Class IV high speed wire marking UV laser

I work for a corporate jet company. We do major systems installation so we use lots of wire. Lots. Ever wonder how we deal with the miles and miles of wire in aircraft? Each wire is marked. Sound simple right? The real old school way was to use a typewriter to type directly on heat shrink sleeves and apply one sleeve to each end of the wire. Works OK till fluid spilled/leaked on the sleeve and melted away the ink. Next came thermal stamping. A heated die (400°F) was slammed into the wire with a foil ribbon between the die and wire embossing an image of the wire numbers set on the die. Simple but the mark held up well and was repeated every foot or so the entire length of the wire. The FAA now frowns on contact embossing as it may microscopically fracture the wire.

Enter Lasers! I know you were waiting for that.  ;D

A few years ago my company bought a laser wire marking machine. It is class IV and operates at 355nm. I don't know the watts output, the control panel is set in joules. The highest setting allowed by the software is 19 joules whatever that power level is. I can tell you it does an excellent job of burning. The laser is fired through a wheel that has all the numbers, letters and special characters on the edge. The wheel is turned at some high rpm around 19,000 I think and the laser fires at the exact time through the wheel to create the numbers on the wire. This all happens at breathtaking speeds so all you see if a blur of the burn. You may not be able to see 355nm but you can sure see it's effect! It is much better in person but here's a cell phone video through the laser safety glass of the machine. Each time you see the lasers "light" it is marking at least 10 characters! That's fast.

www.blackgto.com/laser/M100.avi

The machines webpage is here. We have model M-100L.

http://www.tri-star-technologies.com/catalog/markers/m-100l.html

I really want to take a video with the door open, maybe.....it would be much clearer.

So by my calculations that would be a ~6300W with a pulse duration of about 0.0034 seconds. And 355nm, that's instacancer right there.And not just skin cancer, at that power ;D

Turns out my company is on the 'customers' list. "C&D Aerospace".... crazy

Switch said:

So by my calculations that would be a ~6300W with a pulse duration of about 0.0034 seconds. And 355nm, that's instacancer right there.And not just skin cancer, at that power ;D

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Why is everyone so afraid of UV? And only select sources at that? that's the same wavelength range of a black light. How many people do you know of that cower in fear at the mention of a blacklight? 355 is UVA, the least damaging type.

Wikipedia said:

In the past UVA was considered less harmful, but today it is known, that it can contribute to skin cancer via the indirect DNA damage (free radicals and reactive oxygen species). It penetrates deeply but it does not cause sunburn. UVA does not damage DNA directly like UVB and UVC, but it can generate highly reactive chemical intermediates, such as hydroxyl and oxygen radicals, which in turn can damage DNA. Because it does not cause reddening of the skin (erythema) it cannot be measured in the SPF testing.

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It CAN contribute to the CHANCE of skin cancer (and only skin cancer) over time. I'm not saying it's harmless, but "instacancer" is taking it a bit too far.

Cyparagon is my hero.

He posted exactly what I wanted to say, I was just too lazy ;D

Far UV is the stuff to worry about. The UVA and stuff won't damage you.

But UVC is ionizing. That will mess you up.

"When in trouble or in doubt, Run in circles, Yell and Shout"

Mike

^ I love it! ;D

Switch said:

So by my calculations that would be a ~6300W with a pulse duration of about 0.0034 seconds. And 355nm, that's instacancer right there.And not just skin cancer, at that power ;D

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6300W? Wow. That would explain why the machne runs on 3 phase 240VAC and is water cooled.

6.3kW Diffuse the beam and put a pot of coffee under it, you now have a laser cooker

um... PEAK, guys.  :-?

Average power probably doesn't exceed 20W.

Cyparagon said:

[quote author=Switch link=1221576809/0#1 date=1221598269]So by my calculations that would be a ~6300W with a pulse duration of about 0.0034 seconds. And 355nm, that's instacancer right there.And not just skin cancer, at that power ;D

Click to expand...

Why is everyone so afraid of UV? And only select sources at that? that's the same wavelength range of a black light. How many people do you know of that cower in fear at the mention of a blacklight? 355 is UVA, the least damaging type.

Wikipedia said:

In the past UVA was considered less harmful, but today it is known, that it can contribute to skin cancer via the indirect DNA damage (free radicals and reactive oxygen species). It penetrates deeply but it does not cause sunburn. UVA does not damage DNA directly like UVB and UVC, but it can generate highly reactive chemical intermediates, such as hydroxyl and oxygen radicals, which in turn can damage DNA. Because it does not cause reddening of the skin (erythema) it cannot be measured in the SPF testing.

Click to expand...

It CAN contribute to the CHANCE of skin cancer (and only skin cancer) over time. I'm not saying it's harmless, but "instacancer" is taking it a bit too far. [/quote]

Ah damnit, you guys are taking my cancer comments seriously again : You know I was joking about 405nm being a cancer hazard too...

Anyway, my 6.3kW rating was just an estimate by guessing how the machine works by what sportcoupe said and using the figures he provided.It could be more, it could be less.It could be completely inaccurate . :-/

Cyparagon said:

um... PEAK, guys. :-?

Average power probably doesn't exceed 20W.

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6.3kW pulsed would still heat a put of coffee

Diachi said:

[quote author=Cyparagon link=1221576809/0#10 date=1221662649]um... PEAK, guys.  :-?

Average power probably doesn't exceed 20W.

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6.3kW pulsed would still heat a put of coffee  
[/quote]
Depends...




On pulse duration and frequency of course.A 0.0001 second pulse at 0.1Hz will probably deliver heat to the coffee too slow and it would only get dissipated. :-/

Diachi said:

6.3kW pulsed would still heat a put of coffee  

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Yes, it would take about 30-50 times as long. That's a phenomenally expensive, dangerous (comparatively), inefficient, exceedingly large microwave.

It is said that the laser wire marking machine I posted costs my company $500,000 US dollars! That is an expensive cup of coffee.