can't wait for more news & pics op:

Are you really using a Casio a130/140 lens for the LCC red? Didn't know those lenses had any use whatsoever. How is the beam profile? Wouldn't they be coated for 445 & cause extra losses for red?

Morgan said:

1 x over driven LCC module with Casio lens installed in a standard, backwards inserted Aixiz plastic lens nut, (great idea by... Insert Name here please!)

Click to expand...

Re: A sneaky peak... ! (Updated 17.06.10)

kiyoukan said:

if you want a compact scanner get a pic or micro processor and get the smallest steepers you can find. ie floppy drive ones.
I made a nice little setup smaller than 1.5in and it was able to do 2 letters i only programed the word "HI"
i also made it do some small show but these can be made into a handheld unit, but your looking at a remote style laser not pen.
Off topic but,
Am i the only one who like remote style lasers i never liked the pen look.

Click to expand...

I'd be interested to know about that little setup. I'm more of mechanical than an electronic designer so any help on this part will be gratefully recieved.

I'm aiming to tie things up with this thread - http://laserpointerforums.com/f42/micro-stepper-motors-bluray-sleds-50795.html - so the steppers are REALLY small!

HaloBlu said:

Are you really using a Casio a130/140 lens for the LCC red? Didn't know those lenses had any use whatsoever. How is the beam profile? Wouldn't they be coated for 445 & cause extra losses for red?

Click to expand...

This is a good point and I'll have to edit this. No, I'm no longer using the Casio lens. Although it is usable, certainly for maximum power output, it has just the same amount of splash as seen when using it with the 445s. Due to it's short FL it catches more of the light even though it may be coated for 445nm and will output more than most other lens options but you'd have to use some small aperture to make the beam pretty and that causes all the losses again! Good for a simple burner but not for any aesthetics.

I have, however, stumbled across a great little glass lens I had in an assembly for some industrial reprographics equipment, (I must try and get a couple more of these). With the Casio lens I was getting something like 270mW output, (don't quote me exactly here but it's the output ratios that are important), with a small exit beam but all the unpleasant splash; with an Aixiz glass lens I was getting about 235mW but a big fat beam that was reflecting off the exit holes in my setup and didn't give nearly enough adjustment; with a standard acrylic Aixiz it ain't even worth mentioning output! Just not enough to balance the other colours!; but with this little AR coated , (I think for IR), shorter FL lens that, once it's housing was turned on my lathe a little, fits nicely into a plastic Aixiz lens nut, I get 230mW with a smaller beam! A really nice compromise. I'd like to get hold of more of these for definite!

As it happens, I am also no longer using the Aixiz 405 lens either as it was a half threaded one. I was sent a lens by Odicforce that is similar to the Aixiz with maybe 3% less output, (could be batching? I only have the one so difficult to tell. Perhaps soon we might have another fully threaded option for the UK if anyone's interested! )

I'll now go and edit the post and insert a link back to this one!

Thanks,

M

Re: A sneaky peak... ! (Updated 17.06.10)

New pics of first alignment. *BEAM SHOTS!*

The first two are with a little smoke. You can see that the near field alignment is still a little off but this will be corrected when I disassemble for thorough optic cleaning and installation of the Casio projector dichros, (which I still have to cut to size, mount and determine which one is which!). This should also improve the colour mix as the beam is actually pretty blue in person but I'll wait to adjust the current settings when I'm happy with the rest of the setup.





The spot. There is clearly a lot of splash, particularly from the red. I may have to settle for this but I suspect a good lens clean and good alignment will sort much of the problem. I only have them wired as, 'all on', or, 'all off', at the moment which is why there are no pretty colours, just a blinding white! I will play once the combiner is stable.



More pics when they're ready... !

M